Past projects 6
Escaping the Room of Boredom
Funded Apr 3, 2019Thank you so much for your generous donations. My partner teacher and I have been slowly implementing Escape Room activities to help our students review and apply the curriculum they have been exposed to. These escape rooms bring their learning to them in a new and intense way where they need to not only recall the information but use it to solve puzzles and advance to the next puzzle. We have found that the use of the escape rooms has increased their ability to apply the knowledge that they are learning.
Side note: I moved jobs in December and have chosen to implement escape rooms into my Media Center. The impact of this grant has increased from approximately 44 students to 480+. I apologize for the length of time that you have had to wait for an update. The shift in positions took me a while to acclimate to.
My students in second through fifth grade are all asking when they get a chance to experience an escape room too. I have only tried it with one class so far but the potential is extraordinary and I am excited to create interactions for all that want them.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Richer
LEGO My Learning!
Funded Mar 22, 2019Our students LOVED receiving the LEGOs. This grant not only gave them some extra STEM materials but it also enhanced our weekly academics and behavior stats! Students who completed all of their assignments and adhered to the classroom expectations were allowed to choose an extra CREATE/ STEM activity on Friday's. Before receiving the grant and extra Legos, many of the students, especially the boys, could care less about the reward time. As soon as the Legos were added to that maker space as part of the reward 9/10 boys completed all of their academics and stayed within the behavioral expectations to participate in the fun! Students who had previously shrugged off work or had put little effort, were now some of the first completing everything to be able to "pick" their extra Friday activity! Many of the students explored force and motion designs and worked to create "racers" that would beat others that were being designed. Students asked to research different aerodynamic designs during technology time and drew sketches to try and recreate those designs using Legos (some were quite successful!) I am excited to see how next years students embrace these new "educational" incentives. Thank you again for helping me motivate my students!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Richer
Learning in Comfort and Style
Funded Aug 22, 2018We have had our new carpets for about two weeks! We love them! When I first laid them out they made my teacher heart so happy! I couldn't wait to show my students the following day. They were so in love with the animals encircling the larger carpet. They have been learning a song about the Continents in music class and a few started singing it while looking at them laid out in front of them. We discussed the care and maintenance of keeping these carpets clean and looking beautiful throughout the year. Their idea is stomp their feet after PE and recess with two boys bringing old T-shirt's with them to wipe off shoes and I was told by one student that I needed to get a welcome mat so they could make sure their shoes were clean. Completely THEIR ideas!
Our whole group time transitioning is a wonder to behold! Before the gather carpet, I had bath mat rugs for the students to sit on. These were kept in a basket at the back of our classroom. Students would grab a carpet to lay out to sit on and it always took so much time to get them ready to start never mind cleaned up and ready to start a new activity. NOW, I call their learning station numbers and we are ready within minutes. It makes our gather time efficient, comfortable as well as beautiful to look at! Moving from one area to another is a quick endeavor instead of forever!
The reading library carpet (USA map) has become a favorite place to read! The students flop down on the carpet with a pillow and their stuffed reading pal and a low hum of reading mumbling can be heard. It is music to my ears! Students have always had the opportunity to choose to sit on the floor instead of in a desk to learn and more and more are choosing the carpets to work! I hoped this would happen but the results have far exceeded even my expectations! Your generosity to these second grade learners has not only improved our room aesthetically but it has brought joy back into curling up with a good book and has helped me fine tune transitions and whole group activities! I cannot thank you enough! You have given my students a comfortable place to gather to cooperate and to learn. We thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Richer
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 2 other donors.Full Steam Ahead With STEM Literature
Funded Sep 27, 2017I wanted to thank you again. My students are embracing the idea of YET. They are coming to understand that hard work and making mistakes is a way to grow and achieve. Many, many of them were already frustrated with the educational process. Few of them enjoyed school or working on more difficult tasks. With the colder weather setting in (laughable in Florida), we are unable to take them outside for recess. Today, my students begged me to read them a book from our STEM set that was so generously funded by your combined donations. After reading Flight School, my students attempted to make airplanes to see who's would fly farther, straighter or faster. Computers were set aside , their previous go to entertainment, for a book, paper and paperclips. It was a tear inducing, laughter filled, learning experience. One of my smartest, least motivated boys, said to me as he was leaving that he was going to ask his mom for that book so he could read it again and again. He stated that he was thinking of having a paper plane themed birthday party. These are the moments that make your heart smile! Thank you for allowing me this moment with my kiddos!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Richer
Saving My Sanity!
