Past projects 58
Organizing Rolling Carts
Funded Sep 20, 2023We are excited to let you know that we have organized ourselves so that we have room to store our manipulatives. We used to store our math manipulatives in tubs and ended up having some of the items all over the place. My students were glad that I no longer get annoyed to find different pieces of the manipulatives in their buckets and now are nicely organized in plastic bags and can be hung on the sides or the top shelves.
We can now clean up our areas that I no longer need a person to oversee who didn't clean up so that our custodian can clean our floors without fear of counters getting stuck in the vacuum cleaner.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Zwick
This classroom project was brought to life by The Allstate Foundation and 5 other donors.Help Build Our Community Reading Books
Funded Sep 8, 2023We are really glad to have some many books that we can use to read at different reading levels of comprehension. We need to have some books that represent my students are some are Hispanic, African American, or Filipino. We need to ensure students see themselves in non-fiction books so that they can begin to see representation and the importance education plays in their future.
My students have been able to read with a partner, by themselves, or with me so that we can take quizzes to excel in our reading comprehension and build reading fluency. Students must know that reading various genres will help them build their background knowledge.
Some books have allowed my students to learn about their community, animal habitats, and even books for entertainment so they can select a point of view, or main idea so they can comprehend and apply it to themselves or the real world.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Zwick
This classroom project was brought to life by The Allstate Foundation and 2 other donors.Community Flexible Bean Bag Chairs
Funded Sep 8, 2023Having flexible seating has allowed my students to take responsibility for their learning by allowing them to select how they want to learn. Since I have wobble chairs, bean bags, and a chair along with classroom chairs, students can choose whenever they complete tasks or when they need to work independently on programs to allow them to close their learning gaps.
My students were ecstatic to be able to see the various size bean bags and the chair that gave them the chance to relax from sitting in classroom chairs. They are small enough that two students may sit in a bin bag and their partner read or help solve a math problem.
I am grateful to be able to let my students have the opportunity to choose how they can best learn while working independently. There are times when I need to work with a small group that needs more attention and this allows a rotation so I don't have some meltdowns from students who are learning to share.
We are very glad that we can have these sitting arrangements. Thank you so much!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Zwick
This classroom project was brought to life by The Allstate Foundation and 2 other donors.Back to School Supplies to the Rescue!
Funded Aug 3, 2023Thank you so much for allowing my students to have the organizational resources to keep their materials in a book bin as we do not use desks in the classroom. We began the year working on how magnetic forces help students learn that a train can travel without using coal or gasoline. It is important to note that students used multiple strategies to learn to multiply and divide.
My students were excited to have the book bins in different colors so that they could decorate using affirmations and placing their belongings to be able to transition from one class to the other. This was great to have because I have two classes so my am class stores their bins in different areas and each student has their materials to be able to use manipulatives, journals, materials, and writing supplies to keep organized.
My students are amazing and continue to thrive and although the class had to be split due to low enrollment, I have been able to have my first graders use the bins to get them organized as well. We can't wait to learn to balance the bins as they haven't learned that balancing their bin is important when we have desks and not tables. I hope that they continue to take care of the materials knowing that they were donated by amazing people like yourselves.
I hope that we continue to work on organization and we can finish the year by writing about the importance of being responsible for everything we have.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Zwick
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 3 other donors.Flexible Seating to the Rescue
Funded Aug 3, 2023I never thought how exceptional and eager learners can be in a classroom when you add flexible seating. They actually look forward to using the bean bags, or the stadium seats. They want to choose the different ones and are even willing to share when they fit together. One important note is that even the round small seats are a hit when we are testing and just need to concentrate on showing our new knowledge in math.
I think that the best part about receiving the various flexible seating items is knowing that one of them came with a box that looked like a playhouse. I couldn't believe the plans they were making when we had some downtime.
We hope to one day be able to have standing desks or tables that can be more comfortable and have more flexibility in our learning.
We are truly grateful for your generosity in helping us fund this project.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Zwick
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 4 other donors.Reduce, Recycle, and Reuse!
