Mrs. Morikawa's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 107

• Reading With Elephant and Piggie

  Funded Aug 27, 2019

  My students were thrilled to see the Elephant and Piggie book collection on the bookshelf and couldn't wait to dive in. But first, we had to establish rules of the classroom before I "opened" the Elephant and Piggie bookshelf. Yesterday, the kids' dream came true! We had our first picture book party and every single Elephant and Piggie book was taken from the shelf. Kids read independently and in small groups. I witnessed kids joyfully pass along books from group to group as books were finished. The best part was hearing the laughter and buzz of engaged kids as they explained why they loved a certain page or book.

  Having the Elephant and Piggie plush toys sitting next to the books adds a special touch! Thank you for supporting our classroom!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Morikawa

  This classroom project was brought to life by Montgomery Family Foundation and one other donor.

• I See Me in the Sports We Play

  Funded Jun 3, 2019

  Thank you so much for supporting I See Me in the Sports We Play. It was so fun to head back to school and have all of our materials arrive! This project provides my students the chance to see themselves and their interests in the things that we will be doing. The games that we will play are thing students can learn now and play for the rest of their life! Hacky sack, Frisbee (spin jammers), and flag football are great activities for team building and being active. Thank you for making our PE times inclusive for all! We appreciate your support and are looking forward to a great new year of learning!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Morikawa

  This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and one other donor.

• Painting our Hearts Out

  Funded May 16, 2019

  With your support, the students in my class can express their feelings using watercolor brushes and watercolor paper! Everyone cheered when our big box was delivered to the classroom and they couldn't believe we could use the supplies right away. First, we practiced different brush strokes on printer paper and the kids could see how the paper turned into a saturated mess. We cleaned up and passed out the new watercolor paper. The kids oohed and ahhhhed about the thickness of the paper. We learned how to choose colors based on our feelings and watched the magic of watercolor. Colors swirled and mixed and "bossed around" other colors. Creativity and wonder filled the room.

  Thank you to all the donors who helped us with this project!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Morikawa

  This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 4 other donors.

• Picture Books Make Cents

  Funded May 2, 2019

  Thank you funding this project and helping us add to our picture book library. My students love reading Elmore and think it is so touching when the other animals write notes to the lonely porcupine. I have noticed that since reading the book, the students began to write notes to each other and helped make our classroom community even stronger. Another favorite book was Now You Know How it Works. Kids were excited to read about how trash works. They made a connection to our classroom worm composter!

  Thank you for the difference you are making in our learning. These books will be treasured for years!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Morikawa

  This classroom project was brought to life by Charles Schwab Foundation and 5 other donors.

• Making Cents Out Of Books

  Funded Apr 30, 2019

  Thank you for your kind support and generous donation! The project you funded enabled us to have straws and connectors, Astrobrights paper, and a fantastic assortment of picture books! The kids huddled around and the room filled with oohs and aahhs as materials were passed around. We are currently learning about 3D shapes so when kids got to use the straws and connectors to build cubes and rectangular prisms taller than the teacher, everyone begged to let math time go longer. We appreciate the difference you are making in learning. The picture books you provided will be loved for years to come!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Morikawa

  This classroom project was brought to life by Charles Schwab Foundation and 2 other donors.

• Students Love Standing!

  Funded Feb 7, 2019

  Thank you for funding this project. Your support and generosity provided our classroom with a standing desk, 5 stools, and a Sphero cover. These items provide flexible seating options for students in my class. Having the freedom to move around to find a successful spot empowers kids to focus on learning. Students who are comfortable can concentrate on building stamina while reading or writing. During Open House, several students made it a point to show off their flexible seating options to parents. We appreciate all your support!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Morikawa

  This classroom project was brought to life by Sphero and 6 other donors.

• Flexible and Fun Seating for All

  Funded Feb 1, 2019

  The students are truly delighted with the new flexible seating options in our classroom. The new Nugget couch and wobble cushions not only transformed the configuration of the room, but also gave the students a greater sense of community. The kids now have more options for moving to a "successful space" to maximize their learning and well-being. The Nugget couch and wobble cushions give us new places to develop our reading and writing stamina. The cash register was a big hit when our class participated in Global Play Day. I know kids are really excited to use it when our lesson on money begins. As a new part of our morning routine, we now pick sticks and pass out the fidget toys so everyone has a chance to use tools to focus. The generosity and support of the Donors Choose community is one of the reasons why our classroom is a dynamic and exciting place to learn. Thank you for the couch, cushions, fidget toys, cash register, and books. They are directly impacting the lives of each child in our class.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Morikawa

  This classroom project was brought to life by Carol Kupers Whalen Memorial Fund and 6 other donors.

• Expressing Our Cultures with Piggy Banks

  Funded Dec 4, 2018

  It was a thrill to get these piggy banks! Counting coins and learning about money is introduced this year so having the opportunity to paint piggy banks will make long-lasting memories. According to the Lunar calendar, this year is the Year of Pig. Several students wanted to incorporate their culture into the design of their pig so when it was time for our "Gallery Walk", we saw piggy banks from all over, including Turkey, China, Finland, and America. Students named their pigs and can't wait to take them home to begin saving their money! Thank you for your generosity and support.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Morikawa

  This classroom project was brought to life by CRUNCH and 2 other donors.

• Watching Worms Wiggle

  Funded Dec 10, 2018

  We are thrilled to

  have 2000 worms in our new worm bin! Students asked each day for weeks, "Are the worms here yet?" One parent emailed and said her daughter couldn't stop talking about the day the worms were delivered. Everyone squealed with excitement when we opened the bags and welcomed our new "pets" into the worm bin we prepared weeks in advance. Now, students bring in food scraps from home or from their lunch. Students and teachers from other classrooms have stopped by to see our worms at work!

  Today, the second graders got to show their 5th grade buddies the worm bin. Not only did the 5th graders make connections to their science unit, but the second graders had an opportunity to be the "teachers" to their big buddies. As word got out, students from other classrooms have contributed their lunch scraps as well. Who knows what this worm bin has sparked in the lives of these young kids?! Maybe we will have some future environmental problem solvers who will look back and say, "It all started with a worm bin."”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Morikawa

  This classroom project was brought to life by CRUNCH and 4 other donors.

• Inspiring Creativity and Kindness With Books

  Funded Oct 25, 2018

  The students and I are thrilled to get so many wonderful books that inspire kindness and creativity. Creating a classroom grounded in kindness and character is a priority for us all. We want to experience forgiveness, empathy, and kindness every day we get together as a classroom family. The art books are just lovely. The talent and creativity we see in the books are found in all of us as long as we keep our eyes open. Thank you for funding our project and providing us with resources to help us in art and character development.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Morikawa

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 5 other donors.