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Ms. Martinez's Classroom

  • G.H. Reid Elementary School
  • Richmond, VA
  • Nearly all 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 9

  • Bilingual Books for Multilingual Leaners

    Funded Mar 1, 2025

    Thank you so much for your donations! This project will have a big impact because it means all of the kindergarten, first, second, and third grade classrooms will have bilingual books to add to their classroom library. My multilingual learners will be so excited to read books in their native language of Spanish. Students will be able to partner read in both languages, building connections and friendship!”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Martinez

    This classroom project was brought to life by Panda Cares.
  • Organized and Engaged

    Funded Nov 29, 2023

    Upon receiving the packages I got right to work unpacking them so I could begin building! I built the shelves, lamps, and cabinets in two days because I was so excited. My team and I worked to put books on shelves and get manipulatives into the cabinets. Our classroom looks more organized and inviting because of your generosity.

    Once everything was built and all of our supplies were organized, I couldn't wait for students to see. When we brought our groups in the next day, the students remarked how calm the room was now. They loved the lamps instead of the overhead lighting. They were especially excited by the new stools because they now had a choice for seating. The new bookshelf gives them the ability to quickly see what books we have for them to borrow. My team is working on cataloging all of our books so that the other teachers can check them out and use them during lessons. We are so thankful for your kindness and support.”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Martinez

    This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 8 other donors.
  • Diverse Books for at Home Learning

    Funded Jan 26, 2021

    My students were so excited when I told them I would be bringing them each books. We have used these books to talk about characters and their traits. We were able to compare characters from different stories. My students loved reading about the brave and hard working people in the biographies, they were inspired by their perseverance through hard times.

    In my virtual classroom we do a lot of virtual reading with ebooks so my students were thrilled about having real books. My students told me how they curled up in bed or on the couch with their new books. They told me about how they read to their little sisters and brothers. They shared how their parents helped them read the Spanish parts and the hard words. In the virtual setting reading might look different because it is online, but being able to give my students books turned reading into family bonding!

    All of my students have enjoyed the books. It has been particularly rewarding seeing my quieter students speak up to share their favorite parts of their new books. Reading can be a powerful tool to get students out of their shells, especially when they can relate to the characters in the stories.”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Martinez

  • I See Me: Diverse Books for All

    Funded Jul 31, 2019

    I looped up with my class this year and my students were over joyed when they walked into my classroom and saw the new additions to the classroom library! They have loved reading about characters that look like them and sound like them. They have used the books during our character traits unit and it has really helped them understand the concept!

    In my classroom students are encouraged to read as much as possible! They have a set time in the library every day where they get to curl up on a pillow read any book they want. At the end of the day we also have D.E.A.R. Time which is when students can find any comfortable spot in the classroom to settle down and read a free choice book.

    I have some reluctant boys who have really enjoyed the Pedro the Great books. They were hesitant to read them at first, but once they saw the bright illustrations they wanted to read about what Pedro was doing in them. Their new found interest in reading makes my heart so happy!”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Martinez

    This classroom project was brought to life by Yellow Chair Foundation and one other donor.
  • Zen Zone

    Funded Nov 8, 2018

    Thank you so much for your generosity! My students love all the materials we got! I put up the light filters while they were in resource and they immediately noticed a change when they got back to class. They thought the room felt calmer because the lights were not too bright. They love the blue tone that illuminates the library because it makes reading more relaxing. I do not get as many complaints about my students eyes hurting or headaches because the light filters reduce the harsh fluorescent light. Although they might not notice the impact of the air purifier, I do! My allergy symptoms have lessened and I have seen less absences in my students since plugging it in!

    I got the diffuser to help create a calming atmosphere in the classroom, little did I know that I would use it as a learning tool! When studying the three states of matter we talked about how steam forms when water is heated up. I showed them how I start the diffuser by filling it with water and essential oil (lavender is the class favorite) then when it started to puff we discussed that a mix of mist and steam were coming out. The class loved that we had something in the classroom that turned a liquid into a gas!

    I am so thankful that you gave me the opportunity to make my classroom a more calming and welcoming learning environment. Many of my students need a peaceful place to learn and grow because they have experienced trauma. My next step is to research how I can help my students calm down and relax when they become stressed.”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Martinez

  • The Code to Success

    Funded Apr 2, 2018

    Thank you so much for your generosity! My students love the Code and Go Mouse Robots. I showed them a video about the new supplies I requested and they were so excited. When they finally arrived the class was ecstatic! We opened the boxes right away to test them out, everyone patiently waited for their turn to use one of the mice. The students wanted to name the mice after different kinds of cheese since the mouse in the video was named Colby. Now my classroom has three new members Colby, Cheddar, and Mozzarella!

