Past projects 7
Guys Read Too!
Funded Mar 15, 2011Thank you, thank you, thank you! It is impossible to fully describe how excited my students and I are that these wonderful books are on their way! These books will make a lasting impact on my students who have become literature lovers even though our resources are limited. It is wonderful that you have helped my students to be able to work with even more books.
Boys in fifth grade are like explorers about to climb a mountain. They either continue up to the summit and become lifelong readers or they slide down the slippery slope. The amount of books they read truly affects many of their opportunities and provides them with opportunities to think about themes, ideas and events in history that will develop them into critical thinkers. High interest, action packed books act as stakes in the ground as my male students reach the age where there are many distractions that try to pull them off the hill.
These titles will be used as part of our lunch time book club and other literature circle activities. These books will become a valued part of our classroom community.
Thank you for reaching out to my students. Your gift is powerful and greatly appreciated. ”
With gratitude,
Ms. Wolkowicz
This classroom project was brought to life by Townsend Press and 6 other donors.Create the Spark!
Funded Sep 30, 2010There is a rush of gratitude and excitement that pours into my humble 5th grade classroom when we receive a donation of materials. When we received your art supplies, the students' excitement was so palpable that I thought the walls would explode! The students just kept asking me, "When can we use them? When can we use them?" I ended up adjusting my plans so that we could use the crayons, colored pencils and markers right away!
My students and I are so excited that we have these wonderful materials to use. I have never seen the students show such care with crayons and markers in my entire career. Not a crayon has touched the floor and there has not been one pencil that has been broken. It is wonderful to see the students express themselves creatively. They are showing such skill and attention to detail in their assignments that use the supplies.
As a teacher, you often have to limit what you do with the class based on what materials you have available. It is often discouraging because you know that the students learn best when they are able to learn in a creative, hands-on way. Your generous donation has made it possible for my students to have no limitations on their imaginations. That is a gift that goes beyond markers, crayons and colored pencils. You have provided my students with endless learning possibilities. For that and so much more, I am very grateful.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Wolkowicz
This classroom project was brought to life by Lands' End and 6 other donors.Blast Off Into Success!
Funded Aug 3, 2010There are not words to describe how touched I am that you have contributed to our classroom library in such a powerful way! The donations of these book club sets of novels will have a lasting impact on my students in such a powerful way. You are allowing them to participate in a literacy activity that many of us take for granted-- reading a good book and discussing it with your friends!
These wonderful novels will be an important part of our classroom library. The students will be picking a title with their peers, reading it together and having discussions about its elements and connections that they make to the text. It will allow them to set personal reading goals and develop discussion topics, along with sharing their opinions and critiques with other readers in the classroom. These novels have an even more powerful contribution in my classroom since our classroom library is the main access to quality literature that many of my students have in their neighborhood. You are providing an authentic reading experience for children whom authentic experiences are often much less positive.
I am very thankful to all of you for donating these books to our classroom. You are providing my students with titles that provide a variety of outlooks and experiences that they may not have been exposed to without these books. More importantly, you may be providing a child with the book that becomes their favorite or changes their lives forever. Once again, thank you, thank you, thank you for your wonderful and heartfelt donations. ”
With gratitude,
Ms. Wolkowicz
Know Your History!
Funded Feb 11, 2010The most powerful moment that a student can have is when you put a book in their hands and empower them to become lifelong learners. Your donation of biographies of important figures in history have made the largest contribution to our curriculum. My students have been completing activities that have explored the biography genre in a real way. Without your donation, these lessons would not have been possible.
My students have been using the collection of biographies in a variety of ways. They have written reports, created timelines and given PowerPoint presentations on these important historical figures. They have partner read these books and have asked to take them home. My biggest surprise has been that the boys in my classroom have really enjoyed these books the most! Many of them are reading with interest for the first time this year!
Biographies are a critical part of the fourth grade curriculum, yet the resources were not available to my students. Now, my students have been given the opportunity to experience the lives of people whom have a wide variety of achievements and come from diverse backgrounds. I am very appreciative that my students have been allowed the opportunity to learn about history and make connections with the books they read. It has been exciting to have the students be enthusiastic about what we have been reading. They are now able to make their own connections to history!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Wolkowicz
This classroom project was brought to life by The Pershing Square Foundation and one other donor.Find Yourself in a Book
Funded Oct 30, 2009I am lucky because my classroom is a diverse community of learners. My students come from a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds. They have a variety of challenges and an even wider variety of talents. As their reading and writing teacher, I strive to provide them with literature that reflects their own stories and provides a view of the world around them. The issue has been that I cannot always find books where the characters are positive expressions of themselves.
The books that you have provided for the students are adding some depth and dimension to our library. We are able to read and discuss stories that reflect their lives and show students that find positive ways to change their lives.
Once again, I am beyond grateful for the donations you have provided my students. They have been excited to read the new books and look forward to delving into Nikki Grimes' poetry. You have provided them with the opportunity to see themselves in a book, which is one of the most powerful gifts you can provide. Thank you so much!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Wolkowicz
Read, Write, Think!
Funded Oct 30, 2009I want to thank you for your generous donation of supplies for my english language arts classroom. My students are hard working and have always deserved to have the experiences of students in more affluent school districts. Your donation of supplies have allowed us to work in ways that the students need in order to make strong connections with the books we have studied and make strides to understand complicated skills and strategies.
We have been using the book boxes and clipboards in ways that allow the students to be more mobile and learn in flexible groupings. Students have been able to bring their work with them to large groups and work together in a close way that allows more of a connection to the skills. Students are also able to work around the room working with their writing partners and in literature circles. The materials you have provided have allowed us to learn and work together in ways that would not have been possible without them.
Once again, your donations have provided a chance for my low income students to have learning experiences that are similar to their more affluent counterparts. My students are continuing to rise above their circumstances and achieve high levels of academic success Your donation has provided a boost towards our goal of achievement. ”
With gratitude,
Ms. Wolkowicz
Read a Book, Change your Life!
Funded Oct 14, 2009My students have been on a fantastical journey for the last few weeks as we have been exploring the magical world in one of our gifted novels, James and the Giant Peach. I cannot express the power and impact that your gift has provided my students. By providing them with enough copies of a novel that we can share in this unifying experience.
My students are hard-workers who have dreams in a neighborhood that does not nurture dreams. It is a challenge for us teachers to break through the grit and grime and inspire our students to be innovative and creative thinkers. What could break through more than a giant peach and talking insects?
The students have been using the book to explore literary structure and comprehension strategies such as summarizing and questioning. They have written, drawn and discussed the events of the story. We are even in the process of making dioramas that are paper mache peaches! We are looking forward to similar activities with the historical fiction piece Bud, Not Buddy.
Books provide children the opportunity to explore and dream. They provide children with the opportunity to think beyond their own world and into a place they may never get to witness in their own life. With James and the Giant Peach, students are able to explore fantasy and the possibilities of the imagination. With Bud, Not Buddy, students will be able to explore a historical time period that has connections to their own life.
Once again, I am so grateful that you have provided these books for my students. The benefit of these books will be felt this year and for groups of future students. Thank you, Thank you, Thank You!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Wolkowicz