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Mrs. Tam's Classroom

  • Solano Elementary School
  • Los Angeles, CA
  • More than half of 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

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show projects from all time

Past projects 9

  • Please Provide Us a Printer

    Funded May 9, 2024

    The printer has been so useful in our classroom. I was able to print some beautiful Class Dojo posters for our Calm Corner. That area allows students to get a break and do emotional check ins. Students are able to stop, think, and make a good choice. The posters also allow them to see a variety of belly breathing options and choose the one they prefer. The colors from those posters pop and provide students a warm and comforting atmosphere.

    Students were excited when I hooked up the printer. I was able to print their informational writing pieces and post it in the classroom for all to enjoy. Being able to see all their hard work printed out is very satisfying. They were even able to copy and paste an animal image onto their published piece. The kiddos were so proud to share their writing pieces in front of their classmates. After the presenter reads their paragraph(s), the audience get all excited to see the image their peers chose. We were able to publish, print, and share lovely writing pieces by the hardworking first grade authors thanks to you all.”

    With gratitude,

    Mrs. Tam

  • Moving to Success

    Funded May 10, 2024

    Students have been enjoying the variety of physical education equipment. They have a choice in which equipment to use based on their needs and comfort level. For example, they have the option of choosing the size and firmness of the balls. It ranges from yarn balls, wiffle balls, foam balls, to gator skin soft balls. All these tools help them meet the physical education standards in our grade level.

    When the materials arrived, students' reactions were priceless. Some even yelled out, "Whoo hoo! It's just like Christmas! I wonder what's inside!" They were all thrilled to start using the equipment. Every day they asked if we could go to physical education. They were able to work on daily fitness, learn new skills, and practice skills that will help them be life- long active people. They were able to focus better because they were able to get their wiggles out, get their blood circulating, get fresh air, build better relationships with their peers, and work as a team.

    Our class is grateful for your generous donations. It is a special treat for students to have all the tools they need in order to meet their physical education goals. Thank you for bringing so much joy and laughter to our students.”

    With gratitude,

    Mrs. Tam

    This classroom project was brought to life by Young Sheldon on CBS and 5 other donors.
  • Can You Hear It Now?

    Funded Oct 11, 2023

    Thank you so very much for funding our project! The kiddos love using the mouse when it's time to use the Chromebook. They don't have to struggle with using the small pad on the device. It's tough for their small hands to move the cursor and click. In addition, they are able to stay focused on their differentiated assigned tasks instead of being frustrated.

    Furthermore, students' comprehension and math skills are improving because they're able to complete their tasks more efficiently. No more struggling and wasting time on not being able to click and move the cursor where they want. They're showing me how responsible they are with using their new tools and they're able to share the mouse with one another. We all really appreciate your generous donation!”

    With gratitude,

    Mrs. Tam

    This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community & an Anonymous Partner and 4 other donors.
  • Easy Peasy!

    Funded Oct 8, 2023

    Thank you so very much for funding our project! The kiddos love using their new headphones and wear it with pride. It fits on their small heads because it's adjustable and it doesn't fall out of their ear. Also, they are focused on their differentiated assigned tasks instead of being distracted by all the other sounds from their classmates' devices.

    Furthermore, students' comprehension and math skills are improving because they're able to hear and focus better. Some of their own headphones or ear buds have broken, so these arrived at the perfect time. Moreover, they will continue using these sturdy headphones for years to come. I'm passing these headphones on to their second grade teacher. We all really appreciate your generous donation!”

    With gratitude,

    Mrs. Tam

    This classroom project was brought to life by United Airlines and 3 other donors.
  • Ninja Focus

    Funded Oct 3, 2022

    Students have been enjoying their new flexible seating options. They have a choice in which seat they'd like to use for the day, based on their needs and comfort level. They have the option of choosing a yoga ball, cushion, or stool to use at their table. When on the floor, they have the option of sitting on the scoop chairs. Students are excited when it's their turn to choose the seat for the day.

    When the materials arrived, students' reactions were priceless. Some even yelled out, "It's just like Christmas!!!" They were all thrilled to start using the new flexible seating options. They were also ninja focused when we were discussing how to treat the new tools and how to not treat it. Everyone had something to share out with their peers and/or to the whole class.

    Our class is grateful for your generous donations. It is a special treat for students to have choice in their seating options. They love being able to wiggle about as they participate in lessons throughout the day and interact with their peers.”

    With gratitude,

    Mrs. Tam

    This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 10 other donors.
  • Differentiation for Ninja Focus!

    Funded Jun 1, 2019

    My students are thrilled about the new learning tools in our classroom. Students look forward to listening and reading stories on the Chromebooks. Students can now read all sorts of genres. In order to spark students' love for reading, I need to provide them with content that interests them. Every child is different, so the Chromebooks allow each child access to text at their own reading level. I can see if my students are comprehending the text and the types of questions I need to focus on or reteach. For example, I can see that my students are struggling with author's purpose or making inferences, so I can plan lessons according to their areas of need.

    I have students that tell me they've never used a Chromebook before, so being able to use it in the classroom is very exciting. Some of my students are struggling to read, so having stories read aloud to them helps them feel better. They can follow along, listen to the story, and can record themselves read the book as well.

    The Gaiam Balance Ball Chair is another crowd favorite. Students really enjoy using those items to help them focus. It gives them a break from the regular chairs. It allows them to get their wiggles out while completing their assignments. I rotate who gets the Giam Balance Ball Chairs, so students are ecstatic when it's their day. They all understand it's a tool to help them focus. As soon as they walk in, they check to see which students gets to use the Giam Balance Ball Chairs.

