Past projects 6
Say Cheese!
Funded Dec 3, 2024Thank you so much for the amazing donations, and getting our project funded!
Your generous donations have enabled us to display visuals for our students at their desks, so they are able to have easy access to them. The hook fits perfectly with their token boards which allows them to check in with themselves, and earn rewards throughout the day based off their behaviors. The magnetic clip also allows them to display their visuals and other supports that they need and it is handy right at the desk.
The photo printer is absolutely amazing! We were able to use this to help our students with smaller visuals that they have easy access to. It also allowed us to make amazing Valentine's Day crafts for the parents and we were able to put these pictures in a frame and send it home to them for a sweet Valentine's Day Gift!
Thank you again so much for your generous donations, and we will always keep you in our thoughts as we use these materials every day”
With gratitude,
Ms. Bianco
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 5 other donors.Sight Word Fun!
Funded Mar 30, 2023This project has been classroom changing! The look on my students face when we opened up the box was one of pure joy and excitement. I am so proud and honored to allow them this opportunity, thanks to your love and support! They really have loved playing the games and practically ask me to play theme very chance they get!
The sight words game have been phenomenal, the Bingo game most of all! The studens have so much fun playing and comparing game boards! They also love talking to each other about what words they have in common and what words are different. TI is music to my ears because I just hear them saying the sight words that they need ot be memorized. Some times they need help, and they are able to help each other read the words to get Bingo!
The SPLASH! game and has been loads of fun too! Students love to call out SPLASH! and collect all of the words that they know. It really is great seeing their confidence grow with each time we play the game because they are just getting better and better at reading the words!
They also love playing the game where they need to collect the letters and build the sight words. Some of my students have difficulty with fine motor skills so this also helps them work on their fine motor skills as they take the pieces and push them together to build the words.
I also love how each of these games helps my students not only with their own confidence and sense of self, but also caring about others and their well-being. If a students gets frustrated if they do not know the word, they work together and help each other out. These games help build confidence, friendships, turn taking and sharing. It really is a joy to see.
All in all, I thank every one of you for helping donate to not only this project specifically but to the confidence and learning of my students. That is indeed priceless!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Bianco
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and one other donor.Classroom Library and Headphones!
Funded Dec 29, 2022This project was very special to me as it was one that my students would benefit the most from. Having a new classroom library allowed for more exciting books to be featured in the classroom. The students were excited to go "book shopping" which is when they pick out two to three books per week to read at home and at school. This helps increase their reading fluency and allow them to become more confident readers as they read the books throughout the week and in different settings. It was important to me to have new books in the classroom so the excitement for reading is there. Having new books pushes the students to want to read the next level. They were determined to work on their skills and become the best readers they could be!
The headphones are a game changer in the classroom! The students may use headphones during independent time because it allows them to block out excess noise and gives them the opportunity to concentrate in the classroom setting. Some of my students also use the headphones during fire drills. Fire drills are a time where the bell rings and it may be loud to students with sensitive ears, the headphones provide comfort during a potentially difficult transition. Furthermore, the headphones are utilized during lunch time. The cafeteria can be a very noisy place with many students. The loud noises may be over stimulating to students so the headphones, again, provide a comfort for them.
Upon opening the box filled with headphones, the students were elated! They were so excited to be able to use them whenever they felt was necessary. One student even exclaimed, "This will help me focus!" Indeed the headphones have done just that. They provide the students with a sense of comfort which allows them to become confident in their work and their choices to help them self regulate. When we were opening the books to put into the classroom library, the students were so excited for them and immediately went to look through the books. Students of all different reading levels were able to look through the books and see all the new stories that they can discover. It was truly a magical experience.
I want to thank you again for donating to support my students and the new library that we have created. I am looking forward to all of my students having the opportunity to read all of the books that were provided as a result of this funded project. The headphones have been amazing as each student has their own set of headphones that they can utilize whenever they deem necessary. This will increase their independence and their ability to self regulate. I appreciate your time and support for my students and I!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Bianco
Floor Seating
Funded Dec 2, 2022Let me just start off by saying these seats have been the biggest hit and seats that we use every single day! They are the coolest seats that are so comfy, can recline a little bit and just provide the best opportunity for my students to have alternate seating. It is very difficult to sit in the wooden chairs throughout the school day so these chairs provide that alternate method of sitting in the meeting area while still focusing and grasping the lesson.
The students have been so excited to use them every day. They often take turns using the chairs as they are so popular and many of the students want to use them all the time. During independent reading time, I often observe students walk quickly over to the seats just so they can utilize them during that time.
I have received many compliments from other teachers who come into my room because they love them just as much. I always thank the donors who have contributed to this project as you are all the reason why I was able to provide this opportunity to my students. Thank you again for supporting myself, my students and my classroom!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Bianco
Small Group Table!
