Ms. Ekins' Classroom Edit display name

Current requests

Past projects 53

• Reading With Rhythm

  Funded Apr 10, 2025

  This is such a charming gift to receive as I move to a new adventure in first grade!

  I’ve been doing collecting of research and found so many ways to utilize singing, rhymes, rhythm, and dancing with kids. And the newest charm I’ve learned? Is how safe it can make students feel in a classroom! Relationship building through fun…creates the best learning!

  I can’t wait to name the puppets with collaborative structures! They will be wonderful, simple pets that help our reading.

  Thank you!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ekins

• Helping Big Feelings for Little Ones Who Love Little Things

  Funded Dec 22, 2024

  The second graders are in love! Friday Table Toppers is motivating to them in many ways I did not even anticipate! First, it has really helped with Friday attendance. The kids don't want to miss collecting their team pom-pom points and shopping for tiny treasures for their pencil box habitats.

  The pom-poms have also given me an avenue to celebrate individual students. Awarding pom-poms is a great reminder to find the positive more consistently, without feeling like bribing children to be nice.

  Some other surprising things to come from Friday Table Toppers is that students are responsible to keep their pom-poms safe as they are collected through the week. If one gets thrown away with a lunch tray, that is a lesson learned. The kids are also making connections between science and Table Toppers, looking for essential items to add to an animals' habitat. We have even been exposed to coin names and values prior to our math program teaching them. Money and value has a very real-life meaning, now. And, finally, the students get to PLAY, just play for fifteen minutes every Friday with a variety of students. Their imaginations run wild. The other day, a group of students had animals attending a Taylor Swift concert!

  The best thing to come from this new way to celebrate behavior is we haven't had any problems with things getting lost or stolen. This has really delighted (and surprised) me. Our class was really struggling with vandalizing others' things or taking things that did not belong to them. We had a big discussion before beginning Table Toppers about this. We came to an agreement that at the end of the school year, the students will get to choose item from their Table Topper pencil box to keep and take home. Therefore, I will get most items returned to use with next year's group of students. And, I most CERTAINLY will be continuing this fun teaching practice.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ekins

• Keeping Art (and Joy) in the Classroom

  Funded Aug 17, 2024

  The luxuries you have provided our classroom have helped with relationship building even more than I predicted! The students have quickly learned how much I believe in choice: choice in seating, choice in activities, choice in where to sit for certain kinds of work around the room. The beanbag chairs you helped purchased have really motivated them to earn the opportunity to make choices about seating, partners, and finding a good-fit learning space.

  Also, thank you for the sewing kits. I had high hopes if we took each step slow enough, they would be a great project for second graders. I still believe this, but their fine motor skills need more practice and muscle building. Although we aren't using the plastic canvas and needles, yet, we are using the thread to weave friendship bracelets to give away. The art of crafting is another choice they have found power in earning. They know they must work hard to finish work through the day to earn weaving time in the afternoon. They love learning a skill, but also love the feeling of creating something to give to others. Soon, the first friendship bracelet will be done, and I cannot wait for winter to try the cross stitching, again.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ekins

• The Pride of Reading

  Funded Sep 23, 2021

  It is official. We have created a classroom of readers this school year! And all thanks to your help buying books that built their confidence (while giving them authentic practice reading).

  Finally, our library had books that EVERYONE could shop for and actually read. As the classroom teacher, it was fascinating to watch students who used to pick book far beyond their reading abilities discover the pride and joy of actually being able to read the words of a book. They quickly developed the ability to shop for their own, good-fit books. Thank you.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ekins

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and one other donor.

• Kids Who Play Together, Learn Together

  Funded Jan 23, 2022

  Utah's students need so much joy right now to be injected into their academic day. They have lived during a pandemic! These tools will provide that joy...in combination with learning. And, brain research shows that brains that have fun while learning, learn more. Thank you for recognizing the power of joy in learning.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ekins

  This classroom project was brought to life by Utah State Board of Education.

• These Books Are Garbage...In a Good Way

  Funded Dec 9, 2021

  What a treasure to have books the kids can touch and read together! I am giddy about the ability to teach reading concepts and science/social studies with students who create their own learning! It is such a powerful way to learn and remember the content. Thank you so very much for such a gift.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ekins

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 3 other donors.

• Creating Science Creations

  Funded Oct 25, 2021

  Nothing makes me believe in the good of people more than DonorsChoose email alerts that there are updates to a project. The love that has been shown to my classroom today gives me the chills.

  The second graders will be THRILLED to create professional-looking, colorful, and intriguing science projects using the luxurious tools you have provided. Thank you for supporting their fieldwork!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ekins

• (Better) Online Learning

  Funded Oct 12, 2020

  Your supplies were part of the last distance learning delivery in December! They revived our class like you cannot believe! So many kids were able to function with wild amounts of speed to unmute Zoom and work on their learning apps because of the wired mouse offered.

  I know public school parents did not sign-up to be, what felt like, their child's full-time teacher, and I know my ability to offer them ANYTHING they needed in the way of supplies helped tremendously.

  For me, the cart has been my pride and joy. It helped carry small-group supplies back and forth between home and school and continues to be helpful as I relocate all of my school materials from my home to my classroom.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ekins

• Our Class Needs a Pet: A Printer as a Copycat

  Funded Oct 24, 2020

  This color printer is a DREAM to have at home during remote learning. I teach from a bedroom in the corner of my basement, and our new copycat lives near my feet.

  Printing templates for the second-graders' whiteboard pockets was such a luxury and I think really made the students feel like learning was special. Our Zoom learning every day was bright and purposeful.

  Also, now that we are back in-person most of the time, the kids are THRILLED to see copies of their first writing in our library. I actually had to make a third copy of our book of lists and letters because they love seeing their writing on the bookshelf.

  Thank you for making my job easier this year. And more colorful.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ekins