Mrs. Letford's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 55

• We're Going To and Through College!

  Funded May 7, 2015

  Thank you so much for supporting this trip for my students! To be able to take them to universities that they will possibly be attending in the future is a wonderful treat and very much needed! I believe that in order to encourage them to go onto higher education, they need to develop an image of that goal. You and your support are now a part of us creating that image for them.

  We got to go into the buildings and the libraries for them to see how actual college students use their time. They spoke to students on campus as well and

  visited student gathering places. It was a trip of a lifetime!

  Thank you again!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Letford

• Dancing About Lincoln: Learning Through the Arts

  Funded Feb 7, 2015

  Thank you for allowing me to attend this training on the Ford Theater, Lincoln and his legacy! I had a blast and the students are having a blast learning about his contribution to our nation's history and framework. I had the chance to visit the home of Frederick Douglass and the Tudor Place, both historic places of Civil War Washington D.C. To relive those stories of the people who were once there was mind blowing and I know the students will believe so as well. I listened to the music of the time, the communication of tragedy, sorrow and hope and am anticipating some wonderful well thought out artistic creations from my class as they too listen to these primary artistic sources.

  I thank you again for your support. Blessings!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Letford

  This classroom project was brought to life by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and one other donor.

• Dancing About Lincoln with Ford & Trinity University

  Funded Jun 16, 2015

  Thank you for allowing me to attend this training on the Ford Theater, Lincoln and his legacy! I had a blast and the students are having a blast learning about his contribution to our nation's history and framework. I had the chance to visit the home of Frederick Douglass and the Tudor Place, both historic places of Civil War Washington D.C. To relive those stories of the people who were once there was mind blowing and I know the students will believe so as well. I listened to the music of the time, the communication of tragedy, sorrow and hope and am anticipating some wonderful well thought out artistic creations from my class as they too listen to these primary artistic sources.

  I thank you again for your support. Blessings!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Letford

  This classroom project was brought to life by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 4 other donors.

• Recorders on the Rise for 2nd Grade Musicians! Part 2

  Funded May 7, 2015

  Horace Mann has a special place in my heart! Thank you so much for taking the time out to donate to our class. It means so much that you care about music education and our students. The students are really excited about the recorders you donated to our class! It is a wonder watching my students grow from having little experience in producing music to understanding the mechanics of music...and you have been apart of that.

  Music has shown to improve brain functions as well. Our show is coming up and while we are singing and playing our instruments, we are indeed singing our gratitude to you! May God bless you!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Letford

• Recorders on the Rise for 2nd Grade Musicians! Part 1

  Funded May 7, 2015

  Horace Mann rocks! Thank you so much for taking the time out to donate to our class. It means so much that you care about music education and our students. The students are really excited about the recorders you donated to our class! It is a wonder watching my students grow from having little experience in producing music to understanding the mechanics of music...and you have been a part of that. Our show is coming up and while we are singing and playing our instruments, we are indeed singing our gratitude to you! May God bless you!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Letford

• Any Flutists in the House? Flutes for Young Musicians Part 1

  Funded Jan 21, 2015

  I can't express the gratitude that I feel right now knowing that our woodwind sections is growing and our new students, who may never have even seen a flute up close, now will have the opportunity to play one. Thank you, not only for your continuous support but for taking the time out to search and find my proposal to fund it. Every time you hear an orchestra or a band, please know you assisted in helping those tunes stay alive with music education. YOU have helped save the music and for that....we say thank you! :)”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Letford

• Problem Solving with Style: iPads Helping Us Find Solutions!

  Funded Sep 15, 2014

  Thank you so much for helping me acquire more iPads to use in my classroom! Since this project has been funded, my students have interviewed Councilman Blumenfield and other community members in order to investigate community concerns, such as littering, droughts and alcohol abuse. They have also used the iPads to research the alarming stats in order to inform their peers about the effects and steer them to more positive choices.

  Your kindness and giving heart has been appreciated and I am very grateful for your assistance! My students send their heartfelt thanks as well!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Letford

• Recorders to make Beautiful Music

  Funded Dec 4, 2013

  Thank you so much for taking the time out to donate to our class. It means so much that you care about music education and our students. The students are really excited about the recorders you donated to our class! It is a wonder watching my students grow from having little experience in producing music to understanding the mechanics of music...and you have been apart of that. Our show is coming up and while we are singing and playing our instruments, we are indeed singing our gratitude to you!

  I have implemented a Karate Recorder Program where the students can earn karate belts as they pass through songs that become more complex. We have a celebration party at the end of the year but the students know the real prize is becoming fluent on an instrument.

  Thank you again for taking the time out and supporting our vision of making sure ALL children have equal access to the arts.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Letford

  This classroom project was brought to life by an anonymous donor and 2 other donors.

• The One and Only Ivan: An Artistic Journey for Freedom

  Funded Nov 11, 2013

  Wow! What an amazing time with the author of The One and Only Ivan, Katherine Applegate! The students had a blast with FITA (Finding Ivan Through the Arts) and sharing their artistic journey with Ms. Katherine. She gave a wonderful interactive speech, signed books for the students and staff, had lunch with students and visited classrooms. Here are some of the projects our students had the chance to share with her.

  Third grade classes worked on artistic metaphors – choosing a character and an object (similar to the Ivan with an eaten banana) and drawing them with setting information. They then had to discover the connections (concrete and abstract) and prepare a written statement connecting the two. Examples:

  "I drew Ruby with a claw-stick because it symbolizes...."

  "I put Ivan on a rock because the rock represents strength because he is strong." -3rd Grade student

  Another third grade class chose to write a song using the melody of 'Stand By Me'. They first had to decide who was singing the song and to whom the song was being. They voted for Ruby to sing to Stella. They composed the lyrics and then sang their song for Ms. Applegate.

  A fifth grade class choreographed a dance, or rather, a 'story video' choosing various sections of the plot. They first listened to the music (Ivan's Song on the book trailer) and sectioned it into 4 segments, listed adjectives of those segments and then attached possible events that could be portrayed during those segments. They rehearsed their piece for the author, school and parents. A link of the video is online as well under ''Home' Finding Ivan Through the Arts' (https://vimeo.com/82559802)

  Thank you again for allowing us to not only engage with literature through the arts but share first hand with the author what her story has meant to our students and staff.

  Blessings,

  Genein”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Letford

  This classroom project was brought to life by an anonymous donor and 13 other donors.

• Any Flutists in the House? Flutes for Young Musicians Part 1

  Funded Dec 8, 2012

  I can't express the gratitude that I feel right now knowing that our woodwind sections is growing and our new students, who may never have even seen a flute up close, now will have the opportunity to play one. Thank you not only for your continuous support but for taking the time out to search and find my proposal to fund it. Every time you hear an orchestra or a band, please know you assisted in helping those tunes stay alive with music education. YOU have helped save the music and for that....we say thank you! :)”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Letford