Past projects 211
Smith Students Will Change the World
Funded Nov 11, 2018Wow! Out of all of our funded projects this year, this project supplied the most excited students. As I pulled each item out of the box, my students screeched and awed at all the new items for them to explore.
I have always had students sign up for new books so that whomever wants to read the book, can read it after their classmate is done. We've passed these books around and around and my students want to read and reread these books. They are fascinating and bring so many new ideas and excitement.
The microscope has also been a student favorite. They love exploring the slides and seeing images up close. They were super thrilled to find that they could put my phone camera up to the eye piece and take a picture of what they were seeing. A fern picture was shared all throughout our room during MakerSpace last week.
The Rollercoaster game has been fantastic for MakerSpace as well as inside recess for the many cold days we've been having. My students have already loved checking out the difference three days can make in the Rock Tumbler. They can't wait to do more rocks.
Lastly, the 3D doodler refills have been exactly what we needed and I have loved watching their new creations come alive. I'm glad they don't have to worry about running out of plastic.
The best part of this project? You have continued to inspire my students to be their very best. Watching them work together and create, design, build, and engineer is some of my favorite time. Thank you for caring so much about them. Smith students are changing the world and they will continue to change the world!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Melissa Smith
Mo and Awbie Calm Us Down
Funded Jun 4, 2018Last summer 78 donors came together to help get this awesome project funded. While it has taken awhile to get these into the hands of my students, they are now making a huge difference. These iPads have unlocked wonderful possibilities for my students. Using Osmo apps is one of my students favorite activities to do. Students now have many options of what to do when they are finished working, and these options are academic and engaging!
Many students earn rewards and breaks throughout the day. This is one of their favorite things to choose.
After attending a conference this year I learned that it is best to introduce students to as many different types of technology and allow them to learn and problem solve on each device. We have started this in my classroom and it has been very positive. Thankful for this opportunity.
Thank you for investing in my classroom and helping me to make it such a wonderful and energetic classroom filled with lots of different opportunities!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Melissa Smith
Breakout of the Ordinary
Funded Nov 13, 2018Thank you so much for making my classroom so much more than ordinary. My students love coming to school and together we are excited for each day. You have allowed me to go way out of the box with learning and I am so thankful for that. We were able to use the Breakout subscription on the week leading up to winter break so that our students could have some challenge and fun combined. Students helped elves find reindeer and save Christmas! We worked as a classroom and solved it together. It was so good for problem solving, teamwork, and had students practice their reading and math skills. Raz Kids was going to be so missed for a guided reading center, but we saw no break in our subscriptions. Students are also able to access this at home over break and I am so thankful to that. They love to search for books they are interested in and read those! The Cricut has allowed us to think out of the box and will continue to make our MakerSpace time even more creative.
The best part of this whole project was allowing every student to pick out a book of their choice. The books came in on the Friday before break and the entire class was thrilled. They asked if they could read it right then and there. I of course let them read for a little bit, but then I reminded them that the book was theirs to keep and that they could take it home and read it whenever they wanted. Thank you for inspiring my students to read both digitally and in print.
Thank you again for making my classroom extraordinary. I am so blessed to be able to spend my days with 19 wonderful students and am so blessed to do that with your help.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Melissa Smith
This classroom project was brought to life by Craig Newmark Philanthropies and 75 other donors.Glass Giving For All!
Funded Nov 30, 2018This project has been fantastic as always. I watched as my students created such beautiful works of art. They thought up their beautiful designs and carefully placed each piece of tissue paper.
I loved how they designed their plates based on what their parent loved. We had plates covered in NFL football team colors, fall and winter colors, plates in beautiful rainbows of blues and pinks, and plates with stripes and zig zags.
I also was so very grateful that enough plates were funded that every student who lives in two family homes could make two. This reminded them that we care deeply for each student and that they each have a unique important story.
Their gifts are now wrapped and ready to be taken home. The wrapping paper was created by each student. They are so very excited to hide these in their home and give to their parent at just the right moment. Thank you for helping me give this opportunity to each student. Thank you for making this season truly magical!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Melissa Smith
Team Third Grade Tie Dyes
Funded Oct 15, 2018Our students rolled their tie dye t-shirts on Friday. They each picked out a unique design and worked with their classmates to make that design. I loved watching the teamwork. I wish you could have been a bug in our classroom and listened to the conversations that were had. If you get a chance, follow us on twitter, @SmithTweetTales. They'd love to show you their t-shirts during the rest of our events this year.
The vibrant colors lit up their faces as they stuck the white t-shirt into the dye. At the end of the day I began rinsing the shirts and they were in awe of the amazing designs that they created.