    We used the mice nearly everyday since we got them. The students loved using them during indoor recess on rainy days. They would pair up and practice coding with the robots to see what silly things they could make them do. During our science unit on magnets we used the Code and Go Mouse Robots magnetic noses to sort magnetic and non magnetic objects. The students lit up whenever they heard a mouse squeak because they correctly coded it to go to a magnetic object!

    Next year I have so many plans for using the Code and Go Mouse Robots! I plan on making game boards where the students solve a problem then code the mouse to go sit on the answer. I want to make math game boards and sight word game boards for the students to use during stations. This will allow students to practice coding during any subject!”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Martinez

  • Blossoming Into Reading Rock Stars

    Funded Nov 21, 2017

    I am so thankful for your generosity and my students love the new additions to the library! The books get used everyday and it fills my heart with joy that my students who never wanted to read are lining up to pick a book! Students can read whenever they finish their work, so now instead of hearing "I'm bored" my library is full of little readers! During language arts station my struggling readers would just look at the pictures or talking when they were in library station, but now they have books at their level! I can hear them comparing the Peppa Pig books and discussing which Lego Superhero book is their favorite. The students are so engaged now that they want to share!

    I use the books in lessons frequently. With my struggling readers we can read these books and actually focus on the story elements, instead of sounding out each individual word. This allows the students to get a better understanding of how to pull information from the text when they would otherwise be focusing on reading the individual words. For example I used the Pete the Cat books to help my students find the main idea. They could read me the books with minimal effort so they were able to understand what they read and they could tell me what they story was about.

    I have several students that the books are really helping! Before when I suggested they read they would try to do anything other then pick up a book. Now they ask me if it is a good time to read! The answer is almost always YES! They tell me that before we got these books they thought reading was hard and boring but now they like it because it is like watching a TV show. I told them that as their reading skills grow, all reading will start to feel that way! They are now looking forward to reading more so they can start reading chapter books!”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Martinez

  • Totally Tablets!

    Funded Sep 30, 2017

    Thank you again for the wonderful gift of technology! The tablets are the perfect addition to my second grade classroom. I have downloaded several apps that my students use daily to enrich their education. My students favorite app has thousands of electronic books for them to read. Many of the books even have a read aloud feature so students can enjoy books that might be above their reading level. The tablets allow them to read the electronic books in a comfortable place instead of having to sit at a desk with a computer. Reading on the tablets has gotten some of my more hesitant students excited about reading because they know they can find an interesting story on their level and if they get stuck on a word the electronic book will tell them what it says.

    My students love being able to use technology, even if it is an old computer, so having access to new tablets has been great for them. They like that they are in charge of their learning on the tablets. They can read any book they want or watch educational videos about topics that interest them depending on how they feel when it is their tablet time.

    I discovered that one of the websites my English Language Learners use is available on the tablets and my students love it! They can curl up and practice English in the comfort of a fluffy pillow or stuffed animal instead of having to sit at a computer. I have a student who came to the country last year without knowing English and being able to put her on the tablet to work with the program has been amazing for her. She points out words in stories we read together that she learned on the app! The tablets have made my students second grade experience so much better and I am so grateful!”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Martinez

    This classroom project was brought to life by Quill.com and one other donor.
  • Organized Success

    Funded Aug 14, 2017

    Thank you again for the wonderful gift of organization! My students and I use the crates and the mailboxes daily! I have helpers who put the homework in the mailboxes everyday. I have other helpers who make sure their tables caddy is neat and organized. My favorite moment with the crates is one that happened during spelling. One of our spelling words was crate and the students all pointed at the crates and said that is a crate. It was great that they used a spelling word to describe something. Up until then some had called the crates boxes but now they use their new word.

    The students love the crates and the mailboxes! They thought it was so cool that they had their own little space to put their graded work and their homework. They also mentioned that they like how all of the crates are matching blue because it fits in with the ocean theme. At first they were confused about the caddies but now they love them. They know to always check there if they need supplies before asking me.

    Now that my classroom is organized I can focus my efforts into really digging deep into second grade content. I would like to try to get some more technology for my classroom because my students love using technology to learn. We are so thankful that we have organization tools so that we can have a successful year in second grade!”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Martinez

    This classroom project was brought to life by Sergey Brin Family Foundation and 5 other donors.
Hi! My name is Ms. Martinez and I will be teaching second grade at J.L. Francis Elementary School. This will be my second year teaching and I am so excited to meet my students! J.L. Francis is a Title 1 school where all students receive free breakfast and lunch. We have a large population of English Language Learners, who on top of completing regular school work, are working hard to learn English. Our students are excited about learning and enjoy coming to a loving, safe environment.

About my class

Hi! My name is Ms. Martinez and I will be teaching second grade at J.L. Francis Elementary School. This will be my second year teaching and I am so excited to meet my students! J.L. Francis is a Title 1 school where all students receive free breakfast and lunch. We have a large population of English Language Learners, who on top of completing regular school work, are working hard to learn English. Our students are excited about learning and enjoy coming to a loving, safe environment.

About my class

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