Funded May 23, 2017We are so excited to be using our new rolling file cart! When it first arrived in a very heavy brown box two of my boys volunteered to put it together they were so excited. One even told his father we needed his tools to make our dreams come true! They are such sweet children AND the parent came in with his tool belt to see what he could help with. It was a VERY exciting time! Unfortunately I didn't think to ask the parents to help us assemble the cart and our stellar maintenance crew had put it together the evening before after I had written a work order. It sure is good to know that one of the parents is handy and is willing to come and lend us that skill!
I truly have no idea how I taught without this simplest of item all these years! I am able to roll around with my colored pens and folders right at my finger tips! We use the cart each and every morning as I cruise around the room checking in with students as they are reading their library books and writing journal entries to help them with their vocabulary and comprehension. Having the cart is so convenient in having a child reading and writing or working on a comprehension test on their computer. Before, I would be hunched over the child or kneeling by their chair to see and instruct on what they were doing. It caused all kinds of disruptions as I tried to conference with ONLY that child but others were listening and trying to give their own input. With the cart, I am able to bring the struggling child to me away from the others and conference about whatever skill is needed. I have seen some of my low readers start asking for more help and becoming more confident as they realize that their peers cannot hear what we are discussing. They are more apt to tell me what they are struggling with.
MY SANITY is a step closer to being saved because of YOUR GENEROSITY! Filing papers and keeping work organized with 23 7-8 year Olds is an ongoing struggle. I don't think I have gone a full day teaching without someone (INCLUDING MYSELF) saying, "Where are those papers? Where did I put that?" With our new handy, dandy rolling cart, I am able to have the students file their own papers as we use or finish them. No longer are there piles and piles of pages that I need to file weekly. I can just flip through the cart to find what I need. I used hanging file folders that I had in an old crate to begin our filing adventure but I believe that I may purchase more green, yellow and possibly red folders to organize work we need to do (green), yellow (portfolio work/ in progress) and red will be completed work. I am super enthused to see how this file cart helps to teach my kiddos more responsibility and skills they can use FOREVER! They will surely be equipped not only for third grade when we finish the year, but also they will begin to experience and understand the time and energy it takes to be prepared and organized.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Richer
Preferential Seating? Yes, Please!
Funded Aug 2, 2016This year was my first attempt at a donors choose project. Your donations made it one of the most incredible experiences of my teaching career. Thank you! Our district is a little different as we have split level schools. We have a primary school which is K and 1, an elementary school which is 2nd and 3rd grades, and an intermediate school with 4th and 5th graders attending. All of the children from our district are bused into their specific grade level schools. This year my second graders made the transition into their new school. They call it "big school". I began the year with 21 students many of which are not on grade level academically.
I was so excited to show them the lowered tables, the boat cushion seats I made out of crates and boat cushions, the wobble stools, yoga balls, and balance boards. We had a rotation of two days each student practicing sitting and using the new equipment. At first the yoga balls and wobble stools were in high demand but as the students experienced each area they realized very quickly that they should choose the one that helped them focus. Only a few students could handle the yoga balls need for balance and good posture throughout their day. Each student definitely has their favorite area and they know that these accommodations are a privilege and a responsibility. You can actually see when the equipment is being used appropriately how well each child focuses.
I am so happy to provide these opportunities to every child in my class instead of just the ones with accommodations. Each child is learning to attend to their work, their personal space, how to handle their physical needs as well as their emotional ones. This has been a fantastic experience not only for my students but for me to see how much getting a little wiggle room helps everyone.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Richer