Past projects 53
An Enticing Collection from Reading Rainbow, Part I.
Funded Sep 21, 2009I am overjoyed to write you in order to illustrate what a positive impact the Reading Rainbow books have had on my students. Many of my students have a difficult focusing on one task or subject for an extended period of time. However, when we gather to read from The Reading Rainbow Book box, the students settle in for the span of time it takes to read a rich and entertaining text. And when I look out at their faces, they are truly enveloped by the joy and wonder of reading.
After reading the stories together and relishing in the beautiful words, great stories, and wondrous illustrations, the books go to our "book store" bookshelf to be checked out to read at home. The opportunity for my students to have exposure to such great literature and the opportunity to share it with their families is very important to me.
Thank you so much for giving our class these books that motivate them to read with our class, by themselves, and share with their families.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Ekins
Books About Important People, for My Important People
Funded May 24, 2009I am so very grateful to you for providing our classroom with quality, grade level biographies. When our biography unit began and the children started to look through the books, they were excited, engaged, and bewildered by the many famous people they didn't know about.
Having these sets of biographies allows the students to learn about social studies while improving their reading skills and learning how to process informational text. The school day is packed with intense instruction in math and language arts. In many classrooms science and social studies are the first subjects to be dropped. But having fantastic text like these 2nd grade level biographies allows me to continue teaching the students social studies while giving instruction in reading and writing skills.
Second graders are curious. Teaching social studies using these texts keeps the kids actively engaged during our class time. Then, when they go to the school library, they continue to seek information about their favorite historical figures. Many of them also return to school with reports they have done at home with other books or on the Internet.
These books have created a springboard for social studies, reading, and inquisitive children in my classroom. Thank you very much.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Ekins
Thinking About Thinking...Help Us Utlilize Reflection
Funded Dec 26, 2008What a perfect season to receive funding for this project! As the students come back from our Winter Recess, they will be thrilled to see composition books that will hold their thoughts and questions!
I am incredibly grateful to you and the donations you have made toward these notebooks! There is much research available that tells us when students can reflect on their learning, they learn more and they retain it for a longer period of time. Your gift of these composition notebooks will allow us to reflect easily...and maintain a record of our learning in one, concise notebook.
I cannot say thank you enough for helping to create deeper learning and understanding for my 2nd grade students”
With gratitude,
Ms. Ekins
Weekly Reader: Making Weekly Inquirers
Funded Oct 23, 2008Wow! You are absolutely amazing and incredibly generous. What a treat this will be for our class. The Weekly Reader is such a great tool for inquiry and maintaining student interest in our classroom. I can base many other inquiry based activities off of what my students show interest in, in the Weekly Reader. I can't thank you enough for providing Weekly Reader in my classroom. And, I can hardly wait to get it running in our classroom. Thank you. Thank you”
With gratitude,
Ms. Ekins