Past projects 23
Back To Basics!
Funded Aug 4, 2021While the items that I requested for this project were not fancy, they were absolutely essential to a successful start of my school year. My band and string students were happy to have their new binders and sheet protectors for their music when we were finally able to start in-person classes after more than a year of online classes due to Covid-19.
I was able to use the card stock and laminating sheets to create rhythm manipulatives for all of my 3rd graders and had enough left over to use for laminating holiday stockings to decorate for our winter concert a few weeks ago. The Zipoloc bags were used to separate the manipulatives for individual student use and to store reusable masks for band and choir students.
The last two years have been a challenge as a music educator, but your generosity has definitely made things much easier!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Richards
Drumming Into A New Era!
Funded May 3, 2021When this school year began in August, I had not taught my students in person since March 13, 2020, when we were sent home for what we thought might be three weeks and turned into 12 months before any students returned to in-person instruction in my district. Even when my district returned to a hybrid model last February, all elementary music was still required to be taught via Zoom (online) because of Covid concerns. When I was still hoping last spring that we would be able to teach music in-person this fall, I posted this project for 10 Remo floor tom drums to complete my class set so that students would not have to share drums this fall.
My 5th graders spent most of the first quarter of this school year learning how to play these drums, reading rhythms and playing along with songs that were familiar to them. This was a perfect way to return to in-person music classes, as it was very engaging, even for my most reluctant learners. It gave them an opportunity to play instruments and it gave me an opportunity to teach new skills and build on the basic rhythms we learned how to count while online last year.
My 5th graders have just started a unit playing Boomwhackers and learning how to read lines and spaces, which we will continue until the winter break in December. I am also excited about using these new drums with my younger students as we explore rhythm reading and writing our own compositions. These drums will last for years and I am thankful for the generosity of all my donors for their investment in my music program.”
With gratitude,
Dr. Richards
This classroom project was brought to life by Ford Drive 4 UR School and 8 other donors.Record and Play Today!
Funded Feb 20, 2021My 4th and 5th grade students have been learning how to play band and string instruments this school year completely virtually. In other words, all of our beginning band and strings and 2nd year strings classes are being held via Zoom. Spring is the most exciting time of the year for me as an instrumental music educator, as I watch the culmination of a year's worth of hard work and effort in the spring concert performances by my students.But this year is very different, unfortunately. Our school district has not cleared us for any in-person concerts at any level, so I have had to improvise quickly.
My students have adapted very well to using an online program to record themselves playing our concert selections in order for me to put them together for a virtual concert. This would have NEVER been possible without the generous donations that funded this project for earbuds with microphones built in for recording. Many students did not own any earbuds and we have to use them for recording with this program.
I had some extra ones left over, so I gave my 3rd grade recorder students some to do a virtual recording for me, and they have also done really well with the earbuds. It is so much fun to see their excitement about music again! This year has been hard on all music teachers and our students, and I am so grateful for your support.”
With gratitude,
Dr. Richards
Shake Up Some Music Fun at HOME!
Funded Jul 21, 2020I used the rhythm instruments to create "take home" music bags for all of my kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade students to use for virtual learning this school year. My district began the year 100% virtual and even though the K-5 grades have recently begun a hybrid model, all music classes will remain online only for the foreseeable future.
The students were so excited when they found out that they would be able to KEEP the maracas (kindergarten), triangle (1st grade), and rhythm sticks (2nd grade) forever! They have been great about keeping them in the large Ziploc bags that I also purchased with the help of this project and we get our music bags out at the beginning of Zoom class each week so that the students can explore musical sounds and rhythms, even in a virtual setting.
In addition to these instruments, I also made "shaky eggs" for all of these students using plastic eggs and popcorn, hot gluing them all together. The older students made their own rhythm instruments, using toilet paper rolls and rice. I continue to find creative ways to keep my students engaged in music making during this pandemic.”
With gratitude,
Dr. Richards
Music and Reading Go Hand in Hand!
Funded Oct 22, 2020I specifically chose these books because they feature African American and Latinx musicians and their music, since I teach in a school that is more than 75% African American and Latinx. I want my students to hear about the history of their ancestors specifically in my music classes.
I often use picture books at the end of every class, especially with my younger students (kindergarten-2nd grade) to share about an artist that I want to introduce them to. I use the rhythm picture books to reinforce musical concepts as well. My students love being read to and have come to look forward to this part of their music class every week, even on Zoom.
Also, since I have not been able to teach from the school and our public library was closed completely for a time, these books became an invaluable resource when I couldn't go to my school library or public library. It has been a real godsend during the virtual teaching to have these new picture books to share with my students.”
