You're on track to get doubled donations (and unlock a reward for the colleague who referred you). Keep up the great work!
Take credit for your charitable giving! Check out your tax receipts
To use your $50 gift card credits, find a project to fund and we'll automatically apply your credits at checkout. Find a classroom project
Skip to main content

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

Ms. Alston's Classroom

  • Broad Rock Elementary School
  • Richmond, VA
  • Nearly all students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

Support her classroom with a gift that fosters learning.

  • Monthly
  • One-time

We'll charge your card today and send Ms. Alston a DonorsChoose gift card she can use on her classroom projects. Starting next month, we'll charge your card and send her a DonorsChoose gift card on the 17th of every month.

Edit or cancel anytime.

cancel

Support Ms. Alston's classroom with a gift that fosters learning.

  • Monthly
  • One-time

We'll charge your card today and send Ms. Alston a DonorsChoose gift card she can use on her classroom projects. Starting next month, we'll charge your card and send her a DonorsChoose gift card on the 17th of every month.

Edit or cancel anytime.

Make a donation Ms. Alston can use on her next classroom project.

Your custom url is https://www.donorschoose.org/melissa-alston

show projects from all time

Past projects 66

  • We Love Snack Time

    Funded Dec 11, 2023

    When I tell you my students love snacks! I truly believe it is their favorite delivery from DonorsChoose. They were gone within a month, and that was me providing one for almost every student daily after cleaning up the classroom. It really shows me how much they enjoy them, even if they are healthier options. I love that they don't take for granted when they get a little extra treat at the end of the day, so much so that they are already asking when we will be getting more. I always let them know that it is all thanks to the kind people who care about classrooms like ours.

    I look forward to creating another project for snacks, and seeing the excitement on their faces when they see that we've gotten a restock. Thank you for always helping to keep a smile on their faces.”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Alston

    This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 4 other donors.
  • Stem Bins and Slime

    Funded Nov 23, 2023

    My students had seen the supplies for the slime sitting on the counter for a while. I could tell they were anticipating what we were doing with the materials, and only a few recognized what these things were going to be used to make. Once the day came for our holiday celebration party, the students were stoked to hear that we would be making slime as one of our activities for the day. It was so much fun, and although I didn't really know what I was doing, I had student helpers who took over and turned it into a slime-making workshop.

    The kinetic sand has been a huge hit too! We've had a lot of indoor recess lately due to the weather, and it's one of the most requested things to play with. We are very grateful for the donations and support that have helped us have the most fun in our classroom. Thank you for your kindness, we can't say it enough.”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Alston

  • 5th Grade Munchers 2

    Funded Sep 11, 2023

    This project was in conjunction with another snack project titled "5th Grade Munchers." It's always a great feeling to be able to provide healthier options of snacks for my class of hungry students. They were very excited to see the snack boxes. We are already going through them quickly. They look forward to getting one at the end of the day, and they have started to think of it as an incentive to help keep our space clean. I look forward to future projects that will keep us stocked and fed. Thank you again for your continued support..”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Alston

    This classroom project was brought to life by Dial® and 2 other donors.
  • 5th Grade Munchers

    Funded Sep 11, 2023

    As the snack boxes started rolling in, my students took notice fast. They had been anticipating it for a while since I told them snacks were coming. Kids definitely love to eat, and by the end of the day they are hungry. The snacks are used as incentives to help clean around the classroom at the end of the day, but they are also for student pick me ups if someone missed breakfast or is lacking energy in the middle of the day. The students appreciate the options, especially since they are different from their regular type of snacks. I like to keep snacks around and I look forward to submitting future projects that will keep me stocked. Thank you again.”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Alston

    This classroom project was brought to life by Dial® and 6 other donors.
  • Fun and Flexible Seating

    Funded Aug 25, 2023

    Flexible seating is more popular than I thought, so this project was perfect for giving every student an opportunity to enjoy special seating arrangements. When the boxes came in, my students were astonished to see that I had purchased more seat cushions. In my class we call them "special seats" and they are definitely special to my students. Some students really work better with a wobble cushion, and others just like the comfortability of a soft cushion on their hard seats. It's refreshing to know that they no longer have to fight over cushions, and there are enough to go around. Thank you for helping us achieve flexible seating for everyone.”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Alston

    This classroom project was brought to life by The SONIC Foundation and 2 other donors.
  • A Classroom in Order!

