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Ms. Barrymore's Classroom

  • Polaris Charter Academy
  • Chicago, IL
  • More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

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Past projects 11

  • Less Talk, More Rock!

    Funded Jan 7, 2022

    Our rock band has hit the ground running! In partnership with Music Will students are receiving music education that is adjusted to their taste and liking and the buy in is HUGE! Everyone wants to be in rock band now!

    They have already learned electic guitar, electric bass, drum kit, keyboard and vocals! The songs they have learned so far include "I Gotta Feeling", "Send My Love", "Wake Me Up" and "Without You", just to name a few. Students are also using these instruments and tools to learn improvisational and composition skills.

    Thank you for helping make this all possible!”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Barrymore

    This classroom project was brought to life by Panda Cares and 4 other donors.
  • Whiteboard Needed!

    Funded Jan 10, 2022

    Wow, how we were missing this crucial piece of a classroom! We use out white board in a very interactive way and we have been missing it as a daily tool we use.

    We are now able to compose music together again as a class and learn our notes and other material in a more fun and creative way in combination with our projector.

    The best part, we are able to erase again! Long gone are the days of having multiple layers of badly erased writing on top of each other. It sure made things confusing and hard to follow!

    Thank you for bringing this tool back into our classroom.”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Barrymore

  • Rock On!

    Funded Apr 7, 2022

    Our rock band has hit the ground running! In partnership with Music Will students are receiving music education that is adjusted to their taste and liking and the buy in is HUGE! Everyone wants to be in rock band now!

    They have already learned electic guitar, electric bass, drum kit, keyboard and vocals! The songs they have learned so far include "I Gotta Feeling", "Send My Love", "Wake Me Up" and "Without You", just to name a few. Students are also using these instruments and tools to learn improvisational and composition skills.

    Thank you for helping make this all possible!”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Barrymore

    This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose community & an Anonymous Partner and 2 other donors.
  • One Time, in Band Class...

    Funded Sep 21, 2022

    Wow! There truly aren't words to show my gratitude! What an incredible opportunity for my students, for myself and for my school! We start working with the Chicago Youth Orchestra THIS WEEK so we're up and running and we're so excited! Thank you for supporting us and for providing the last instruments we need to complete our ensembles!”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Barrymore

    This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 8 other donors.
  • Play, Sing & Read!

    Funded Aug 12, 2021

    Thank you so much for your donation! We are in full swing playing the deskbells and xylophones!!! We have already tackled and conquered C, D, and E and can read the notes on the staff and sing them using Solfedge. They are loving the whole program!

    When I first introduced the kids to the deskbells I had then help me unpackage them. Picture a YouTube box opening video. We had a really fun time and that was just the beginning. Students are sharing their excitement with music and their news instruments to their families at home and all around school.

    We will work for the rest of the year and learn the rest of the solfedge/C Major scale. In this program they are also learning rhythms and how to read them as standard music notation. The program lays everything out with very fun songs and activities that go along with each lesson. Thank you for bringing such joy and such an amazing tool into our room!”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Barrymore

    This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 28 other donors.
  • Books for Our Music Library!

    Funded Aug 13, 2021

    Thank you for your contributions to our new music library! This area is used in our room as a brain break area for students who need some time to calm down or just simply need a self regulated break. Students have been enjoying the material when they are needing this space and it's a great tie to literacy. Every week every class reads a new book and now our library has tripled!

    This is the first time the music room has had its own library and the students are ecstatic and amazed by it! All of the news book in our library represent our student body and the kids have enjoyed seeing themselves in our books.

    Students will continue to get their hands on high quality and representative books every week to continue our work with integrating iteracy in to music. We will also continue to add books as we discovery them. Thank you for widening our horizons and showing us even more is possible!”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Barrymore

    This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 2 other donors.
  • Making Music Cooperatively!

    Funded May 17, 2018

    We have received all of the instruments you donated! 1st and 2nd grade students helped unpack and assemble the glockenspiels and the xylophone! In that process they became familiar with pitch names and how the length impacts the sound of the bar (highs and lows).

    Our first project has also just started. We are learning some songs for our first concert and students are playing an arrangement on the instruments as they are singing. Both of the glockenspiels and the xylophone are being used, accompanied by non pitched rhythm instruments. All students in the class get a turn on the glockenspiels and the xylophone and are learning all parts.

    The students are really catching on quickly and they are coming in excited every week to play the new instruments! We are excited to add to our collection, the ultimate goal of having every student in a class on a mallet instrument. Thank you for helping us begin that journey!”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Barrymore

    This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 12 other donors.
  • Let Them Play!

    Funded Feb 25, 2017

    Thank you for once again supporting a project for our school's band program. These students have been working really hard and with new materials like reeds, mouthpieces and neck straps, they can be that much more successful.

    When our packages arrived I had the students open them and discover what was inside. Some clarinetists had been hanging on dearly to their very last reed and were relieved when they saw the new supplies come in! The song Escapade was loved by my 7th and 8th grade band!! This is a great permanent piece to our repertoire now!

    These blossoming musicians wouldn't be where they are without the generous support of donorschoose.com supporters.”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Barrymore

  • Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion, Oh My! (Part 3)

    Funded Dec 18, 2013

    Our little band is getting so big!! The students were amazed when they received their instruments and they showed so much pride in them. That could not have been possible without your help. The students using the trombone, trumpet, clarinet and saxophones are flourishing and exceeding my expectations.

    Every Monday and Wednesday after school the students bring their instruments into the music room for band rehearsal. They also bring their instruments on their lesson day where I meet with them for a half hour. Watching these kids file into school in the mornings with their instruments in hand is priceless. Our first concert is in only two weeks and they've prepared some pretty fun songs!!

    Bit by bit we are getting a full band together where more kids can take advantage of all that music has to offer. The more kids we can add to band the fuller the sound and the more inspirational it will be for the students. We're getting there with the help from people like you. I can tell you this, I feel like the luckiest music teacher to have the support I do and the students who make it all happen. Thank you again!”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Barrymore

    This classroom project was brought to life by Disney and 12 other donors.
  • Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion, Oh, My! (Part 2)

    Funded Dec 5, 2013

    Our little band is growing!!!! Without your help, it wouldn't have been possible. I want to thank you for your support of our program, it means a lot to all of us here, the teachers and students alike. Currently we have only two percussionists, that number can now grow since we have more instruments! The two students are learning the new percussion instruments they have received and they are flourishing!

    Our new instruments live in the music room where we have after school band on Monday and Wednesday nights. When our percussionists come into the room they have a great time setting up their drums, cymbals, chimes and the gong. They take great pride in these instruments and treat them with tremendous care.

    Now instead of practicing crash cymbals on finger symbols or the notation for the gong on a drum, we have the instruments in our hands with authentic sounds and touch. The percussion section is the baseline for any band, and everyone has benefited from our percussion section's 'face lift'. Thank you again for all of your support. I feel like I'm the luckiest teacher to have the support I do and also the students who make it all happen!”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Barrymore

    This classroom project was brought to life by Disney and 7 other donors.
First and foremost my students are compassionate and dedicated. My students have found music to be a great, save outlet and a way to express themselves in an otherwise turbulent environment. When our students give it their all their spirits come out, giving us all chills when they perform share their talents. Their enthusiasm is endless and they truly follow the mantra of being an explorer.

About my class

First and foremost my students are compassionate and dedicated. My students have found music to be a great, save outlet and a way to express themselves in an otherwise turbulent environment. When our students give it their all their spirits come out, giving us all chills when they perform share their talents. Their enthusiasm is endless and they truly follow the mantra of being an explorer.

About my class

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