Past projects 10
Hands-on STEM for My Kindergarten Superstars!
Funded Mar 3, 2024After a slight delay with a lost package and some out of stock items, we finally got to start enjoying all our fantastic new materials! The students' eyes lit up with joy when I told them kind people from all over helped donate so we could have these new items in our classroom for us to share. We opened the boxes together, and their squeals of delight as each item was revealed increased the excitement in the room.
After going over a few expectations for each item, we let the creativity unfold. Students were so happy to try building with all the different materials. We had gardens of flowers, houses of bristle blocks, and were able to practice caring for our new plastic plants as we started a discussion about what plants need to grow. Students loved pretending to water them and putting them over by the window to get sunlight. Even though the plants themselves are not real, by using these models, students were able to use their imaginations and have a science lesson built in. These materials allow them to learn in a way that is engaging and they don't even realize they are learning because they are having so much fun! They were also using their social skills to work together to build structures and carry on conversations, all thanks to the materials provided by you!
Thank you again for supporting my kindergarten students. We are learning and growing and this could not have been possible without your kind donations!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mandella
Listening to Stories in Kindergarten!
Funded Nov 1, 2023I just wanted to take a minute and share how wonderful it has been to have a listening center in our kindergarten classroom.
Students love the option to sit at the table and listen to books. Sometimes they follow along with the text, but other times they like to close their eyes and visualize what is taking place in the story. This really encourages them to focus on what is happening, and promotes their listening skills.
My students who are learning English especially benefit from hearing examples of stories being read, including pronunciation and inflection.
It is really making such a positive impact in our classroom and I am so grateful for your support in making it happen!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mandella
This classroom project was brought to life by Young Sheldon on CBS and 6 other donors.Kindergarten Basics for My Littles!
Funded Aug 2, 2023Thanks to your support, my kindergarteners have started off the year with the basics they need to succeed!
We have been able to have tissues to wipe little noses, and baby wipes for hands. Every Friday each student takes a baby wipe and cleans off their table and chair and this simple chore gives them ownership of our space. After the students are gone, I am able to use the disinfecting wipes to further clean the space to keep us healthy.
We have been practicing with the different types of pencils, and I can't wait to share the paint with them as well. And the heavy paper has been great for printing materials for them which I know will last!
Thank you again for helping our classroom!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mandella
This classroom project was brought to life by Ferrero U.S.A., Inc. and 5 other donors.Making Math Magical in Kindergarten!
Funded Jul 3, 2023We have just completed the 13th day of kindergarten and our loving our new math materials! We are keeping track of our days with our new magnetic base ten set that is building number sense.
The students love looking at the pictures and counting items in our new math storybooks. It has helped them understand that math is everywhere, and not just a number.
The whiteboards are helping them practice write their numbers, and we just used them yesterday to practice our numbers 0-5!
They also enjoy the hands on manipulatives like the soft colored cube blocks. They are perfect for counting!
Thank you again for your support!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mandella
This classroom project was brought to life by Chevron and 6 other donors.Hands-on Math Opportunities in Kindergarten!
Funded Jun 24, 2023These materials have made such a difference in learning for my students! They arrived just in time to be put away the day before school started. Every day, we are able to use them in a rotation that allows students to practice critical early learning skills. These skills include pattern building, counting, color recognition, sorting, fine motor practice, and just having fun!
My students love having these materials to use and explore and it truly has gotten our kindergarten students off on the right foot to start the new school year! I know these materials will bring joy in learning not just to them but many other students as well. Thank you again for your support!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mandella
This classroom project was brought to life by Chevron and 8 other donors.Super STEM for Spectacular Students!
Funded Oct 4, 2019When the boxes started arriving, our students were so excited. Everyday we opened a few new items, and saw how this was going to impact our day to day work in the classroom.
Basic classroom supplies have gone a long way already in giving us the basics we need for our day to day work. While STEM time has become a time of inquiry and joy as we use the materials to explore and learn new concepts together.
We are so grateful to the support for our classroom and all the opportunities provided to our students!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mandella
This classroom project was brought to life by Chevron Fuel Your School.Clean Air for My Super Students!
Funded Dec 7, 2018After a short delay and Winter Break, our new air purifier was delivered to our classroom. It has already made a world of difference to the air quality while indoors. Stuffiness and odors are greatly minimized, and my student with asthma has only requested to use his inhaler once!
Our class loves how quiet it is, and with all the students getting sick this time of year, we know it is filtering the air in our room. They were especially excited to check the filter after it was running awhile and see dust and gunk already being collected.
We are also loving the scented stickers. They are part of our reading intervention time. When a student passes a page of sight words and phrases, they get to put a sticker on their booklet. It has been a huge motivation for students to keep progressing!
We are so grateful for the air purifier and stickers in our classroom! Thank you again for helping to bring this project to life!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mandella
Fostering Creativity with a STEM Maker Space
Funded Oct 10, 2018What an absolute gift it has been seeing my students with awe and excitement in their faces as I rolled a cart filled with boxes into the classroom. As we opened each one, everyone cheered to see what amazing STEM resources were gifted to our classroom.
The much needed basics such as dry erase markers and pockets have enabled us to save paper as we make notes and practice our skills in class. Students love sitting on the wobble stools during math and science time, and we have already made some observations as they built with their new magnetic building kit. Our library is amazing and organized thanks to the cubby bins, and we practice our math facts daily with our flashcards.
We are looking forward to starting a science inquiry project with our magnets and chipboard, and illustrating our learning in books made with the art supplies. We are just so grateful to Chevron Fuel Your School for giving us this opportunity to have this amazing resources for our class! Thank you again.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mandella
This classroom project was brought to life by Chevron Fuel Your School.A Cozy Collaborative Corner
Funded Sep 7, 2018On Friday, September 28th, our custodian wheeled a huge box into our room, and immediately the class became hushed with whispers of excitement. Our table was finally here! After some assembly at lunchtime, the students walked in to find our beautiful new Horseshoe table, with plenty of room for working.
When intervention time came around, we marveled at how 8 students could have their own space around the table. We had a great discussion about reading, and I could see the excitement in their faces so clearly. Our previous meeting area consisted of three double desks set up in a sort of "U" shape and although it took up more floor space, it only seated six students, so everyone agreed it was so much better.
During creative time at the end of the day, several students happily took their place around the table to work on their art projects. They loved that the table was just the right fit for them, and very comfortable. It will surely be a well-loved part of our classroom for years to come.
My students have already expressed interest in teaching each other lessons using our new table, and I share in their excitement. Thank you again for helping bring a collaborative place into my classroom where students can learn and grow!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mandella
Eureka! Bringing The CA Gold Rush To Life!
Funded Aug 6, 2013I would like once more to send my appreciation to all of you for helping us obtain the class set of By the Great Horn Spoon. When I told my class that I had reached out to kind donors to obtain the books, they didn't believe that friends and strangers would be willing to help us get the set for our classroom, especially since we have so many students. They were surprised and excited when I told them how quickly the project was funded, and they couldn't wait to flip through the books and explore them.
We are using the books in our classroom to add the element of historical fiction to our gold rush studies. After the new year we will be reading primary source material and comparing the content to that in the book. My students love the funny aspects of the book and are wrapped into the elements of adventure. It has encouraged even my reluctant readers to be excited about reading, and they love to share their opinions and notes with each other. It has been a wonderful way to make history more interesting and relevant to my students.
I cannot thank you enough for all your support!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mandella