Ms. Garciacruz's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 10

• Can You Hear Me Now?

  Funded Aug 10, 2024

  Thank you for the generous donation to my classroom. The headphones have been a hit with my students. Not only are they comfortable, they're colorful and stylish. They are so excited to do their reading apps with these headphones.

  In the past, we have used the district issued earbuds and it's been a horrible experience. They don't stay in their ears, they are uncomfortable and if the pads get lost, they're unusable. These headphones look sturdy to last throughout the year. It helps me create a quiet learning environment for the class, while providing a comfortable listening experience for them.

  Thank you so much.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Garciacruz

  This classroom project was brought to life by United Airlines and 3 other donors.

• To Infinity and Beyond!

  Funded Dec 2, 2020

  Thank you so much for your generosity. You do not know how much you have improved my student's learning experience. Before, I had a ten year old laptop that failing. It would reboot itself randomly, in the middle of lessons. It cause chaos as it left my student's stranded on Zoom without their teacher. And when I was able to get through lesson, the slow processor and wifi connection made it challenging to show videos or use interactive media websites.

  Now, my students have songs, videos, literature read-alouds and interactive tools that make their learning fun and engaging. The no longer notice faulty technology, just the multi-media content I'm presenting. It has made a huge difference in our learning.

  One of the most exciting features my students enjoy is the interactive writing zoom tool. They are able to use their finger to "write" on the screen and demonstrate their learning to the rest of the class. Using the new MacBook, I am able to screenshot and save their work for their portfolios and videotape lessons for sharing with teachers or to reflect on my effectiveness as a teacher. Current technology is essential in education and I'm so grateful that you made this possible for my class.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Garciacruz

  This classroom project was brought to life by FamilyAlbum and 9 other donors.

• Earbuds, Ouch!

  Funded Jan 9, 2019

  Thank you very much for your generous donation.

  These headphones have made a big difference in our classrooms. Our students practice vital reading and math skills through a couple of online interactive programs, which they access on their iPads. Since the beginning of the year, my students have complained about the discomfort of the school issued earbuds. Oftentimes, they'd stop using them and the sound would be very distracting to others and me. Now, that they have soft comfortable headphones they work comfortable. The headphones keep them more focused and help them hear the instructions of their programs more clearly. Additionally, the headphones allow for a more quiet classroom, so that I can teach my small groups, while the rest of the class is engaged.

  The headphones are sturdy and easy to clean, so I can continue to use them for many years.

  Thank you for your interest in my class and helping my students succeed. I truly appreciate it!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Garciacruz

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

• Kids Love a Good Book

  Funded Mar 23, 2018

  Thank you for your generous donations to this project. My library had become bit dated and I didn't have quite enough books for all 24 of my students. Your donations made it possible for me to expand my library to include many new and engaging titles. Additionally, I was able to fill in my leveled baskets. Although, I had many books in some levels, I was in dire need of titles in some of my baskets. Now, all of baskets are fully stocked. My students are also able to choose 10-15 books that interest them at their level to keep at their desk for independent reading. The children are truly enjoying the books, which means they are practicing their reading skills. I know they will become great readers by the end of the year!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Garciacruz

  This classroom project was brought to life by Golden State Fund and 7 other donors.

• One Day at the Theatre; A Lifelong Love of Literature

  Funded Oct 14, 2014

  Your generous donations made it possible for my class and two others to attend a children's theater production of The Tortoise and The Hare.

  Our second graders didn't really know what to expect, since most have never been to a theater (other than the movie theater). They walked in, took their seats and looked around. Already, they were in awe to see the stage, the lights in the back and the sound booth in the corner. We had talked about stages and theater in class, but this was real now. The show started and they stared at the characters as they pranced, danced and sang. The characters drew them in because the traditional Tortoise and Hare story was set in a high school and the characters were students, just like them. The Hare was a cocky bully and the Tortoise was a studious outsider. Each main character had a pack of animal friends who displayed a variety of personalities, such as the stuttering skunk and not-so-bright tough guy mouse. Each kid in the audience could identify with a character, yet rooted for the underdog.

  Their excitement when Tortoise won the race was very gratifying. The actors had pulled them in and captured their hearts. The kids could truly feel the power of storytelling!

  As a teacher, my head is racing with lesson plans. I can do so much through this experience. I can have them write and retell the story. I can have them analyze the characters or describe the consequences of each's actions. We can discuss bullying and act out scenarios in which they react to negative behavior. I can use it to spark their own story-telling, in writing and in dramatic re-enactments of stories.

  I knew my student's would gain from this experience, but I didn't expect it to be this enriching. Thank you so much for your generosity.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Garciacruz

  This classroom project was brought to life by an anonymous donor and 10 other donors.

• Bright And Colorful Outputs!

  Funded May 14, 2014

  Thanks to your generous donations our class has had the opportunity of printing their work in beautiful, vivid color.

  Recently we created a document in our iPads using a application much like Microsoft Word. My students were asked to summarize key points from a story we read. Then they typed up their text and then added a picture to go along with their writing. When we printed the work on our new classroom color printer, the children were amazed. It was the first time we were able to print directly from our iPads, much less in color! Before, when we created iPad projects we were never able to see the documents in hard copy because it was too difficult to email and print them. When we did print, they were in black and white because we only had a black and white printer available to us. The other exciting part of having this printer in our classroom is its air print capabilities. Using wifi we can easily print directly from our iPads by tapping only a few buttons. It's truly a great thing for students to see their work materialize. I'm able to post it in my bulletin boards and send it home to families.

