Past projects 6
Staplers for Book Making
Funded Dec 7, 2022My students are thrilled with our new staplers. They work perfectly, and have solved a multitude of classroom problems. Students are able to more quickly staple their work, limiting time spent waiting in line. This means more time spent learning and working! They are able to independently manage their materials and decide how they'd like to arrange and staple them, promoting independence and increasing ownership in their own work.
For me, the staplers have meant far less time spent un-jamming old machines. I'm able to quickly prepare classroom materials, freeing up time for planning and communicating with families. We are so grateful for this gift!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Armstrong
"Have You Seen My...?" A Project To Keep Kids Organized
Funded Aug 10, 2022We're well into our school year and I've never been more grateful for the added storage that your generous donation provided. Students are busy gathering materials throughout the day, and having their supplies organized and accessible has been a true sanity saver.
While storage isn't the most exciting classroom item to support or write about, I am so grateful for your support and trust. These everyday items that make getting to the most important parts of our learning easier make for a happy teacher (and happy students, of course).
Your storage has provided needed space to store our writing projects. Here are some current book topics to brighten your day: The Shy Dragon and the Princess, How to Take Care of a Hamster, The Case of the Missing Chicken Nugget (Parts 1 and 2), and How to Start a Pillow Fight”
With gratitude,
Ms. Armstrong
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 7 other donors.Sound Up for Learning: Headphones for Second Graders
Funded May 30, 2019It is with gratitude that I update you on our new classroom set of headphones! Students were overjoyed when they entered the classroom to find a brand new pair of headphones in their cubby. I heard students saying, "These are so fancy!" and "I have wanted these headphones! Parents were also thrilled to see that their children are provided new, quality learning materials.
The headphones have provided our classroom with a renewed sense of calm during technology. We do not have to waste any time untangling cords or searching for lost ear covers. The adjustable volume on each headset allows students to adjust the sound to meet their needs. The over-the-ear feature helps to block out classroom noise which allows students to focus on their work.
When students have new, quality materials to work with, they feel their education is being honored. Thank you for helping me to show that my student's education matters, and that they are worthy of nice things. I am so excited to continue our classroom learning with these headphones.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Armstrong
Flexible Seating, Focused Thinking
Funded Mar 29, 2017My students and I are lucky to be surrounded by such a generous and supportive community. I am overwhelmed by the incredible gift you've given my class, and classes to come. Thank you!
We absolutely love our Hokki Stools, wobble cushions, and chair bands. As you can clearly see from the smiling faces in these pictures, the kids love their new seats. They think it's fun, and are beginning to learn how these new seats are helping them learn. Within the first week of using these materials, I already saw students making seating choices that helped them focus on instruction. I heard children talking about making choices on where to work, for example, "I am having a hard time listening, I think I need to move to a new seat where I can move my body." I hope that this small step leads to even greater student-participation in education. They are learning how to self-regulate and advocate for themselves.
This summer, they are continuing to get great use during our summer school program. Next year, they will be a happy addition to my new second grade classroom at Ardenwald.
Thank you again for your generosity and support!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Armstrong
This classroom project was brought to life by Aspect Ventures and 15 other donors.Spring Chickens
Funded Dec 17, 2015On a rainy Wednesday morning in Milwaukie, our wonderful secretary rolled two large boxes into our classroom with a smile on her face. Students eagerly shouted, "What is it, Ms. Hill?!" I explained that it must be our chicken supplies, and asked if they wanted to open them. Naturally, the answer was yes, so we gathered at the carpet with the boxes in the center. It was only then that I noticed one box had "Live animals, open immediately!" Written in bold, red print. Now, I did not order chickens. Nor did I intend to have any living chicks in our room for another three months. I took a deep breath and opened the box while 28 Kindergarteners hoped for 12 baby creatures to pop out. To their dismay, and my deep relief, it was only the feeder and chick food.
While I am pleased that I have sufficient time to prepare our room for these new arrivals, their excitement and energy at the idea of having this tiny creatures in our room brought happiness and anticipation for our upcoming project. In April we will receive one dozen fertilized eggs. From here, we will explore the eggs through observation and research as we anticipate the hatch. We will talk about the needs of different living things (plants versus chicks versus people). We will prepare our room and discuss how to gently care for this tiny, newborn living things. And, of course, we will bask in the joy that is cuddling a brand new baby chick.
We are incredibly grateful for your generous donations. Your commitment to public education inspires me, as a teacher, to rise to the challenge of creating engaging, diverse lessons that help ignite a desire to learn among my students. I cannot wait to embark on this journey with my students. While I cannot yet show you results of this project, I can assure you that the supplies you've provided will insight joy in learning in our classroom. Thank you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Armstrong
Young Students Seek Reading Inspiration!
Funded Aug 7, 2015On the first day of school 28 eager and nervous Kindergarteners filled my classroom. I read them "The Day the Crayons Quit," and we all roared with laughter as we read about the many different crayons who all had a complaint to share. The peach crayon was a particularly huge hit, since it had lost it's paper wrapping and was naked and too embarrassed to leave the crayon box. A week later, as my principal walked by, an eager student yelled from his spot on the carpet, "Read about the naked one!" While my immediate reaction should have been, "How am I going to explain this one?" all I could think about was how excited these students were to hear a book.
These colorful and engaging books have pulled my students into the world of books and reading, and for this wonderful gift I am incredibly grateful. We have all enjoyed reading together each day, discussing characters, looking at pictures, and laughing at the unique stories these authors have created. These books have inspired my five and six-year-old students to become readers and writers. I am so excited to continue our school year with many opportunities for reading and learning.
Thank you for providing this gift for twenty-eight happy new readers.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Armstrong