Mrs. Holdren's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 26

• Making Math Magnificent With Games (at Home)

  Funded Dec 12, 2017

  With the support of Donors Choose donations, I held a math family night for my second graders in my classroom on March 1st. There were ten students and their families present, which was a total of 45 people. We had a wonderful night! Prior to our math night I sent a questionnaire home asking what parents would like to learn. Based on those answers, I planned our evening. First I outlined the second grade learning standards and vocabulary and provided a reference sheet with everything listed. Then students took turns explaining our various addition and subtraction strategies. We have posters with multiple methods that show how to add or subtract. I made a photocopy for each family to take home. Next I provided a list of learning websites for students to use at home. Finally we played games that supported understanding of place value, addition and subtraction. Each child was given a baggie with a deck of cards and 3 colored dice. They also had a copy of 12 mathematical games using dice or cards to play at home with the families.

  The families loved playing the games with their child. There was so much laughter and excitement in the room! After a few minutes of playing a game, I would call for attention to explain the next game and there would be groans because no one wanted to stop playing their MATH game. What a wonderful problem to encounter! We were able to play half of the games during our math night, but they took the directions home for the other games. I also had six door prizes which were mathematical board games. Two weeks later, during parent-teacher conferences, parents reported that their children are still playing the math cards and dice games at home.

  At the end of the math night evening, I asked parents to complete an exit ticket. The feedback was entirely positive. Some parents asked if I would host a family night for reading next time. Parents seemed very appreciative of the materials they were taking home and their new mathematical knowledge. One parent tweeted a picture of me teaching a game with the caption, "My daughter loves math! Thanks, Mrs. Holdren!"

  Thank you for supporting my students and their families by donating to our math family night! We all had a wonderful time! Your generosity is greatly appreciated! Thank you again for your thoughtful contributions!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Holdren

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

• Sew Confused About Witch Word Two Use

  Funded Mar 2, 2017

  Thank you for your generous support of my new classroom. My second grade students will take the MAPS reading test next week. I am certain they will do well on the vocabulary section of the test, in part due to your supplies. The children like "teaching" their partner about multi-meaning words and homophones. The class has also illustrated their own cards similar to the ones provided by Donors Choose. We take the MAPS test three times during the year. I can not wait to see the progress students make from the beginning of the year to the end of the year by using the illustrated and easy to understand cards.

  The class was so excited to hear that friends, family and strangers gave money to buy things to help us learn. We recently read a book about "paying it forward" and the students identified your action as an act of kindness. We are creating a poster of service project ideas we can do each month to make our classroom, community, state, nation or world a better place. Thank you for leading by example.

  The kids were thrilled when we opened the boxes and unpacked our items. The children asked to hold the cards and "teach" their peers. Then they posed and said, "Mrs. Holdren, take pictures of us learning." I like to capture the children's excitement in learning new things.

  Since I am new to the school, I realized there is a need for a carpet, listening center, and book boxes for the students to store their reading books. I have created another project if you'd like to continue to support our classroom. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for supporting my students and me. Your generosity is so appreciated! Have a blessed day!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Holdren

• King Cubs Volleyball Team

  Funded Sep 15, 2015

  Thank you for supporting the girls' volleyball team at King Elementary School. Our volleyball season starts in March. The girls are VERY excited to get into the gym and use the new red, white, and blue volleyballs that you helped purchase. I am asked daily, "Coach, when do we start volleyball?" I'm pretty sure there is a countdown started in the intermediate wing of our school. The fifth and sixth grade teachers are also excited for our sport to start because the see a huge improvement in the student athletes' attitudes and behaviors in class (due to my high expectations outlined in the team contract that all of my players and parents must sign in order to join the team).

  The girls know that we received new volleyballs because they saw me struggling to transport them down the hallway from the front office to our gym. I had some eager girls volunteering to help carry them for me. As a former student athlete, I recognize the many skills and character traits that were built by playing sports. Your contributions to our athletic program may seem insignificant, but they have a HUGE impact on our school morale, not only for our students but also their parents and educators.

  Thank you for supporting our school and our children. I feel so blessed by your support. I am so grateful for your contributions.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Holdren

  This classroom project was brought to life by DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation - Sports Matter and 6 other donors.

• Our Very Own Magazine Subscription and Printer

  Funded Dec 8, 2014

  Thank you so much for donating to my project. My students and I were thrilled to learn that we were fully funded to receive a classroom printer and a year-long subscription to Time for Kids Magazine. The day the printer came we all cheered and set it up immediately. A couple of the girls asked to pose in front of it like Vanna White from Wheel of Fortune for a picture. It has been so convenient to have a printer in the room for us to print published pieces of students' writing and newsletters home.

  We LOVE our Time for Kids Magazine. The kids enjoy reading about current events in language they can read and understand. The authentic literature allows them to practice their decoding skills using Spalding and phonics without realizing they are working on skills. My students are very engaged in the articles. The magazines have really boosted our social studies curriculum. The parents have also reported to me that they like reading the magazines with their child when they come home.

  Thank you again for your thoughtfulness in supporting our classroom and my students' education. Your generosity means the world to us. I feel so blessed to have your support.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Holdren

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

• Math Mania

  Funded Oct 8, 2013

  Thank you SO MUCH for your generous donations. You have no idea how thrilled my students and I were to receive the new math board games and books. We feel so blessed to have caring people who want to help us in our educational endeavors. The children and I are touched that complete strangers feel compelled to help teachers educate the youngest among us.

  We immediately opened the books and started reading them. The girls all gathered together to show each other the books they were reading and to talk about them. The boys were just as excited to discuss the new characters and share their knowledge of the mathematical concepts in the text. We put the math books in a green basket at our math center. To introduce a new math topic, I read one of the books to the class to build up their prior knowledge before using math manipulatives and doing the written assignment. When students finish an assignment, they check out the new math books from the math center to read for FUN!

  The board games have been a HUGE hit! The class cheers when we I announce it's math game day. I've seen improvements in my students social and communication skills, along with their mathematical skills of course! The children excitedly get into groups to play the place value games (Poppin' Place Value, Mystery House, and Wild West Adventure).

  We haven't learned fractions, money, time, or measurement yet. The class sees the board games that help reinforce these skills so they repeatedly ask me when we are going to learn the new games. We will start working with fractions in February. We will learn time and money in March and measurement in April. It's exciting to have new board games to look forward to playing.

  My 2nd and 3rd graders have shown significant gains in math this year with the assistance of the books and games to reinforce my lessons. I am so appreciative of your generosity in helping to get appropriate and meaningful activities for my students since this is my first year teaching this grade level. Thank you again!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Holdren

• Books Are the Key!

  Funded Apr 1, 2013

  Thank you for your generous contributions to fund my 1st project. I feel blessed to have your support. I never imagined my project would be funded so quickly! With report cards, cleaning up the classroom, taking my national boards, and preparing for summer school, my thank you package is late so please accept my apology and sincere thanks.

  My students and I were very excited to receive our new books the last week of school. I am looping with all of my students next year so we decided to look through the books now and save them to really READ next year during our daily silent reading time. Every day we read for at least 20 minutes "for fun" in the classroom to instill the love for books. I give my students a light snack to enjoy such as pretzels, Goldfish, vanilla wafers, or crackers while they read. It's a magical time of day in my students' eyes.

  Thank you for supporting public education and my inner-city students! The kids thought it was cool that complete strangers wanted to help them "get smarter" and cared about them. Thank you! I look forward to posting another project soon. Thank you again for your help in purchasing new books! I am honored to receive your support. You are helping to make a positive difference in our world!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Holdren