  Thank you for this wonderful gift. My students feel so proud that they're able to produce such nice, professional-looking work. My administrators are so impressed that second graders are using technology so well. And the parents are excited that their children are receiving up-to-date instruction.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Garciacruz

  This classroom project was brought to life by 100 Women in Hedge Funds and 6 other donors.

• Keep Those Writing Pencils Sharp!

  Funded Sep 6, 2014

  My old broken sharpener had become such a nuisance. It got to the point where I would have students sharpen pencils on small manual sharpeners. After this project got funded and our new electric sharpener arrived, life became a little less stressful. Students have sharp and ready pencils whenever they need them. I have monitors sharpen pencils for students once per week and individuals sharpen if needed. We work smoothly through our writing lessons and never think twice about sharpening. It sounds like such a little thing, but in a classroom of busy writers it is a very big deal. I am so grateful to have donors, such as yourselves, that have provided our classroom with such a valuable and indispensable tool.

  I was also able to purchase other materials like markers, poster paper and scented stickers. The scented stickers have been such a great motivational tool. In the pictures posted, my students are showing off their stickers with pride. The stickers are particularly helpful at the end of the day when students are feeling tired from all the day's work. I start walking around handing out scented stickers and they all perk up and immerse themselves in their work. They are rewarded for their efforts with a scented treat. The scent also helps to brighten their day and keep them engaged. It's interesting that in this day and age of hyper technology, these simple stickers provide my students with such joy and pride in having earned them. Many have even started collecting them on their pencil boxes!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Garciacruz

• Fight Obesity! Give the Gift of Lifelong Health.

  Funded Aug 25, 2014

  My students were thrilled to hear that we received a donation of Physical Education equipment.

  This past summer I attended a 4 day P.E. training, where I learned about the state physical education standards, tried out first hand many fun outdoor games, practiced skills and planned out instruction for this school year. I also got many resources and access to an on-line curriculum. As soon as school started, I began implementing what I learned. There was one problem though, I had limited equipment. Many of the lessons included items that my school didn't have.

  That's when I sought out Donors Choose and I'm glad I did. Thanks to you, I was able to purchase some movement scarves, bean bags and scarves. These few items are used in many of the primary grade lessons. We have used the scarves to play many games. One game, for instance is Superhero Tag. Four villains are chosen (those with scarves) and two superheroes. The villains tag students, which must freeze and the superheroes can unfreeze frozen people with another tag. Although, this is a simple game, students really enjoy it and are getting aerobic exercise at the same time. The beanbags are used for a similar aerobic game. This game has a healthy-eating twist. Bean bags represent unhealthy meals and they must work to get out of their "refrigerator" (their group's corner).

  Students are learning that exercise doesn't have to be boring, hard work. Thanks again, for helping our class learn healthy habits that will last a lifetime!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Garciacruz

  This classroom project was brought to life by Gates Foundation Back To School and 4 other donors.

• iPad to Inspire Collaboration and Problem Solving

  Funded Jun 13, 2013

  As anyone can imagine, my students were very excited when I showed up with an iPad for classroom use. At first, I gave each student a chance to look at it and get familiar with it. I connected it to my projector and modeled use of the iPad in many different subjects and for different purposes. But I primarily wanted to use it in Mathematics. They were eager to try it out.

  I use the iPads in three major capacities. First, to supplement instruction and have students practice skills, such as double digit addition. Secondly, my students and I use the iPad for recording, photographing and documenting our learning. For instance, one student might be chosen as the iPad monitor and their job is to take pictures and videos of our math discussions. The third way I use the iPad in Mathematics is my favorite. During our mathematics problem-solving sessions, students will be given intriguing problems to solve. Once they solve the problems on their own or with a partner, several students will be chosen to explain their strategies to the class. While they do so, they record their step-by-step explanation on an app called Educreations. The recording is then made available to other students from then on.

  It has been a great experience to have the iPad in our classroom. It has made my students excited to do, document and share their work. They are learning that I am not the only teacher in the class; that they can both learn and teach their classmates. It has created a fun and positive environment that revolves around learning. I am also always seeking more ways to incorporate this technology throughout the curriculum. I feel just as excited and hopeful as the students!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Garciacruz

  This classroom project was brought to life by JPMorgan Chase and 5 other donors.

• iPad for Problem-Solving in Mathematics

  Funded Jul 2, 2013

  As anyone can imagine, my students were very excited when I showed up with an iPad for classroom use. At first, I gave each student a chance to look at it and get familiar with it. I connected it to my projector and modeled use of the iPad in many different subjects and for different purposes. But I primarily wanted to use it in Mathematics. They were eager to try it out.

  I use the iPads in three major capacities. First, to supplement instruction and have students practice skills, such as double digit addition. Secondly, my students and I use the iPad for recording, photographing and documenting our learning. For instance, one student might be chosen as the iPad monitor and their job is to take pictures and videos of our math discussions. The third way I use the iPad in Mathematics is my favorite. During our mathematics problem-solving sessions, students will be given intriguing problems to solve. Once they solve the problems on their own or with a partner, several students will be chosen to explain their strategies to the class. While they do so, they record their step-by-step explanation on an app called Educreations. The recording is then made available to other students from then on.

  It has been a great experience to have the iPad in our classroom. It has made my students excited to do, document and share their work. They are learning that I am not the only teacher in the class; that they can both learn and teach their classmates. It has created a fun and positive environment that revolves around learning. I am also always seeking more ways to incorporate this technology throughout the curriculum. I feel just as excited and hopeful as the students!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Garciacruz