Past projects 10
Informed Learning: Using Games, Research, and Fun to Learn!
Funded May 24, 2024Thank you so much for your donations for my students. The Megawords resources allow me to create tailored reading instruction for each student. It's been really beneficial to have premade sheets and lessons to meet every student where they're at.
The math resources have impacted my ability to teach interactive math lessons. We have used games and numberlines to make concepts more tangible and deepen understanding.
Through your donations, my students access better reading instruction that will impact their learning from the rest of your lives. Thank you for caring about the students on the Lower East Side of NYC!”
With gratitude,
Ms. O'Donnell
This classroom project was brought to life by Young Sheldon on CBS and 6 other donors.We Can Read: Building Up Our Readers
Funded Nov 28, 2023Thank you so much for your generous donations. Your support of the project has put decodable texts in the hands of my students who struggle to break the code of reading. Using the Science of Reading, I teach phonemes (sounds) and graphemes (letters) that stress the alphabetic principle, which is the understanding that there are systematic and predictable relationships between written letters and spoken sounds. The Sound Wall materials instruct students to locate the position of their tongue and lips when they produce each type of sound and to notice whether the sounds are voiced or unvoiced. Looking in the mirror and at the sound cards help reenforce these connections and build neural connections in the brain. All of these materials have deepened my understanding of phonemic awareness, which in turn, has improved the learning of my students.
The Heggerty Decodable texts follow various patterns of taught phonics skills (eg. cvce, vowel teams, suffixes and prefixes, etc.), so students have texts with predictable patterns they are practicing and mastering. Our kids love the vibrant colors of the stories, the interesting plots, and the variety of texts. Most of all, they love the feeling of confidence in being able to read without the struggle. They love feeling their progress and believing that they can keep striving and working to become strong readers.
This empowerment and growth is, in part, due to your donation. My students and I appreciate your dedication to the belief that all children should have the right to quality literacy instruction. The ability to read opens up a world of opportunity and options in future, so together we work for that chance.”
With gratitude,
Ms. O'Donnell
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 10 other donors.Using the Science of Reading: We Can Read!
Funded May 5, 2023I want to thank you so much for your donations earlier this year. The tidal shift towards the Science of Reading has been extremely beneficial for the students I work with. Due to the teacher resources I received, I have been able to tailor lessons based on specific phonics patterns that students need and work with them on their phonological awareness to bridge the gap between hearing sounds and recognizing them orthographically in print.
The way I teach reading has changed so much, and I've been able to meet the needs of students like never before. Thank you for helping me deepen my knowledge as a professional and facilitating the serious gains of my struggling readers.”
With gratitude,
Ms. O'Donnell
Engaging Learning During Covid-19
Funded Oct 20, 2020Thanks again for your donations towards our flexible seating desks and Osmo Projector. As you know, this school year has been a lot of yo-yo-ing back and forth between in person learning and online. The Osmo projector and games have been invaluable as I've had to learn to adapt to teaching the best possible way online. Being able to write in real time and share that over the projector has made many tasks feel simpler. We've also enjoyed playing spelling and number games as a break throughout the online day. It's hard to hold engagement in the same way online and this has been exciting for my class.
As for the flexible seating chairs, it's been really cool to see how excited the kids get to sit in them. We are, unfortunately, at our desks most of the day to keep social distancing, so being able to space these out on the floor has been a really nice way for kids to be able to move around the classroom a bit more. They are a big hit with all the kids.
These items have made a difference the past few months as we've tried to make sense of what education looks like this year! We all really appreciate your support and contributions.”
With gratitude,
Ms. O'Donnell
Mathematicians, Readers, and Super Organizers!
Funded Jan 13, 2019Thank you, again, for your generous donations to our classroom. Because of you, our students have been able to use math manipulatives to solidify math concepts (fact families, place value, and more), continue their love of favorite book series, and share in a classroom that is better organized, and therefore, a better learning environment.
As the boxes came in, students were so excited! When the new HiLo book came in, we had to make a list of the order kids would get to read it in. The latest Cleopatra in Space book made some kids squeal upon its arrival. Your donations have made independent reading time in class more exciting and built upon the hard work students have been doing in their series work.
