Past projects 16
We Have Fun When We Learn
Funded Feb 6, 2024Thank you for your kind support. I will be able to fully support my students learn in a fun and dynamic way.
The notebooks, books and snacks will serve the greatest purpose of all—to engage my students in learning within our diverse community.
You have made a difference for us.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Grande
This classroom project was brought to life by Connecticut State Department of Education.Poetry Motivates and Inspires!
Funded Mar 27, 2018Thank you for supporting my classroom and students! I am beyond grateful for this special gift from Ripple. They donated 29 million to fund all projects, and I happen to be one of them! I am in disbelief and yet so happy simultaneously. I know your gift will go a long way.
I have never met a child that resisted poetry, and with your support I will be able to introduce contemporary culturally relevant works. I know that it will be helpful to explore creative expression with my students before they head to high school.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Grande
This classroom project was brought to life by Ripple and 5 other donors.Challenging Books for Challenging Times
Funded Feb 17, 2017Good news.....all students made significant growth in their reading levels. This made them more confident and proud of their hard work and dedication during the year. I believe many were ready to face the challenges in high school, while others realized the importance of reading and had a new attitude to start high school with.
I am forever grateful to your dedication to children and to education. My students had access to new, classic and a variety of literature that they will take with them in their hearts and minds.
A good story is hard to forget. It may mold our understanding, make us more compassionate and teach us about those different than us. The stories you provided for my class will be used in the upcoming year. I look forward to share more anecdotes with you for the 2017-2018 school year.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Grande
Engaging Empowerment Through Narratives
Funded Aug 27, 2017Most students have read the contemporary books you donated. They have presented during book talks. They have answered meaningful questions from their peers from the knowledge they gained. I have read their responses on what life lessons they have gained from characters in their books, and it is clear that they understand theme, which takes higher order thinking to identify. I have also read letters they have written the characters in their books.
Best of all, I receive weekly reading logs, and I am able to track the way they are thinking and writing about their books. We have recently started word banks to document, learn and integrate unknown words, and I believe this will make a major difference in their literary journey.
We will be moving into a research unit, and I am sure that many students will pick topics that they have prior knowledge about. This knowledge came from the fantastic books you helped purchase for my classroom.
I would also like to say that students who graduated in the past 2 years have come back to borrow books from me because their school libraries lack author diversity. One particular student spoke to her school librarian and she helped her find a title she had read in my class last year. She was a bit disappointed, but I was happy to share an Eduardo Galeano and Helena Maria Viramontes title that you funded. Again your donations are not only helping in my middle school classroom, some of my high school students come back and borrow books. This speaks volumes to the access you have provided.
My students can see themselves in literary works. They know their life stories are meaningful, and that is the most important gift you have shared with them.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Grande
This classroom project was brought to life by Dalio Foundation and 12 other donors.Books Open New Worlds
Funded Sep 16, 2016You may not believe the joy in their eyes!
My students were so happy when the boxes finally arrived, and they have started to intellectually devour the many graphic novels and memoirs. Some stories have already engaged them so much that they are asking for the next book.
With your help, I have began to curate reading experiences. By this I mean that by speaking with my students often and consistently about their independent reading, I am able to gauge what to book may interest them next. I also read their daily journal entries related to their books, and I can read their thoughts about the content.
One student came up to me and reworded, Copper Sun, the story about a child who lost her parents and was stolen from her village. Another student continuously reads in between class transitions and is fully engaged in his graphic novel. Another 8th grade is reading at high school level, so the Sherman Alexie books are perfect for her. We actually took a class trip to watch a film based on one of the books you donated, Miss Peregrine's home for Peculiar Children.
We are truly taking full advantage of the resources you provided.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Grande
This classroom project was brought to life by Dalio Foundation and 14 other donors.The Basics to an Engaged Classroom
Funded Sep 2, 2016Donors/Angels
Your impact has already begun! We have started the school year in full force and on such a positive start. The colored paper is beautiful, and it beats the daily use of plain white paper.
Your generous donation allowed me to have a printer in the class for student use. They are eager to start using it. It will make our lives easier, and they will be less stressed when attempting to meet class deadlines.
Of course in 8th grade the deadlines are for every class, and the only stipulation is that they give me the printing jobs in advance--not the day it is due.
They were very surprised that strangers would consider sharing with them. They also learned about Donors Choose and hopefully a philanthropy seed was planted.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Grande
This classroom project was brought to life by Dalio Foundation and 7 other donors.Building Confidence through Creative Literacy
Funded Feb 8, 2016Dear donors,
Please excuse the delay, but this wonderful project built more than confidence in the students. It built community. Last week, we had a culminating, "Celebration of Learning" event, (using your donations) and the district assistant super intendant visited our classroom as the students performed.
Because of your assistance, they wrote, edited, illustrated, and created poetry books.Each book contained from 10-15 poems along with a Table of Contents and Dedication. They will take this book with them, and never forget the incredible time we had writing and performing their work.
At first there was reluctance, and many students didn't feel confident enough to share their work in front of an audience. We continued to practice poems in class, and after a while they volunteered. It was truly inspiring to see.
By the time the celebration came, we created a makeshift spoken word cafe in my room. The lighting was perfect. Jazz was playing in the background, and they were all required to dress as professional published writers. They stood at the wonderful podium you donated, and opened their hearts as an audience of adults and 4th graders listened on. One student blew the audience away when she decided to improvise a 4 minute poem about her older sister. Not one eye was dry in the room. It was incredible to witness.
I am truly appreciative of your dedication to teachers and classrooms all over the country. Indeed creativity not only built confidence but also created a safe haven for my students to express themselves through poetry.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Grande
This classroom project was brought to life by an anonymous donor and 5 other donors.8th Graders Need Healthy Snacks
Funded Dec 5, 2015My students have been enjoying the snacks you have helped provide. They were thrilled and in utter disbelief when the boxes a started to arrive. It was during the holidays, so the timing was perfect. They couldn't believe that you were so thoughtful and caring, and overall we are truly grateful for your consideration.
I've had students come by in the morning when they are hungry and in the afternoon when their lunch has not been enough. They excited with the healthy choices you provided, and have even explored different things--cashews!
I am truly grateful for your support because if you didn't help, I would have been purchasing snacks myself. It truly takes a village. I appreciate you, my cyber village.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Grande
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Team and 8 other donors.Cricut
Funded Oct 13, 2015We had parent conferences two weeks ago, and the students were able to design a bulletin board outside of our classroom related to the novel Monster. You can see pictures on the project page. They had such great ideas and were able to implement them. They felt proud to have accomplished such a cool looking board.
In addition many students who walk by stop and read it. They are hooked with the perfect cut outs, and they readily begin to access the knowledge. It allows for students from other grade levels to read and become excited about what 8th graders have been doing.
Thank you for believing in us.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Grande
Creating Possibilities!
Funded Sep 3, 2015My students have been deeply engaged in the Monster novel. We are one week from completing it but have accomplished so many things in between time! Before we started, we learned legal terms that would help them understand the novel. Now they freely use terms they have only heard on television.
In addition, they have created memes and Instagram posts using the novel as a reference. Many of the social media projects include critiques of the prison system and of the stereotypes and racism that affect youth of color going through the courts. They have gained insight from the main character's life, and they have also opened up in class about how the prison industrial complex has affected them personally.
They have also written, edited, and published their own narratives using some of the techniques that the novelist used--all while being engaged and excited to find out more as we read. Lastly they have written letters to the protagonist of the novel and to the attorneys that are part of the case. We have thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel together and thanks to you it has been possible.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Grande