Past projects 139
Floor Seating and Lap Desks
Funded Mar 24, 2021Thank you so much for donating to my students and my classroom. These chairs and lap desks are just what we needed to make sure that everyone fits in our classroom while abiding by the CDC's guidelines. Returning to the classroom at a 3-4 foot distance has put us kind of close to each other. By removing our furniture and having these floor seats and lap desks, my students are able to fit in the room, and still have a comfortable place to call their own while they do their school work.
These seats are so thick and cushiony that they are the choice seat in the classroom during this pandemic! And they will be our choice reading seats when this pandemic is over. Thank you for supporting my students with comfortable seating and stable lap desks to do our work.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gauci
This classroom project was brought to life by A Northern California family and one other donor.Social and Emotional Tools for Kindergarten
Funded Mar 18, 2021Thank you for helping me help my students during this very difficult time. They are confused and angry and scared, and at the same time, they are happy and laughing and loving. The stories and social-emotional learning kits that we have received have helped my students learn to describe their feelings. My students are beginning to understand that it is okay to have mixed feelings. They are learning to listen to each other and are finding out that others feel the way they feel.
These stories have created wonderful discussions in our class. They have made my students think of others, and think about feelings. My students are learning to care about and be compassionate towards others. Thank you for providing me with these wonderful tools to help my students grow socially and emotionally.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gauci
This classroom project was brought to life by Allstate Foundation and 3 other donors.Materials Needed For New Students
Funded Feb 23, 2021Thank you for your generous donation and for helping me to get materials to my new students. These materials are already in their hands. My new kids were sharing their writing journals and math toolbox online. They were saying, "I have that!" They were holding up their journals at the same time as the other children with big smiles on their faces. They were using the math manipulatives with us during math lessons. They were so excited to be able to participate with the exact materials as their classmates and the teacher. Thank you for making this happen. Thank you for helping me include all of my students in our lessons with the same materials.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gauci
This classroom project was brought to life by A Northern California family and one other donor.Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Funded Feb 24, 2021Thank you for your kindness and generosity! What a wonderful gift you have given my students and their families! My kids were so happy to receive their bag of breakfast, lunch and dinner items. They loved the peanut butter and jelly best! They commented on the "heavy bags" full of food. They began to show me all the wonderful items inside the bag. It was nice to see a few children snacking on the crackers. Their parents also came on screen to say thank you for all the food.
My families shared with me that everything helps, especially during this difficult time. One family just got out of the homeless shelter, and they were so grateful to have this extra lift up. Another family shared that they are okay, but now, they can relax just a little bit more. And another family said they would not normally buy a couple of the chosen items because they are too expensive for their larger family, so this is a special treat. Each child received groceries that would last a family of 4 about three days. Thank you!
Your donation has helped 24 families! Thank you for helping my students get food in their bellies, so that they can worry less about their next meal, and they can start enjoying and learning at school!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gauci
This classroom project was brought to life by A Northern California family and 4 other donors.Now I'll Know My ABC's
Funded Feb 3, 2021Thank you so much for your generosity and for helping my students learn their letters and sounds. The kids were so excited to get their "apples and sloths." They show me online often. I also gave them their flashcards which they use to learn letter names, sounds, capital and lower case letters, and words that start with that letter. They have played the memory game (matching upper and lower case letters). And they are spelling their names with the cards. We will start with words soon. They have also been sharing letter names on their electronic alphabet games. And I have noticed an improvement in letter recognition in only 2-3 weeks. It's fantastic!
I love these electronic games so much that I bought one for the classroom, for when we return. The sloth says letters and animal words that start with that letter. It plays music to learn in song. The apple teaches letter names and sounds, as well as some spelling words. I wish I could give these to my students every year!
Thank you for helping me teach my students, even after school, when I am not there in their homes.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gauci
Adding It Up, Self-Checking Math Machines
Funded Feb 3, 2021Wow! What a blast! My students are having so much fun with these addition machines. We started our unit by drawing equations on our white boards; 3 objects and 2 objects, for example. They could see the quantity of what they were adding. Then, the kids had to write the equation: 3 + 2. They added the two numbers and came up with 5 objects. When I saw that they understood the numbers represent the quantity shown, I gave them their addition machines.