    Funded Aug 3, 2023

    The beginning of the school year is always an exciting time. I am so grateful that I was able to get things exactly like I wanted them before the school year began so that my classroom was organized and ready for my students. The laundry basket is so perfect to hold our seat cushions used for flexible seating, and the plastic bins were just what I needed to hold the kinetic sand that we use for indoor recess. Our calming corner needed a new drawer cart to hold the fidgets, sketchbooks, and coloring tools that the students enjoy using. Everything that we received was for a specific purpose and worked out perfectly. I could not be happier. Thank you again for your help and support.”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Alston

    This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 6 other donors.
  • Poetry Club Pupils

    Funded Mar 30, 2023

    Unfortunately, time completely got away from us this school year and I was not able to start my poetry club yet, but I plan to get it started first thing next school year. I'm looking forward to that, and helping my students build their creative writing skills from the beginning. Despite not being able to fully start a club, I was able to use the snacks to provide my students with an afternoon energy booster, and those lasted me until the end of the school year, so I am very fortunate for that. I also noticed students who were super into the poetry books. One even asked to borrow "Where the Sidewalk Ends" to take home and read. He was amazed by the odd and quirky poetry style of Shel Silverstein. That was a major motivator for me to really get a poetry club started up once the school year begins again. I can't wait to instill the love of poetry in my students (and myself). Thank you for helping us with this opportunity, you are very appreciated!”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Alston

    This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 3 other donors.
  • A Regular Day in the Classroom

    Funded Apr 17, 2023

    I am grateful to you for providing my class and I with items that are essential for teaching and learning. With these items we have been able to continue our regularly scheduled program without worrying about a lack of any supplies. I would say the most useful resource has been the pencils. I'm not sure if students eat them or what, but we are always in need of those, especially as we approach state testing.

    The other items will come in handy for handing out student work from throughout the school year to kids on the last day, and providing snacks for our end of the school year party. Thank you again for your generosity, and I look forward to making more projects for just a regular day in the classroom.”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Alston

    This classroom project was brought to life by Quill and 2 other donors.
  • Feel Better With Books

    Funded Mar 30, 2023

    My students have been LOVING our new read-aloud stories. It's not a surprise that it's one of their favorite times of the day, in which we come together on the carpet and listen to a picture being read-aloud. It brings a good sense of community and gives the students a moment of rest, as well as a moment of mindfulness and reflection as they take their minds away into the world of a book. I have also been happy to share my new books with my teammates so they can get their classes in love with a daily read-aloud as well, and encourage them to obtain books that make our students feel good.”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Alston

    This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 2 other donors.
  • Time for a Refresh

    Funded Feb 8, 2023

    It was definitely time for a refresh in this 5th grade classroom, so these items came in perfect timing. I always love seeing the reactions of my students when I get boxes coming upstairs. Hearing their guesses of what it could be is always my favorite part, especially when they know it's something for them. The snacks were undoubtedly the biggest hit. My students crave them at the end of each day after cleaning the room, which they were able to successfully do with our newly restocked cleaning supplies. Having the things you need in the classroom just makes everything flow smoothly, and makes the day easier. Thank you again for continuously supporting my classroom and making it happen every time! Next up....a poetry club project to inspire writing!”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Alston

    This classroom project was brought to life by Black History Month Partners and one other donor.
I teach 5th grade science and so that students don’t find it the least bit boring I make every unit as hands on as possible! We start with interactive notebooks, which they enjoy putting together. However a lot of glue is needed for foldables and pictures. Glue sticks would be very helpful in making sure that we never have a shortage and all students are prepared daily. Although many students enjoy putting the notebooks together, some have a hard time feeling motivated to stay seated. Wobble cushions are flexible seating options that can help combat that issue. The seat cushions I have now are being worn out and used frequently between my three blocks. I would like more options for those in seats, as well as those who want to sit on the floor to take notes or do seat work during stations. Lastly, science gets messy in our room! It’s not always easy getting a custodian up to our room in enough time to avoid any accidents or injuries. We would like to tackle them right away (especially when using food and liquids). A Swiffer, along with refills, would be an ideal cleaning tool.

About my class

I teach 5th grade science and so that students don’t find it the least bit boring I make every unit as hands on as possible! We start with interactive notebooks, which they enjoy putting together. However a lot of glue is needed for foldables and pictures. Glue sticks would be very helpful in making sure that we never have a shortage and all students are prepared daily. Although many students enjoy putting the notebooks together, some have a hard time feeling motivated to stay seated. Wobble cushions are flexible seating options that can help combat that issue. The seat cushions I have now are being worn out and used frequently between my three blocks. I would like more options for those in seats, as well as those who want to sit on the floor to take notes or do seat work during stations. Lastly, science gets messy in our room! It’s not always easy getting a custodian up to our room in enough time to avoid any accidents or injuries. We would like to tackle them right away (especially when using food and liquids). A Swiffer, along with refills, would be an ideal cleaning tool.

About my class

{"followTeacherId":5961078,"teacherId":5961078,"teacherName":"Ms. Alston","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5961078_272x272.png?width=136&height=136&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1540393224018","teacherHasProfilePhoto":true,"vanityURL":"melissa-alston","teacherChallengeId":21295110,"followAbout":"Ms. Alston's projects","teacherVerify":-989933433,"teacherNameEncoded":"Ms. Alston","vanityType":"teacher","teacherPageInfo":{"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"teacherHasClassroomDescription":true,"teacherClassroomDescription":"","teacherProfileURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/classroom/melissa-alston","tafURL":"https://secure.donorschoose.org/donors/share_teacher_profile.html?teacher=5961078","stats":{"numActiveProjects":0,"numFundedProjects":66,"numSupporters":186},"classroomPhotoPendingScreening":false,"showEssentialsListCard":false}}