We decided our first day to wear them would be the Monday after break. They are SO excited and so proud. Thank you for bringing our classrooms together even more. Thank you for building our relationships through a simple shirt. Thank you for continuing to be my classroom partner. I can't thank you enough. You are inspiring so many students and words cannot express just how thankful I am.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Melissa Smith
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Arts Funder and 2 other donors.It's a Beta-utiful Classroom
Funded Oct 8, 2018Thank you for all you do for our classroom. Our new Beta fish, Fire is settled in and loving life with Sky our other Beta fish. My students loved that they got to pick out the new fish and it adds another piece of "family" to our classroom. The new food and cleaning magnets help us out greatly and help us provide for our Beta in the best way. The natural play balls are also fun to see.
More importantly the snacks you provided are amazing. Students no longer worry about whether or not they will have a snack. It's always there. The best part? My students picked out the snacks and they are snacks they like. These snacks will last us for at least half of the school year. Snacks keep our bellies full and our minds ready to learn.
It never stops amazing me that strangers would give to my classroom and that you would care so much about my students. A special thank you to SONIC for funding the majority of this project and for Laura for all your help voting. My students are some of the most beautiful parts of my life, so thank you for making our classroom Beta-utiful!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Melissa Smith
This classroom project was brought to life by The Clorox Company and 3 other donors.Music Makes Our Room Magical and Mindful
Funded Aug 6, 2018This project has changed our classroom. Music is so important in our classroom. I play music every morning as students enter the classroom and every day as they leave. We turn it on for every test and during any work time. It also plays during quiet time. Music definitely makes our room magical and mindful.
Every time we head out for recess my students say, "Can we bring the speaker?" Since having Pandora funded has removed all ads, I am quick to say, "YES!"
Go Noodle Plus and Flocabulary bring fun academic songs to every lesson. They are loving the raps that help them learn today's topic.
The thinking putty has helped more than one student calm down in their own way. Thank you for caring so much about my classroom and my students. Classroom environment is so important for our students. Thank you for making ours so peaceful and upbeat at the same time. 68 of you came through in bringing this project to life. I so appreciate you and promise to keep the ripple going. Blessings on you this week and always!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Melissa Smith
We Will SOAR!
Funded Aug 22, 2018This fall I met 19 amazing students. These are students who challenge each other to grow, learn, and become an even better version of themselves.
Every Friday we problem solve, create, design, and work together during MakerSpace. STEM is such an important part of our classroom. These items allow my students to be engineers in whole new ways. They love the new Cricut technology and since donors just funded a design studio membership we will be able to create so much more.
The 3D pens are some of their favorite pieces of technology to use. The items they create are so neat and blow me away. They are really imagining so much more than I could have known they would. The sewing machine has been simply fantastic. You have already allowed multiple students to try sewing for the very first time! The headphones you provided allowed students to have headphones when they didn't have them. We use our headphones multiple times a day, so this has been such a gift.
You have allowed our classroom to SOAR into the new school year. Thank you for caring so much about me and thank you for caring so much about my students. They know how deeply they are loved and I am grateful for that.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Melissa Smith
This classroom project was brought to life by Craig Newmark Philanthropies and 5 other donors.All Smiles in Third Grade
Funded Jul 29, 2018Some people saw a project filled with notebooks, pencils and Expo markers and thought, "That's a really boring project," but you all saw my project and noticed the need and filled it. Our students were so excited when they learned that these items were donated by so many awesome people that they didn't know.
We also had many parents comment on how nice it was to have a small supply list and be able to spend their school supply budget on other items for their child.
Thank you for ensuring we will have enough pencils for the entire year. Thank you for caring so much about our third grade students. You have made a difference this year! Blessings on you.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Melissa Smith
ISTE Inspires
Funded Nov 29, 2017Wow! It's been two weeks since I got back from Chicago and ISTE2018. What a whirlwind and amazing experience. It was a wonderful way to kick off my summer and I am so very grateful you gave me this opportunity.
At the conference I was able to meet so many awesome people. Teachers I have networked with online for years, new teacher friends with inspiring ideas, tons of vendors of great educational resources and so many educational leaders who are forever changing the face of education. I cannot even believe that I got this opportunity.
This fall I am excited to take BrainPop to a new level in my classroom. I'm currently working on getting funding for BrainPop Coding because I can already see the impact it could have in my classroom. I can't wait to use Dash and Dot in new creative ways! I also learned so many new ways to infuse technology into the classroom. I am taking time to relax this summer but I am so excited for teaching this fall. Thank you changing the future for every student I have after this point. You have made a difference in their education.
I am thankful for every donor that gave to this project! A special shout out to Charles Schwab for matching every donation. This project wouldn't have been possible without that match. Another special thank you to my Reddit Secret Santa who finished the funding on this project. You have forever changed my life and I will never forget your beautiful gift. Thank you all for caring so much for my students and for me as a teacher. Keep helping us dream and reach for those dreams!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Melissa Smith
This classroom project was brought to life by Charles Schwab and 22 other donors.