Mrs. Mueller's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 18

• Leadership and Choice in the 21st Century Classroom

  Funded Jul 20, 2017

  I cannot thank you enough for your generous contributions to my classroom. Flexible seating is probably the biggest change I have ever implemented in my classroom and also the most beneficial. My students are so excited to choose their seats each week and are making choices that help them to be the best learners they can be. Kids who need to move more frequently love the opportunity to kick against the stretch bands, wobble on the wobble stools, and shift and balance on the balance cushions. I have kids that choose to sit on the high stools or stand at my high table each week and I have kids who choose to sit or kneel on cushions at the low table. We use the lap desks throughout the week for test taking and just to have extra support when we want to spread out in the classroom. The library cart and supply cart help to keep our supplies and books readily available. The combination of choice and movement is making a huge difference in my classroom this year and the supplies are all well made and should last for years to come. I am so glad that you gave me the chance to make flexible seating a reality for my students. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Mueller

• An Apple a Day Means Lots of Learning Today!

  Funded Aug 25, 2016

  Thank you so much for your generous donations toward our class ipads. This year I have been blessed to work with students who range from severely below level to several grades above level. I have been able to use the ipads to differentiate their instruction during our literacy and math stations across spelling, writing, reading, problem solving, and computation and estimation so that each child gets individualized instruction that meets their personal needs. In addition, we've used the ipads for a variety of STEM activities and field trips to take pictures of our work and then record our ideas and learning in online class books. The kids love looking back through these treasures to remember the work that we've accomplished. Finally, the headphones and storage case have helped to keep us organized and working without disturbing others all year round. We are extremely appreciative of your help. You have made learning exciting, fun, and personalized for all of us!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Mueller

  This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 19 other donors.

• Weekly Readers Rock!

  Funded Aug 2, 2016

  Thank you so much to our wonderful donor's and supporters. I continue to be impressed with the quality of the scholastic news magazines. The topics are engaging and provide just the right level of detail for beginning writers excited about reading for the first time.

  Nonfiction text is frequently intimidating for emerging readers, but the amazing pictures and straightforward language make these texts accessible for everyone. The additional support provided by the online games, videos, and printables makes lesson planning a breeze.

  But the most exciting thing to me as a teacher is just how much students love these magazines. Again and again, I hear the wonder in their voices when they ask "Do we really get to take them home?" And parents tell me that they are just as excited to read them again when they get home. Thank you for providing such a rich reading experience to every child in our first grade. We appreciate you!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Mueller

• Ready or Not? School Starts

  Funded Sep 3, 2015

  I am so grateful for the materials that you so graciously made possible. We use the dry erase boards and headphones daily as we work in small group stations for reading and math. The magnetic base 10 blocks have proved to be a wonderful aid in building number sense with larger numbers and modeling our number system. The children have especially enjoyed racing to 30 using the magnets and some large dice that we already had in the classroom. We don't teach time until the second semester but I fully anticipate that the miniature clocks will be every bit as helpful. Finally, I can't thank you enough for the organizational supplies. They make a daily difference in my ability to keep track of all the work that we strive to accomplish and make it much easier to find the resources that we need for our class work. Your generosity has made an immediate difference to the 24 students that make themselves at home in my classroom and will continue to do so for students in the years to come.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Mueller

• Weekly Readers for Daily Learners

  Funded Jul 31, 2015

  Thank you all so much for your generous donations! This is the second year that I have had the pleasure of teaching with these wonderful student magazines. I continue to be impressed by the quality of the magazines and all of the supporting resources. But I am most grateful for the joy that they bring my students. Even my struggling readers are able to enjoy the content thanks to the wonderful pictures and online videos. The magazines help me to build a love of reading, teach important social studies and science content, and develop rich vocabulary.

  To say that the kids love them is an understatement. They look forward to each new topic and greet them with cheers each and every time I introduce a new magazine. This year, I have also been able to share the online content with parents and siblings at home thanks to the student logins that enable my class to access the material from home.

  Thank you for helping to make this project a reality! I genuinely appreciate your donation and the gift of reading you are sharing with my class!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Mueller

• Weekly Readers for Daily Learners!

  Funded Aug 14, 2014

  Thank you all so much for your generous donations! It has been such a joy this year to teach with Scholastic Weekly Readers. I knew about the great quality of the magazines themselves, but I wasn't aware of all the supporting resources that come with each subscription. Each magazine comes with an online game, read aloud version for the computers, and video that provides additional information and reinforcement for the reading topics. In addition, there are numerous online resources to support teachers in building a lesson plan around the topic. So cool! I just had no idea how helpful all of the resources could be.

  To say that the kids love them is an understatement. They look forward to each new topic and greet them with cheers each and every time I introduce a new magazine. Parents have shared that my students are reading them at home as well and are excited to share what they've learned with younger brothers and sisters.

  Thank you for helping to make this project a reality! I genuinely appreciate your donation and the gift of reading you are sharing with my class!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Mueller

• First Grade Readers Need the Tools to Learn

  Funded Aug 19, 2014

  Thank you so much for your kind and generous donation. The day that the boxes arrived with all of our supplies, my class was beside themselves with excitement. They helped me unpack punctuated with lots of oohs and ahs. Naomi looked at me and said, "It's like we're rich, Ms. Mueller!"

  We were able to put the Big Book shelves up immediately as well as the mini easel and graphing supplies and students happily gather in each of the new stations to read, build words, and practice graphing. Eva's dad came in early the next week to help us put together the new easel and everyone is excited to read the morning message, practice handwriting, and find their group's daily schedule with our new tool. The easel is truly a focal point for our daily instruction.

  Sometimes it really is the little things that make the difference. Our new classroom tools make classroom instruction easier and smoother because we are more organized and focused. Thank you for the joy that you have brought to my students. I appreciate it more than you know!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Mueller

• Partner Reading is Fun!

  Funded Jul 10, 2013

  Thank you so much for your donation to help me purchase Mary Ann Hoberman's You Read to Me, I'll Read to You series for my classroom.

  We are not quite halfway through the school year and I am already seeing a difference in the reading success of my students. Two thirds of my students were reading on or above grade level at mid-year testing. At this rate, I am confident that almost everyone will be on level by the end of the year. Partner reading has most certainly contributed to their success and the Hoberman books are a great resource.

  Perhaps more importantly the children love them as I am sure you can see from their pictures. When I first showed them the brand new books and described where they came from, Antonio said, "Wow, we sure are lucky!" But the real excitement came once they began reading them. Kyla describes them as "Just magical" and Trevion says, "It's like they were written just for us. You know, to help us learn." It is such a joy to see how absorbed they become in their reading and the ways that they are able to help one another as they read together.

  Please accept our thanks and appreciation. You really have made a difference!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Mueller