Past projects 4
Oops! No White Board and the Marker Ran Out!
Funded Mar 28, 2021It is hard to believe what a positive impact markers, white boards and erasers can make in the life of second grade students.
This academic year has been extremely challenging not only for educators but also for students that had been working virtually. Students in lower grades did not have the opportunity to develop confidence to respond to questions in the classroom nor had the necessary materials to solve math problems, practice writing or spell words. As such, many are reluctant to raise their hand to answer a question or use tools to solve equations, draw arrays or even tally marks.
I wish you could have seen the excitement in their faces when they saw the materials you funded. Having a white board to share a respond to the teacher or small group is helping students develop that confidence that is needed to be academically successful. Not only does my class use them to respond to the teacher or small groups, but they use them when paired up to a peer that doesn't understand the math problem or doesn't know how to spell a word. In short, the materials donated has been instrumental in building capacity and is helping students begin their long journey of catching up from what a pandemic almost stole.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Nelkin
This classroom project was brought to life by T-Mobile and 2 other donors.Looking for a Home for Our Classroom Books!
Funded Jan 30, 2017There is nothing more gratifying, as an educator, then to see students with light in their eyes eager to read and learn. From the moment the bookshelves arrived, my students were determined to help me assemble them. They helped me sort the books that were sitting on broken bookshelves and in milk crates inside their coat closet. We sorted them by reading levels and in smaller containers that can easily be removed from the shelf for children to browse through in search of a new reading adventure.
The students are very proud of their new class library where books can easily be selected, read and borrowed. My class did not have access to the school library this academic year. As a result of having sturdy shelves, we have been able to organize our class library not only by reading levels but by genre. Students are easily able to read books similar to the ones they are reading in the reading curriculum. For example, we are reading a Biography of Helen Keller and now all the students are interested in finding and reading other biographies. The impact of an organized class library has given students easy access to books of interest and have sparked their interest in other books that they would not have otherwise been exposed to. What more can a teacher ask for then to see students using and learning from books and helping to set the path to life long learning?
Our class added a new monitor job of Class Librarian because our library is so well organized. Students are eager to use the classroom books to do their Reading Response activities in their own personalized journals. None of this would have been possible if not for the generosity of all the donors that saw it in their hearts to support our project. Thank you for helping my class develop a love of reading and opening the door to the world of literacy!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Nelkin
Why Can't They Make Desk Bigger or Books Smaller?
Funded Sep 16, 2016Thank you for your generosity. We are deeply grateful for your funding of our crayons, caddies, scissors, and storage bags. My students were very excited to see all the materials but especially the storage bags. They lit up when I placed a storage bag with their names on the bag of their chairs. They immediately began to place markers and folders for easy access. These storage bags are used to place pencils cases, markers and other small materials leaving their desk free for the bulky readers, notebooks, and workbooks.
Since students in second grade often draw with their writing, the crayons are used almost daily. At first the students cautiously asked permission to use the crayons in the caddies and I had to remind them that a very generous person had donated them and that the crayons were there to be used. I then realized that they rarely had crayons to use in previous classes. Usually when a teacher requests crayons and scissors from the school the most she can expect is a small bag of crayons and two or three scissors to share among many students. That is not the case in our class. Your donation has made it possible for our class to have crayons and scissors to use without having to wait for one student to finish using them to then pass the crayons and scissors along to the one waiting. Recently, students worked together in outlining a symmetrical bat template with their crayons and used their scissors to cut the outline and make their bats. The assembled bats where then displayed with their information writing.
Lastly, there is no question about it, your contribution has made an enormous and positive impact on the class. The crayons are used to bring to life writing that otherwise would have been shaded in pencil, scissors are used to cut work that is displayed, beautiful caddies to store them in and storage bags that give us space. Thank you, thank you, and thank you from all the boys and girls of Class 2-213!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Nelkin
Easing Into a New School Year with an Easel!
Funded Sep 16, 2016My students and I are deeply grateful for the funding of our easel. Originally the project was written for the purchase of an easel that was going to be used to differentiate instruction and reteach students math and other concepts that were not initially grasped. No one would have ever imagined that the easel was to become the primary board to teach the entire class. A month after we received it, the SmartBoard in our class broke down and this easel is now used the entire day to write aims, demonstrate work, and homework at the end of the day. It has been nothing short of a miracle.
Prior to using it for whole class instructions, students were using it to show their work to small groups and to model examples. I observed that student were more likely to use an easel to show their work than a high tech SmartBoard. Students have used it to show each other problem solving strategies and for Daily Proof Reading. It is amazing what an attachment the students have to it. They store their dry eraser markers in it and use it store their art materials and books. It is truly an amazing easel that will be used for this class and many more to come.
Once are SmartBoard is repaired, the class will use it for small group instruction and modeling of work as was originally planned.
Thank you for making this amazing contribution to our class. There are not words to express our deep gratitude for your generous donation nor words that can describe the amazing impact an easel has made in the learning of these students.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Nelkin