Funded Aug 3, 2023It is truly unique to be able to get snacks, hygiene supplies, and water bottles where all students can surely appreciate not having to buy water bottles. My students get to have treats they have earned from ensuring that they are helping each other and learning from one another. When my students found out about the water bottles coming in all types of colors, they wanted to place stickers and affirmations that they learned from knowing that the world needs to be protected.
When we received the supplies, snacks, and water bottles they were pretty static. We have talked about the importance of recycling, and reducing items that we are using in school and at home. It is important that they can apply what we are learning for a better tomorrow.
My students look forward to their recess time and at times remember that whenever they don't dispose of trash in the proper receptacles, then when it rains or there are strong winds, all of the debris is sent to the drains near their homes and near our .school”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Zwick
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 5 other donors.We Need Must-Have Books To Build Fluent Readers!
Funded Mar 30, 2023My students rely on internet apps to take Advance Reader assessments to check for comprehension and see if there is an improvement in their reading level. Some students don't have opportunities to check out books from our school library if they lose a book or forget to bring it to school on the assigned day of specials. But now, the class has different reading-level books that they are able to write notes about them. They are now reading books about their culture and celebrating our diversities that appeal to them. Students have seen movies that they can see themselves when celebrating the Day of the Death/Dia De Los Muertos.
My students are beginning to increase their reading levels by reading books that are appealing and interesting. With flexible seating, students look forward to reading books that they can check for comprehension and celebrate growth in closing their learning gaps.
My Spanish-speaking students are starting to feel comfortable discussing their heritage and learning other subjects since they have various genre books that they can read.
We really appreciate your support as a donor and appreciate your generosity.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Zwick
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 8 other donors.Mobile Whiteboard to the Rescue!
Funded Apr 6, 2023I am so excited to have a mobile whiteboard that I can use with my small group intervention group. My students are eager to show their work and they can't wait for their turn in modeling their skills and strategies.
The group in the photos have made growth in reading that they can't wait to showcase their long vowel words they have mastered in knowing how to sound out and spell.
It has made a tremendous difference in showing spelling, math, and sentences on the whiteboard.
We don't need to use the small clipboards or write on the kidney table that has to be continuously cleaned and wiped down.
I absolutely love that I can move the whiteboard around the classroom with the rolling wheel feature.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Zwick
This classroom project was brought to life by LOFT.Organization to the Rescue!
Funded Apr 20, 2023In a public school setting it is important to have supplies and resources that students can use to feel confident working with and come prepared to school ready to learn. It is truly appreciated that we have carts to hold manipulatives, and dry erase markers to use our whiteboards to show different math strategies. In addition, we appreciate the magnetic caddy to place markers so that we can organize our small group supplies.
For most of my students who don't always have enough resources of their own to hold their school supplies, it was nice to be organized and be ready to work with a partner or small group. Students need to feel confident in organizing their thinking and learning how to store materials that we share as a community will allow better collaboration.
Having children work as a community and take care of our school supplies gives students a glimpse of the importance of sharing and caring. When students value what they have, they are able to appreciate that what is provided costs money and therefore needs to be respected and not taken for granted. We have been working on science lessons on magnetism and we are excited to have supplies that can be shared.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Zwick
Headphones Help Students Become More Productive
Funded May 10, 2023How amazing it has been to begin the school year with every student able to have earphones so they may work on listening to reading. Or perhaps working on a math program to help with a math concept they may need help with. Lastly, whenever I need to work with a small group, the rest of the students may work on closing their learning gaps with remedial school programs.
It is nice to see that students can also record themselves if needed as the earphones have a microphone feature. These are easier to use so that students can record themselves talking. This feature may assist whenever we need to refer a child who may need speech therapy or a referral for other learning challenges.
They are great for English Learners who are working on programs to assist with learning their alphabet or sight words. It is important that other students don't know that may be listening to a program at a lower level and they are not embarrassed as they are learning to speak English. When children become more confident, they are likely to want to participate in school and try speaking with their peers.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Zwick
This classroom project was brought to life by General Motors Corporation and 3 other donors.