Ms. Plachy-Feinstein's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 6

• We Need Diverse Books!

  Funded Sep 16, 2020

  Thank you so much for your donation to my classroom. Despite bouncing back and forth between in person and remote learning this year, my students have had the opportunity to borrow books from my newly updated library, and I have gotten great feedback from them! I recently had a conversation about New Kid by Jerry Craft, a wonderful book about a biracial middle school student who goes to a new school and has to adjust to being one of the only students of color. The books that you allowed us to purchase serve as windows and mirrors for my students; they are windows to help them understand the experiences of others and mirrors to see their own experiences reflected in the books they read. I know that this collection of books will benefit my students not only this year but in the years to come. Thank you again for your support!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Plachy-Feinstein

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose 20th Anniversary Fund and 20 other donors.

• Reading Their Stories to Write Our Own

  Funded Aug 4, 2020

  Thank you so much for contributing to my next book club project. My 8th graders are currently finishing their science fiction book clubs, which have been extremely successful. They are already excited to start this unit on memoir and identity, a unit I have been wanting to design for years. I am going to save it until the new year, so right now I have been focusing on preparing all of the materials for this unit. Students will select the memoir that interests them most, and they will read it to learn how authors write about overcoming obstacles and being successful. This unit will pair with their high school application period, as in New York City students apply to high schools anywhere in the city. While reading and discussing their books, students will also consider the lessons in the books that apply to their own lives. Thank you for making these opportunities possible for my students! I appreciate all of your support.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Plachy-Feinstein

• Sci-Fi or Reality? Books to Explore Our Relationships With Tech

  Funded Jul 27, 2020

  We are rapidly approaching the end of my unit of study on science fiction and dystopian literature. Despite the uncertainty of the school year and a transition from hybrid learning to full remote learning last week, my students are enjoying their book club novels thoroughly. We have done independent reading days alongside discussion days using Google Meet breakout rooms and Flipgrid as tools for students to discuss their reading. We are exploring big ideas about how technology impacts society and how human beings relate to one another using their book club books. On a particularly spirited day last week, students created memes that related to their book club books, connecting the worlds of their stories to the real world. I have a feeling that as we approach the end of the unit, I will have to purchase some of the sequels to these books, as many of my readers will not be satisfied knowing that there is more to the story! I am happy that despite the pandemic I was able to get physical copies of books into students' hands. Thank you very much for your support of my students!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Plachy-Feinstein

  This classroom project was brought to life by EagleTree Capital and 6 other donors.

• Cozy Up in the Chromebook Nook

  Funded Nov 3, 2019

  Thank you so much for supporting our classroom. The last month has been a busy one filled with writing and technology use! My eighth graders are just finishing their unit on writing argument letters to elected officials. They have learned about citizenship by brainstorming issues that matter to our community, researching those issues, and developing an argument. Students then selected an elected official who would be an appropriate audience for their topic and could take action. They developed letters using Google Classroom.

  Thanks to your donation, I was able to ensure that students learned not only the writing skills, but also the word processing skills to effectively communicate their letters. This week, students are actually emailing their letters, and the elected officials go all the way from local officials such as members of City Council or the Mayor all the way up to Senators and even the President. Students now know how to reach out to these people and make their voices heard on issues that matter to them.

  As the year goes on, we will continue to use the laptops for group work, improving the writing process, and continuing to engage my students. I appreciate your ongoing support, and I look forward to sharing my students' work!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Plachy-Feinstein

• Creating a Reading Nook

  Funded Dec 3, 2018

  Thank you so much for your generous donations to our classroom project! Since receiving the books and flexible seating options, my students have enjoyed the flexibility of where they can sit. I have seen students who struggle to focus on a regular basis taking advantage of the cushions and couch. For some students, having the opportunity to sit in a comfortable space allows them to feel safe, let their guard down, and actually focus on their work.

  Every year my students enjoy checking books out of our classroom library, but after the first few months of school their options start to feel stale. By January, students have often exhausted the books that interest them and are hungry for more options. The books I was able to purchase with your donations are high interest options that my students have been anxious to get their hands on.

  Thanks to you, I feel that my classroom culture has gotten stronger, which is difficult in the middle of the school year! My students and I all feel reenergized and ready to tackle the rest of this academic year.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Plachy-Feinstein

• Brooklyn Gets Coding!

  Funded Aug 25, 2016

  Dear Donors,

  Thank you so much for the kindness you showed to my classroom and my students. We have been using the headphones every week in technology, and occasionally in English Language Arts. My students love coding, and many of them have already finished 10-15 lessons of coding in just a few weeks. They can make an avatar move in straight lines and turn. They can also use a loop to repeat actions. In addition to coding, we've also been using the headphones for lessons on Google Drive. I have created a series of screencasts for my students to watch, walking them through the steps of creating Google docs along with typing and formatting them. This week, we will do the same thing for Google Slides. My students love being able to move at their own pace, personalizing their learning according to how much help and repetition they need. When they're working independently, it frees me up to support the individual students who may have less experience with technology and need a little extra help.

  Again, I am so thankful for your support of my classroom. Wishing you all the best!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Plachy-Feinstein

  This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 11 other donors.