Ms. Ingerson's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 12

• High-Interest Books, on Zoom or at School

  Funded Jul 6, 2020

  Thank you SO MUCH! I'm overwhelmed by your gratitude. I can't wait to show either photos or screenshots (*fingers crossed it's not screenshots and we'll get to at least be in in a hybrid*) of us reading these amazing texts. I'm looking forward to getting them this summer to start digging in and planning lessons.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ingerson

  This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 10 other donors.

• Reading Comes to Life!

  Funded Jan 2, 2020

  Thank you so much for the generous donation of the graphic novels! As you can see from the photos, my students are much more engaged during independent reading time than they were previously. And all the new titles are hot commodities in the class library.

  We've used these books so far to practice making inferences, discuss theme and summarize stories. But mostly, I'm thrilled that my students are so excited to READ. Many have discovered new favorite series, like the Babysitter's Club and the Treehouse series. Students are discussing the books with each other organically and are trying to work their way through entire series. As an English Language Arts teacher, nothing warms my heart more.

  I can't wait to see how this continues to improve their reading and achievement levels for the rest of the school year. Thank you so much.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ingerson

  This classroom project was brought to life by Townsend Press and 5 other donors.

• Raising the Bar for Great Readers

  Funded Dec 17, 2019

  I'm so excited to get to attend this workshop! It has been on my teacher wish list for many years. Thank you so much. I really think this will help me improve reading instruction for all students. I can't wait to report back on everything I've learned.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ingerson

  This classroom project was brought to life by Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and 5 other donors.

• Diverse Stories for Critical Thinking

  Funded Jun 17, 2019

  Thank you so much for these student and teacher guides! We have already read two stories from Junior Great Books - "Thank You, Ma'am" by Langston Hughes and "Fresh" by Philippa Pearce. The students loved the stories, especially getting to answer higher-order thinking questions about the characters' actions and reactions.

  I've found students are much more engaged when reading high-quality, high-interest literature, compared to the books available from our boxed curriculum. They have really enjoyed putting themselves in characters' shoes, and evaluating whether or not they think the characters in the story did the "right" thing.

  I've also been able to show them stories with complex themes, like compassion and loyalty. It will make them much more prepared for the high-stakes tests we take later in the year, but will also improve their ability to read, think and write critically.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ingerson

  This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 2 other donors.

• Think It, Make It! Supplies for ELA Project-Based Learning

  Funded Mar 17, 2019

  Thank you SO MUCH for your generous donation of art supplies and high-interest books for our room. The students eagerly checked out all the books from our classroom library, and we've used the art materials on several projects.

  During our poetry unit, students used the colored pencils, markers and crayons to create concrete poems. They also published a small collection of poems which they then shared with the class, using the art materials to create their own covers.

  While reading a historical fiction novel about 1930s Philadelphia baseball, we created a class museum about life in Philadelphia during that time period. Students used the materials to make interactive exhibits about their topics, which ranged from Marian Anderson to the Tastykake factory.

  As for the books, two students in particular - we'll call them S and A - LOVE the "Captain Underpants" books so much that I had to confiscate them a few times during non-independent reading times. But kids reading when they shouldn't be is practically a badge of honor for an English teacher. I can't wait to share these books with next year's class of 4th graders.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ingerson

• Keep It Together: Organizing the ELA Classroom

  Funded Nov 19, 2018

  Thank you so much for your generosity! The folders, bins and crates have really helped us organize materials for all 80 students - which is a lot of writing to keep track of! Last week we used the manila folders to put together our writing portfolios for the year so far, and kids were so excited to see all their work and how they've grown as writers in 4th grade.

  The kids were so excited when all the boxes arrived, even though they didn't know what to use them for yet. :) We were able to replace many students' folders that had given out since September, which is always nicer than trying to tape up a well-loved paper folder. We've also been able to get started with our book clubs, where kids get to lead the discussion and read a book of their choice. Having the small color-coded bins to keep their papers and books organized lets kids take ownership as they get and put away their own materials.

  We will continue to use these materials daily as we collect work, work on our book clubs, and reflect on how to improve our writing. Again, thank you so much for donating to our project. It's made every day run so much more smoothly.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ingerson

• Making PA History Come Alive!

