Past projects 16
Paws and Pages
Funded Dec 3, 2024I wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude for your generous support of my Paws and Pages project. Your contribution has made a real difference in fostering a love of reading among my first grade students. My students were so excited to receive their stuffed dogs on the big day!
I am thrilled to share that I have received nothing but positive feedback from their parents, who have noticed an increased enthusiasm for reading at home.
Thank you for making this possible. Your kindness has helped me to inspire my students to read at home in a fun, engaging way.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Smith
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 2 other donors.Duck, Duck, Read!
Funded Aug 15, 2024I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude for your generous support of my "Duck, Duck, Read" initiative for students in kindergarten through grade 2. Thanks to your contributions, all students received reading rubber ducks that have sparked excitement for reading at home and fostered a genuine love for books.
The bookmarks help students remember to return their book on Library Day, when they can choose a new book to read to their ducks! This not only promotes independent reading, but also helps students practice responsibility.
Thank you again for your invaluable support!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Smith
This classroom project was brought to life by The Gates Foundation and 5 other donors.It's Rhyme Time! Let the Games Begin!
Funded May 8, 2024My students had a ball (literally!) participating in the Games this year! They were so excited to have the relays, like the Mother Goose Waddle (shown in the pictures), the egg and spoon race, and the Jack be Nimble jump race. The new puzzle game was a big hit thanks to your generosity. The best part of the Games was that my students were having fun practicing their rhymes and doing the activities. They had no idea that they would be rewarded for their hard work with mementos to bring home. They were so proud of their medals and bracelets.
This experience was amazing on so many levels. Kindergarten students were able to practice their rhyming skills, which is so important for early readers. Let's not forget the other skills these students were able to develop, all while having fun! They practiced teamwork, problem solving, and good sportsmanship! These are all essential life skills. The fact that they had fun simply participating, without knowing there would be treats at the end, made it even more special!
I cannot thank you enough for helping me make this event so special for my students! I appreciate you, my students appreciate you, and their parents had nothing but positive feedback to share after the event!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Smith
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 6 other donors.Falcon Book Buddies Program
Funded Dec 18, 2023My students spent several weeks practicing reading to the stuffies in the Library; anxiously awaiting the day they would get their own stuffed dogs to take home. I could see how they progressed each week, working harder at sounding out words and showing the pictures to their stuffies. The big day finally came and their hard work had paid off!
I can't begin to try and share their excitement when I revealed the agenda for the big day. Their eyes were like saucers and they all let out a big cheer! To say they were excited is an understatement. They had fun picking out names and decorating their "crates."
Thanks to your generosity, my students have an excellent motivator for reading at home. In addition to naming their dog, each student signed a certificate promising to take care of their dog by reading to it. The positive feedback from parents has been amazing. I can't thank you enough for helping me promote reading at home.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Smith
This classroom project was brought to life by A family that cares about Boston and 8 other donors.Promoting the Magic of Reading With the Lunar New Year
Funded Dec 29, 2023The students in my book club enjoyed meeting each week to read and discuss the book The Year of Billy Miller. Through reading this book together, they were able to learn about Lunar New Year. This learning extended into Library class as well as their own classrooms. Experiences like these really get kids excited about reading.
Because of your generosity, I was able to host a surprise Lunar New Year party for the last book club meeting! Students not only listened to a story about Lunar New Year, but also were able to take home a beautiful book of their own to treasure. I can't begin to describe their excitement as they explored the Library looking for the hidden red envelopes, only to find a surprise of pearls in each envelope.
Reading often takes a back seat to the many other options available to kids today. It is so important to make reading fun, so they won't see it as a chore! My main goal is to create lifelong readers. I can't thank you enough for giving me the opportunity to share this experience with my students.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Smith
This classroom project was brought to life by A family that cares about Boston and 8 other donors.Discovering the Ship of Dreams
Funded Aug 15, 2023One of the best ways to turn students into readers is to provide a variety of high-interest books for independent reading. In the classroom, students spend a substantial amount of their day learning how to read, however, when they come to the library, they have the opportunity to choose books simply because they are interested in the topic.
As I mentioned in my request for funding, books about the Titanic do not stay on the shelves in the library! As quickly as the books are returned, they are checked out again by other students. Just today, I had two students calling to each other in the checkout line to show the covers of the new Titanic books they found on the display. One student said she actually had the other book at home, but was so glad that I had another one that she hadn't read yet!
Putting these books into the hands of my students is a wonderful experience. It is a precious gift to see their eyes light up when they "strike gold" as we call it during book selection. Thanks to your generosity, many more students are "striking gold" at the library. Positive experiences like these motivate students to read more! Thanks again!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Smith
This classroom project was brought to life by The SONIC Foundation and 11 other donors.Windows and Mirrors for Young Readers!
Funded Apr 14, 2023My students were so excited to read the new books that you so generously funded. It is such a delight to see their eyes light up when they discover a book that they can connect with.
One of the teachers took these books out of the library to use with the small groups she teaches. She shared how much her students enjoyed reading about how the people in some of the books became famous, and the challenges they faced to get there. After discussing how the characters in the books showed a growth mindset, they were able to roleplay situations where they could demonstrate a growth mindset themselves.
I plan to use these books this fall to engage the whole school in reading. I will be putting the books in a fall harvest bin and randomly sending them to different classrooms. After they read the book to their class, the teachers will send the bin to another class. Once all classes have read the books, students will be able to check them out of the library! The books teachers read to their classes become very popular on library day! This schoolwide reading project would not be possible without your help! Thank you again for your generosity.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Smith
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 9 other donors.Shape up the Library!
Funded Nov 29, 2022Thank you so much for your generous support of our Library program. I am so excited to have my own classroom set of pattern blocks for students to use during my class.
Although they have been used across grade levels, I feel that my preschool students have benefited the most from them. They use templates to create holiday and thematic images relating to the weekly lesson. They also enjoy creating their own designs using the pattern blocks.
These activities help students develop their eye-hand coordination, fine motor skills, and spatial awareness. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to help my students develop these skills in a fun way!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Smith
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 2 other donors.Stack Up the Fun With Playstix
Funded Dec 8, 2022My students were so excited to see a basket of brightly, colored Playstix on each of their tables! Thank you so much for providing this new tool for my students to build with during Library class.
They have used Playstix for building everything from the grandfather clock in Hickory Dickory Dock to their dream house after listening to If I Built a House. Many students simply enjoy recreating the designs in the little idea book!
I cannot thank you enough for supporting my objective of helping my students' develop their hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and creativity. I really appreciate it.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Smith
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 3 other donors.Think Outside the Blocks
Funded Dec 8, 2022The students in all of my classes, from preschool through second grade, have enjoyed building with the KEVA Planks and Picasso Tiles. Whether building freely or creating projects based on the lesson, students are actively engaged in learning and having fun.
My students have learned the routine of coming to Library class. After a story and lesson on the story rug, they use hands-on materials such as Picasso Tiles and KEVA Planks to build while waiting to choose a book. This is not merely busy time. It is used to extend their learning while developing critical thinking and problem solving skills, as well as an opportunity to practice sharing and communicating with classmates.
Providing students with a variety of materials throughout the year is essential in keeping them engaged them with these types of activities. It would not be possible without your generosity. It is very much appreciated by me, my students, and their parents who receive pictures of their projects throughout my classes. I cannot thank you enough.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Smith
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 2 other donors.