Past projects 6
Find Yourself in a Good Book!
Funded Jan 15, 2021Thank you so so much for your generous gifts to our classroom! My students absolutely love reading our new books! When the books arrived my students were still 100% virtual, so we opened up the boxes together through an unboxing video. They were incredibly excited to see new books for our classroom library.
In order to share the books with my virtual students, I created read-aloud videos and posted them in Schoology, our online learning platform. Students look forward to watching the videos and always message me after they watch them! At this time some of my students have returned to in-person learning and they absolutely love being able to borrow one of our new books.
While my students are enjoying all of the books, Emmanuel's Dream The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson and Sean Qualls and The Girl Who Thought in Pictures The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia FInnely Mosca are two of their favorites! Being able to read about real-life people with disabilities achieving great things has been inspiring and encouraging to us! Thank you for the amazing impact you are having on my classroom!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Matteson
Listening to Learn
Funded Apr 17, 2019Thank you so much for your generosity towards our classroom! The cd player and learning cds have truly transformed our classroom environment. Students love the calming effect of classical music and have shown increased focus while it is playing in the background. Remaining calm and focused has been crucial in helping students prepare for end of year testing. After working hard while listening to our study music, students have enjoyed getting to pick a song from our new Silly Songs cd as a reward. The sturdy high-quality headphones provided have been used daily to enable students to access the audio accommodation on classroom assignments and SOL testing. My students love how comfortable the headphones are and the clear sound they provide! We cannot thank you enough for the positive impact you have made on our classroom through your gifts!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Matteson
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 8 other donors.Lights, Motion, and Sensory Learning!
Funded Sep 21, 2018Thank you so much for our new sensory materials! All my students love the florescent light covers! They change our entire learning environment by dimming the harshness of the florescent lighting and making it more sensory friendly. The blue covers are very calming and soothing. My students were in awe the first time they walked in my room after the light covers were installed. Prior to receiving the light covers students frequently asked for lights to be turned off, now they love having them on!
My students were so excited when they first saw our new materials and they use them every day! One of my second grade students uses the lap pad every day while sitting on the carpet and during seat work at his desk. The lap pad helps him remain seated and focus better. The other lap pad is used by one of my fourth grade students during testing. It helps him stay calm and focused while working. Additional special seating is shared among students, depending on who needs it at that time.
We appreciate your contributions to making our classroom more sensory friendly! Your donations have made a huge positive impact and have enabled my students to feel more comfortable in our learning environment. My students and I will be able to use these items for years to come. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Matteson
Small Groups with the "Write" Stuff
Funded Mar 27, 2018Thank you so much for the dry erase board kidney shaped table and encouraging words! Your contributions have made a positive impact on my classroom. My students were ecstatic when they came into the classroom and saw the new table. Their eyes lit up and they asked me a million questions, most of which contained some form of "Can we write on it?".
This table has been instrumental in helping my students review for their reading and math SOL tests. At a point in the year when students were getting tired, this table showed up and renewed their interest. It added novelty to my small group instruction and has helped keep students engaged during the most challenging time of year!
Students love working out math problems on the table, practicing putting words in ABC order, brainstorming writing ideas and so much more! I cannot thank you enough for your generosity. The caring you demonstrated through donating to my classroom has truly made a difference in the success of my students!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Matteson
This classroom project was brought to life by Ripple and 2 other donors.Addition, Subtraction, And Money: Oh, My!
Funded Sep 6, 2013Please accept sincere thanks for supporting my class with hands-on math materials and centers. Students love using the counting money puzzles, the number sense problem solving center, interactive number line, and other materials. However, I think Beat the Clock! is their favorite activity. My students are completely engrossed in seeing if they can beat their previous times using these addition and subtraction fact books. It is a joy to see them having fun while practicing a much needed skill.
These materials have allowed even my lowest students to work independently or in a small group while my co-teacher and I meet with other students in guided math groups. An added benefit has been seeing my students learn to problem solve together and encourage one another. These materials are helping to turn my students into mathematicians and independent learners. My students are so engaged they frequently ask to use the hands-on math materials during indoor recess! This would not have happened without these great materials and your support.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Matteson
From Fidgeting to Focused
Funded Nov 29, 2012Thank you so much for your generous donation to my classroom! My students love using the fidgets during tests to give them a quick brain break. They are more focused than ever and are actually eager to take tests because of these special pencils. Students also love using the stoplight noise monitor during group time. Group work is vital to student learning, as it provides a time for students to exchange ideas and learn to work as a team. Having the noise monitor lets my students take responsibility and keeps them from disturbing other groups, allowing all students to remain focused.
Thanks to you, my students are more focused and productive. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Matteson