In class, we reviewed our drawing equations and written equations. Then, I showed them how to use the addition machine. They were thrilled! I gave them equations, and they had to find them on the machine. Sometimes, the kids new the answers without the addition machine, and I said that was GREAT! That is the goal. Sometimes, they found the equations on the machine and then told me the answers. One students started playing with the buttons. He said, "9 + 2 = 11." Then, he said, "8 + 3 = 11. HEY! They equal the same number!" Of course, I had to take his lead into our next lesson.
Placing 11 magnets on a board, I put 9 on one side and 2 on the other, asking, "How many?" They counted 11 (or tested their adding machines). I then shifted one object to the other side of the board and asked again, "How many?" I pushed it back and asked again.
It was so exciting to see my students understanding addition and number families. Thank you for putting these machines into my kids' hands and for making math fun to learn!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gauci
Store It. Lock it. Protect My Kids.
Funded Dec 13, 2020Thank you so much for your donations to my classroom. By having this cabinet, I am now able to protect my students with a storage unit that locks. I have many cleansers and wipes that I have been using to clean our classroom. I have been wiping down materials and spraying Lysol whenever items are touched or shared. I have hand sanitizers and face masks that are currently being guarded in a box. There has always been the danger of students wandering into the cabinet under the sink, or reaching into the closet. I have been diligent about keeping my students safe. Now, I can guarantee their safety with the twist of a key.
When my students return to the classroom, all chemicals, cleaners and paints will be stored in this wonderful cabinet. They will be locked up, so no accidents can happen. Thank you for helping me to protect my kids.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gauci
This classroom project was brought to life by FamilyAlbum and 2 other donors.Store It, Lock It, Keep Us Safe!
Funded Feb 3, 2021Thank you for your generosity and for helping me to protect my students. This locking cabinet will keep my students safe.
Lakeshore Learning Company got the cabinet to me quickly! My daughter and I went to school this week to put it together. The cabinet came in pieces and they are heavy-duty. The quality is amazing! We put the cabinet together in less than two hours. The walls and shelves are thick and sturdy. The door hinges are tough metal with 10 screws on each of the three hinges per door. These doors are staying on!
I was able to start putting the hand sanitizers and wipes on the shelves. I moved the chemicals and paints to the bottom shelf. The best part, the cabinet doors LOCK! I can now protect my students from the possible dangers of these chemicals.
Thank you for taking care of my kids with me.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gauci
Play Games With Me, Mommy and Daddy!
Funded Dec 15, 2020Thank you for making my students' holidays and homes very happy and playful! Some games arrived on time, others were backordered and had to be replaced with a separate order. But, I was still able to get all of the items. My students were showing me their games over the internet on Zoom. They were so excited to receive them and couldn't wait to play. They told me about playing them with their parents, brothers and sisters. I learned that many of the parents had never played these games before, and so they were learning them, too.
For Valentine's Day, my students received another game to learn and enjoy. And I have one more that I saved for St. Patrick's Day. Your donation is the gift that keeps on giving. Though, it was not my intention to spread out the games, their separate arrivals made it even more special for my students. My kids took the time to learn their first games over the holidays. And, they have started to build their own library of games.
Thank you for making my students feel special. Thank you for giving them the gift of learning through games.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gauci
Health and Well-Being While Distance Learning
Funded Dec 13, 2020What a wonderful gift! Thank you for helping me to feed and take care of my kids! After receiving all of the packages, I sorted and packaged grocery bags for each child. My students received Kleenex, breakfast bars, slim Jims, chips and snacks. It was amazing! The grocery bags were filled with food for every child. They loved receiving it, and so did their parents! The Kleenex was the added bonus to help them stay healthy during these winter months.
Each child received many individual cereal boxes, and they were showing me their bowls with milk and cereal. They were snacking on the slim Jims between classes. They were still sharing their bags with me days later. Sometimes, one bag of groceries can last a long time, and it can do a lot for someone's moral.
Thank you for helping me to feed my kids so that they can focus on school and their families can relax a little knowing their children are fed. Your donation has done more that you can even image.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gauci
This classroom project was brought to life by FamilyAlbum and 12 other donors.