  Funded Apr 16, 2018

  Thank you so much for your generosity in getting this project funded so quickly! Not only did my class get to make use of these high-quality, high-interest social studies books, but we were also able to expand the project to the entire 4th grade, meaning nearly 100 students benefited from these resources!

  Students were able to practice their summarizing and paraphrasing skills, as well as differentiating between the main idea of their texts and its supporting details. Students were also required to present what they had learned to their classmates, which allowed them to practice public speaking and oral listening skills. One especially shy student gave his very first class presentation - in a booming voice, no less!

  Students of all reading levels were engaged with the project, and were so proud to present what they had learned to their classmates! Thanks for making our end-of-year social studies project so fun and engaging.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ingerson

• Graphic Novels for Super Readers!

  Funded Oct 18, 2017

  Thank you SO MUCH for your generous donation. The students wanted to start reading as soon as the books came in, which was just before Thanksgiving break. As you can see from the photos, they've been VERY engaged in reading ever since. It's made a real difference for our reading block, and some of my most reluctant readers are now eagerly making their way through the "Big Nate" or "Bone" series.

  We read for at least 30 minutes every day independently at school, plus 30 more minutes at home each night. Since the donation arrived, I've noticed a huge increase in the amount of time my students are reading at home, especially for my emergent English speakers. "Lunch Lady" and "Baby Mouse" have proved especially popular.

  We don't have a fully functional school library yet and there isn't a public library within easy walking distance, so our classroom library represents all the books many of us have access to. These new titles have made a real difference. Now I catch kids sneaking a book under their desk during math. Many of us are still finding new books to love that we overlooked the first time.

  Thank you so much for helping us love reading more.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ingerson

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 8 other donors.

• I Wanna Read That!

  Funded Nov 22, 2016

  Thank you SO much for these awesome texts! My students have LOVED getting to choose their own books and getting to meet in book clubs once a week. It's like a treat from our usual Shared Reading lessons, and if we miss a Friday because of snow or a holiday, the students are eager to reschedule book club for the next week.

  I let students choose from three books - "Ghost," "Gaby Lost and Found" and "Ambassador" - for our winter book club. (We will have a spring book club later in the year with the other three titles.) Through book club, students are learning not only how to answer teacher-directed questions about the text, but also learning how to ask their own questions and participate thoughtfully in discussions. They are working on skills such as character analysis, theme, literary devices and inferencing.

  The stories have also proven to be very timely given our current political climate, bringing up issues like incarceration and immigration/deportation. In our book clubs, I've gotten to have some in-depth discussions with students about what these issues mean, and how they affect the world around us, not just the stories we're reading.

  Thanks again for your generosity. I can't wait to see how spring goes once students are more familiar with the routines!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ingerson

• "Oh I Get It!" - Projecting Mathematical Reasoning

  Funded Sep 4, 2016

  Dear Donors,

  Thank you so much for your generous support in helping us get this document camera. I can honestly say it's a piece of technology we use every single day. It has made our transitions much smoother and has allowed us to save valuable instructional time. We've been able to demonstrate how to edit writing, fill out a reading log, solve multiplication problems, and complete a science lab. It's impacted every subject we study, and has helped make us smarter & faster scholars.

  Please enjoy these photos of my students sharing out their work (including one student who is usually pretty shy about doing so) and showing their gratitude. Being able to bring up a pre-solved math problem (versus attempting to write an answer on a SmartBoard that doesn't always cooperate) has increased my students' class participation and helped build their confidence in math. (Special bonus: you also get an outtake of Ms. Ingerson trying to wrangle us for our whole-class photo.)

  One unanticipated benefit of having the document camera has also been our ability to use close-reading strategies to dig into the mountains of paperwork and fliers sent home by the school district. Students regularly get fliers sent home explaining their parents' rights to know the school's policy on harassment and bullying, for example, or to ask for their children's teachers' credentials. I've always briefly summarized the point of these articles when passing them out to students, but now we've been taking time to actually analyze them and comprehend them. I think it's been an important step in teaching students to advocate for themselves and begin to take responsibility for their education.

  Again, I can't thank you all enough. I can't wait to share more learning from room 301 this year.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Ingerson

  This classroom project was brought to life by the estate of Dorothea Lutz and 4 other donors.