Funded Nov 28, 2022I want to start off by saying thank you. Thank you for supporting my students and myself as I give them the opportunity to learn in different ways with the use of this new table. Thank you for believing in my project and for giving my students access to a new tool that they have used ever since the day we got it.
My students and I use the table every single day. We use the table for multiple subjects throughout the day. The table fits right in front of the classroom cubbies. I sit in the middle of the table as my students are around the table on the other side. Having a U-shaped table like this, gives me access to all of my students and their learning. I am able to pivot to my students on one side of the table and then quickly to the next student. We are able to have small group conversations where the students can listen to one another as they sit around the table. My students often go directly to the table which they call "the fancy table," or "the fun table" during independent work because they simply love sitting there. This makes my "teacher heart" happy and for that, I thank you again.
Not only is this table built to access all of my learners but it also has a feature where the students can use dry erase markers on it. This, again, is used every single day in a variety of subject areas. In Literacy, my students tap out the sounds and then write the words on the dry erase board. My younger students think of objects that start with the letter they are learning, and this allows them to draw a fun picture on the table - how fun is that? We also use it duhring Math! Drawing pictures to represent equations, writing three digit numbers that are greater than and less than others. We use the table every day throughout the whole day and for that - I am so grateful.
When the table was delivered, my students were at lunch. The box came into the classroom and when they came back, they were all shocked and intrigued about what was in the box. I repeatedly told them that they would shortly find out what it was. That afternoon, after dismissal, my paraprofessionals and I immediately got to work building it. It didn't take us long and we were instantly in love! It was the perfect size, the perfect height and we were so excited to get started working on it. The next day the students came into the room and they looked like they just saw Mickey Mouse at Disneyland! They were so happy and so excited to have a "new and cool" table in the classroom. When they found out we could draw on it, it was game over! They were so excited and they all can't wait to do work on it because it is so fun and interactive.
I want to again thank you for taking the time to read through my project and support my project in the way that you did. It means the world to my students and I. A day has not gone by since we have used it and I am looking forward to all of the lessons and memories that are created at that table. Thank you again!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Bianco
Sensory Items
Funded Nov 28, 2022I just want to start off by saying thank you. Thank you for supporting my classroom, my students and myself. These items have really supported my students by giving them access to different sensory items that help improve their focus and maintain their self-regulation. There were many items that were received through this project and I thank you for allowing my students to have access to these items.
To start, the seat cushions and the wobbly chairs are absolutely perfect throughout the day. The cushions are used in the meeting area during our morning meeting time as well as the mini lessons that are given throughout the school day. The students love sitting on the cushions compared to the regular chairs that they would typically sit in throughout the school day. The wobbly chairs are great as it gives the students an alternate seating option. The wobbly chairs are used during small group instructions and independent work when students are at their tables completing work. The chairs allow the students to move around as they are working which allows them to focus as students often need to fidget in order to focus.
The magnatiles and kinetic sand are great additions to our choice time and sensory time options. It is so fun to see their creativity come to life and how they are able to take the magnatiles and truly create so many fun and different designs. They are always so proud to show what they have created. They also love cleaning the magnatiles up because it is fun to sort the shapes which helps me out too! : )
The writing tablets truly work so well with the students, especially during literacy time. The students can have the option of writing the words or letters (depending on the small group) on a piece of paper, dry erase board or on the tablet. Safe to say, the students pick the tablet 9/10 times! They love to write the words and they also love to click the erase button and it disappears! It makes it super fun and interactive to gain literacy skills and when they have fun, it makes it all worth it!
Lastly, the sensory balls are a game changer. My students may often have difficulty with self regulation. When they are upset or frustrated, they will often now get a sensory ball that they can squeeze and use as a way to help them self regulate. The sensory balls can be used in the calm corner, along with the amazing bean bag chair, or it can be used at their tables during their work time. The students have the range to use the sensory balls where they seem fit and it allows them to make those decisions that they think they need to help them. Of course, they need guidance from me to help them but now as they use the sensory balls, they are more independent and that is exactly what I want to teach them!
When we were getting the packages, the students were so excited! The office called my classroom to let us know that some packages had arrived. The older students in my classroom were so excited to "use big muscles" to go with the paraprofessional in my classroom to get the boxes. As we opened everything up, you can see the awe in their faces with how exciting it was to get new materials in the classroom. They were able to understand that these materials were gifts to the classroom and ever since they got them, they treat everything so well. They are truly so grateful, as am I.
Thank you again for supporting my students, my classroom and myself as I continue this journey or supporting students in all areas of life and increasing their independence as much as possible!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Bianco