Past projects 7
Let's Get Lit!
Funded Nov 27, 2023I want to express my deepest gratitude for your kind donation. My students enjoyed making their puppets and using them during our literacy block to role play and act out different scenes from the stories we have read throughout the unit. The simple use of puppets has helped them build on their literacy , communication and social skills while learning about setting, character traits and sequencing. The dry eraser markers allow for my students to practice sight words, draw and sketch their ideas during science , as well as to solve math problems throughout the day. These items may not seem like anything grand but they are so useful and beneficial for my students! Again , thank you for your donation and for helping to bridge the gap for my students!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bellido
Gather One, Gather All!
Funded Aug 31, 2023Thank you for choosing to make a difference through your donation. We appreciate your support more than words can express. Our new classroom carpet has created a designated central area for us to come together in collaboration. It is a space of unity that allows all students to engage with each other more freely and creatively.
Your gift has been a catalyst in creating a safe space within our classroom community. One can see firsthand how my students enjoy meeting on the carpet to take part in academic and social/emotional discussions or as they work cooperatively with partners to practice sight words, solve math problems, or while reading a book with one another. Other times you may hear the laughter and giggles as they share funny moments with one another or you may observe them taking a moment to meditate and breathe. It has become a space where my students feel included, confident, respected and valued. It is the nucleus of our classroom!
Thank you again and my deepest appreciation.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bellido
Cooperative Play and Problem Solving
Funded Sep 29, 2022I want to thank you for your generous donations which have made a world of difference for my young scholars. Upon seeing all of the wonderful items they were so excited and thankful. They had so many questions in terms of how I acquired the items. When I explained how the kindness of strangers made it possible they were so appreciative and came to the consensus that, "They must be really rich and love little kids like you do Mrs. B!! " Lol
The items have made learning so much fun while helping my scholars engage in cooperative play, problem solving, dramatic play, team building as well as enforcing alphabet/sounds and number sense.
The floor puzzles and blocks are very popular with my scholars as they work in teams to challenge each other on completing the puzzles first and building the tallest towers. They now discuss/share ideas and come up with a plan together - something they could not do early on in the school year. Our class room motto is one that they now understand and follow- teamwork makes the dream work!
Thank you for helping be part of our village!!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bellido
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Classroom Supporter.Stepping into Kindergarten with Our ABC's and 123's
Funded Aug 24, 2022Your generous donations have helped my students in many wonderful ways. They were able to start off the school year with an abundance of new materials which piqued their interest and helped support/reinforce their social & emotional development, academic and communication skills. The Grab and Write Social Emotional Prompts are now a part of our daily Morning Meetings - the children look forward to choosing a new prompt each morning and sharing their experiences and ideas. It is a pleasure to see all the progress they have made in terms of expressing their feelings, showing empathy for one another and actively listening to each other. The wooden blocks are another hit in our classroom! We use the blocks to engage in team building activities which have helped strengthen their problem solving and social skills. The literacy and math activities are a part of our daily work stations which have really supported their number sense and alphabet/sound recognition.
Thank you again for investing in the lives of our young learners and future leaders!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bellido
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Funder and one other donor.Staying Connected !
Funded Nov 23, 2020The pandemic made technology more of a necessity than a luxury in our 1st grade ICT classroom this school year. Pre-Covid, our students were able to utilize our classroom desktops, tablets and laptops for enrichment or just as a fun reward. Once we were quarantined and moved to fully remote, computers and technology became the main basis of their academic and social existence. Our students had to gain access to laptops and computers while we engaged in remote learning and once we returned to school technology became a norm within our classroom. My co-teacher and I were able to use the donated laptops to create interactive lessons which our students could access at home or in the classroom. Our students were able to complete assessments, engage in interactive social emotional activities and collaborate with other students from other classrooms virtually since restrictions didn't allow for us to do so in person.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bellido
This classroom project was brought to life by Allstate Foundation.Closing the Gap by Strengthening Literacy and Social Emotional Learning
Funded Sep 3, 2020We would like to express our heartfelt thanks for your generous contributions to our classroom community. They have made such a great impact on our students in so many ways during this pandemic. The materials have really helped support our students' social emotional well being as they navigate a world full of tragedy, fear and so much uncertainty.
We start every day with the, Let's Talk conversation starters which allow for our students to discuss and share their likes, interest, concerns and wishes. This has proven to be a great icebreaker and allows for students to get to know one another and open up. These daily conversations starters have helped build a classroom community that feels safe, welcoming and inclusive of all of our students.
Another great resource which we are thankful for are the, Feelings Journals which our students are free to use throughout the day at school and remotely. They are able to check in with themselves by writing and drawing how they are feeling. These journals have become a cool down tool for many of our students who are struggling with their feelings and emotions. The journals have been quite informative for us because many times our students can not find the words to express their needs or concerns so we use their drawings and writing to help us help them.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bellido
This classroom project was brought to life by Cartier Philanthropy and 3 other donors.Opportunities for Growth: Technology is Key!
Funded Feb 1, 2018The tablets and headphones that were kindly donated by your organization have become a integral part of our day. The children are able to easily choose the programmed apps to read leveled books, write short responses, engage in math tutorials/games, and surf the internet to explore topics that we introduce during science and social studies. For example, during a social studies lessons about places in our community, a group of children became interested in learning more about NYC landmarks and decided to "surf the web" to gain more information about places in NY which they would like to visit over the summer break. They created a, "Places I Want To Go Bucket List", which they will share with their parents at the end of the school year.
Many of my students are technology savvy but do not necessarily have tablets, computers or wifi service available to them at home. Therefore, to have access within the classroom is a great advantage for them. They have taken ownership of the tablets and make sure that they are charged, powered off and stored safely at the end of the school day. The headphones allow for them to use the tablets without any distractions which keeps them focused and calm. We have created an appointment sheet so that students can sign up to use the tablets providing they follow rules and complete their assigned tasks. I must say, student productivity has increased since they now have something fun to look forward to.
The greatest impact which I have noticed since the tablets were introduced in the classroom, is that all of my students have moved up at least a level or more in their reading due to the usage of reading apps such as, myON and Raz-Kids. They are now able to access them on a a daily basis because of your contributions. Twenty minutes of independent reading a day makes a world of difference to my students and I am so grateful for the opportunities you have bestowed upon my little learners!!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bellido
This classroom project was brought to life by The First Million Fund and 3 other donors.