    All my students are motivated to use the Chromebooks. They get to see their chosen login character when they sign onto the Chromebooks. They get to read text at their reading level, so it's not too easy and not too tough. This allows them to have more growth in their reading comprehension. Moreover, the Gaiam Balance Ball Chair is especially beneficial for my squirmy kiddos. It helps them complete their work and stay focused. All these new additions to our class allow my students to grow as learners and be more focused throughout the day. Thank you very much for assisting in my students' success!”

    With gratitude,

    Mrs. Tam

    This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and one other donor.
  • Differentiation for Ninja Focus

    Funded May 25, 2019

    Everyone is ecstatic about the new learning tools in our classroom. Students are looking forward to listening and reading stories on the Chromebooks. Students can now read all sorts of genres. In order to spark students' love for reading, we need to provide them with content that interests them. Every student is different, so the Chromebooks allow them access to their own reading level. In addition, they're able to solve math problems on programs such as ST Math and Splash Math. Students can practice skills that were taught in class. Furthermore, they can go on Google Docs and type their writing as well.

    The Gaiam Balance Ball Chair is the crowd favorite. Students really enjoy using those items to help them focus. It allows them to get their wiggles out while completing their assignments. Students are stoked when it's their day to use the Balance Ball Chair. They understand it's a tool to help them focus. As soon as students walk into the classroom, they remind me to announce names of friends that are using the Balance Ball Chair for the day.

    Every single student is motivated to use the Chromebooks. Just signing on to the Chromebooks is exciting because they get to see their chosen login character.

    For my squirmy kiddos, the Gaiam Balance Ball Chair really helps them complete their work and stay focus. All these new additions to our class allows students the freedom to move about, focus on reading, math, writing, etc. Thank you oh so very much for assisting in my students' success!”

    With gratitude,

    Mrs. Tam

    This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 6 other donors.
  • Wiggle Room for Growth

    Funded Jun 5, 2018

    The Chromebooks have been such a spectacular addition to our class. Students are very motivated and excited to read because they can read an extensive amount of reading passages online. Our class library is decent, but it does not have the variety of books for students at different levels. Online, the passages are differentiated and easily accessible for all students. The Chromebooks also allow them to practice differentiated math lessons and learn how to type as well. In addition, students can type their essays and email them to me or to their peers to get revised or edited. Furthermore, we can use the Chromebooks to create Google docs and collaborate to create documents, signs, and posters.

    The flexible seat bands, squishy balls, yoga ball, and inflatable seat cushions have been an asset to our classroom. Students really enjoy using those items to help them focus. It allows them wiggle room and helps them complete assignments. All those items are safe and is not distracting to others, so it's perfect!

    Every single student is motivated to use the Chromebooks and complete work on there. They love seeing their chosen login character and they enjoy logging into their own personal accounts online. For my extra squirmy kiddos, they have access to the items that help them focus and they really look forward to using them. Students smile as they get to their seat because those items bring them comfort. It allows them the freedom to move about, focus on reading, math, writing, etc. The only downfall is that we don't have enough of the yoga ball and inflatable cushions for all students, so that will be my next step. Thank you oh so very much for assisting in my students' success!”

    With gratitude,

    Mrs. Tam

  • Do You Hear What I Hear?

    Funded Sep 24, 2013

    The listening center has been a wonderful addition to our classroom. Students were curious when they first saw the package. Once it was all set up, I could see their eyes light up with eagerness. They were so excited and kept asking me when it was time to go to the listening center.

    The listening center is part of our language arts rotation that continues to bring the kids joy. There is an exciting story every time with sound effects, music, and multiple narrators. Students know exactly what to do; they are able to follow procedures independently and organize the material after they are finished. They put on their headphones, share the book with a partner, turn the page when the hear a €œding, and follow along. Oftentimes, I notice a smile on their face as they get lost in the story.

    Due to time constraints, I am unable to read a lot of stories about the theme. Now, with our new resources, students are able to listen to more stories that compliment/supplement the content. Moreover, I am able to introduce different types of genres. In addition, students are using their listening skills, tracking print, building vocabulary, and recognizing the high-frequency words. After listening to the stories, students have opportunities to retell, summarize, respond to literature, and/or make connections.”

    With gratitude,

    Mrs. Tam

Our elementary school is a Title I school. Our school serves students from the surrounding community as well as a permit students from nearby neighborhoods. As a result, our students come from different socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. Our school is unique in that it is the first Lighthouse School in Los Angeles Unified School District. We live and practice and 7 Habits. We have scholars from transitional kindergarten through the sixth grade. We also have a Resource Specialist Program (RSP) that serves students from kindergarten to sixth grade who have been identified as having mild disabilities and/or learning difficulties and who are primarily in the general education classes. Approximately 27% of our students are identified as Special Needs students. Our school may be small, but we are big at heart. Our school mission statement is Learn, Love, Lead.

About my class

Our elementary school is a Title I school. Our school serves students from the surrounding community as well as a permit students from nearby neighborhoods. As a result, our students come from different socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. Our school is unique in that it is the first Lighthouse School in Los Angeles Unified School District. We live and practice and 7 Habits. We have scholars from transitional kindergarten through the sixth grade. We also have a Resource Specialist Program (RSP) that serves students from kindergarten to sixth grade who have been identified as having mild disabilities and/or learning difficulties and who are primarily in the general education classes. Approximately 27% of our students are identified as Special Needs students. Our school may be small, but we are big at heart. Our school mission statement is Learn, Love, Lead.

About my class

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