With gratitude,
Dr. Richards
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Donor and 4 other donors.Zoom, Print and Go!
Funded Jul 31, 2020Because I teach music, it is essential that my students can hear me clearly while teaching online, whether I am singing, talking or playing an instrument. The Zoom H1N microphone that I was able to obtain through Donors Choose has been instrumental (no pun intended!) in our virtual learning environment this school year. My large urban school district has been completely online since the pandemic began in March of 2020 and will continue to be online until at least February 1, 2021. My students love seeing me use the new microphone, which I can connect to my laptop or my iPad for online music classes!
The laptop stand has been invaluable to me in my "teach from home" area, as my desk isn't very big and it allows me additional workspace, in addition to the students being able to see me better during Zoom classes because of the angle of my laptop being higher now with the stand. I look forward to using it when we return to school as well.
Printer ink was used to print off music learning manipulatives from my home printer for my students to put in the "at home music bags" that I sent home with all K-4 students at my school. We were not able to get into the school for extended periods before school began in August, so it was great to be able to have resources to complete this at home. I used my own laminator and the laminating sheets purchased through this project to complete the manipulatives.
It has been a challenging year to be a music teacher, but these generous donations have helped tremendously!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Richards
Make It / Take It Shirts for Music Students!
Funded Jul 17, 2019We are using the Cricut machine, t-shirts and accessories to produce t-shirts for all of my 4th and 5th grade band, orchestra and choir students. This year I have 65 students involved in my music program, some of which are in more than one group. All 65 students will get their own t-shirt to wear during our in-school concerts and off-campus performances.
I developed the shirt design myself, with the assistance of another teacher who is an experienced Cricut user. Some of my students assisted me with the iron-on process and really enjoyed the process of finishing the shirts.
When I showed the students the finished product, they were thrilled. One student said she wanted to wear her shirt every time she has band class! I love her enthusiasm!
Because we now own the Cricut machine, I will be able to continue to make shirts for students every year going forward. I also look forward to making gifts for my students using the Cricut and also have been able to show other teachers in my building how to use the machine for projects in their classrooms. Through your generous donations, we will be able to use these resources at my school for years to come.”
With gratitude,
Dr. Richards
Making Music T-Shirts!
Funded Aug 13, 2019We are using the Cricut accessories to help produce t-shirts for all of my 4th and 5th grade band, orchestra and choir students. This year I have 65 students involved in my music program, some of which are in more than one group. The accessories and additional t-shirts were essential to the completion of my project.
The students were thrilled when they saw the finished t-shirts and some were able to assist me in the iron-on process as well. One student said that she wanted to wear her shirt for every band class! I love her enthusiasm.
Going forward, the accessories will be useful in completing many different types of projects, including making t-shirts next year. My school is a Title I school with a high poverty concentration, so the fact that they didn't need to buy something special to wear for our in-school concerts and off-campus performances is very important. Thanks to your generous donations, we will be able to use these accessories for years to come and this year's students will be given a t-shirt free of charge to them!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Richards
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 7 other donors.Hot Cross Buns, Hot Cross Buns, One-a-penny, Two-a-penny...
Funded May 23, 2018When I told my students that they would all get their own recorder and book to use for the year, they were so happy! It has really improved student achievement for the children to be able to practice at home as well as during music class every week. My students are really enjoying playing their recorders and love being able to take them home to practice on their own. We took our "white belt" test this past week and the students were so excited to get their "white belt" tassel for being able to play their first song! We are looking forward to preparing several songs in order to present a recorder concert to the parents during our parent teacher conference time in February Please accept my heartfelt gratitude for your generosity in funding this project, as otherwise my students would not have recorders to take home and practice.”
With gratitude,
Dr. Richards
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Arts Funder and 15 other donors.Put A "Bow" On Our New Instruments!
Funded Dec 17, 2016My students were so excited when the new instruments, bows and case arrived just after our winter break. It really was like Christmas all over again! Because most of the families of my students cannot afford to purchase their own instruments for band or strings class, they must rely on the availability of school-owned instruments if they want their child to participate in instrumental music. Many of these instruments are very old and in serious disrepair, but they are all we have, so we make do. But now, because of your generous donations, we have a new clarinet and trumpet that have been added to our inventory! In addition, we had several violin bows that were barely usable and didn't produce a quality sound anymore and two of those bows have now been replaced with brand new bows! It is such a confidence builder for these young students to be able to play on new instruments and accessories. Also, we had a trombone case that was falling apart and the student couldn't even take it home because the case wouldn't stay closed anymore. Now we have a brand new trombone case and a very happy student! Thanks so much for supporting my students and their musical endeavors. It means the world to me and to my students!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Richards