In math class, our fact family fluency cards and whiteboards have been cementing the relationship between multiplication and division. At the beginning of the year, I heard groans when it was time for division, but now I have students telling each other that they can just use their multiplication facts to help them solve division problems. The place value chart has been a big hit with kids. They love flipping the numbers and noticing how the base ten system changes.
Lastly, organizational items may seem the least interesting, but they have a huge impact in our room. We've been able to put up a job chart, use our magnetized wall to hang items more attractively, and store items in clear bins for quick access. Our pocket charts can organize groups and be used during small group work. These smaller items allow us to spend more time on instruction versus trying to find items or struggling to show information. More instruction time means students have more opportunities to learn and we are appreciative of that.
Thank you for caring about our students, many of whom lack educational materials at home. Hands-on math tools and exciting series books for our struggling readers help us level the playing field. What you have shouldn't impact what you can learn. And you have helped us make that more of a reality.”
With gratitude,
Ms. O'Donnell
Periodicals and Pictures: Loving What We Read!
Funded Feb 14, 2018This year has been one of the strongest reading years yet and much of that has to do with you and your generous donations. These new books from authors we love, funny stories, new adventures, and the next novel in a thrilling series have engaged our readers for the last several months. Some of our most struggling readers have moved 4-5 reading levels this year and I have no doubt it's because of the engaging books we've had to offer them. Your gift has helped many children get closer to grade level text, so they will be able to find their way in middle school. In fact, it will make a lasting impact on their school success for years to come. A few books well chosen books at the right moment can make such a difference.
Your donation funded new series like City of Ember and The Kane Chronicles for our advanced readers who have sunk their teeth into the dystopian and fantasy series. They are devouring them and pushing themselves to notice the hero's journey and deeper questions about theme over a series. The Zombie Goldfish series was a big hit with our Q readers who are often our reluctant readers. They delighted in telling me what was happening next with the mutant fish and couldn't wait to get their hands on the next one.
New books that appeal to kids (along with our classics) help us create a sense of excitement with our library. Our students make recommendations to each other. Reading is exciting, fresh, other-worldly. You have to wait in line for a book! The anticipation builds. Books are passed to each other in underground movements. There is a culture of reading and of readers. We know that students who read will be more successful throughout school and in life. Thank you for your generous gifts. They may seem like just a few books, but they are so much more than that. These books are pivotal to keep our students engaged and pushing forward--whether toward grade level or beyond. Thank you for caring about our students on the Lower East Side.”
With gratitude,
Ms. O'Donnell
Book Bonanza: Hooking Students with High Interest Books!
Funded Oct 18, 2017Our new books have reinvigorated our classroom library. Every day we were getting new boxes and the students ooo-ed and ahhed as we revealed the new titles. One of the most important parts of our day is independent reading, where students select a book on their level and discover the joy of a good story. It can also be one of the most challenging parts of the day for those uninterested in reading or for those who feel like they have to read "baby books." These new titles, such as Dragon Masters, allowed a group of boys to start a reading group where they read aloud and practiced their fluency. They couldn't wait to move on to the second and third books in the series. A few of our most reluctant readers picked up HiLo, a graphic novel series, and couldn't put them down. They were bartering and trading them with each other once they finished. Similarly, students can be overheard discussing which Amulet book is their favorite at the lunch table.
Many of our students weren't reading during independent time or at home. Building hype and excitement around our new titles was the first step. Kids couldn't wait to get their hands on Zack Files or a new Magic Tree House. Once we built the excitement, they then fell in love with the stories that they can relate to. A few of the girls can't stop talking about the Babysitter Kids graphic novels illustrated by their favorite Raina Telgemeier, because it's like their group of friends. A book group laughed about Alvin Ho's neurotic behaviors but could also empathize with feeling afraid and scared sometimes. Students began to compare our read aloud book Wonder to our new titles, building connections and deepening their understanding.
Our books now feel modern and reflect the diversity of our classroom. Thank you wholeheartedly for making our Book Bonzana thrilling, overflowing, and heartfelt. Without your support, many of our students would not be making the reading growth they are today. Every student should be able to find the joy of reading and you've helped some very deserving ones on the Lower East Side.”
With gratitude,
Ms. O'Donnell
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 10 other donors.10 Prize-Winning TOON Graphics for Middle Grades
Funded Feb 12, 2017Thank you again for your generous donations to bring TOON Graphics graphic novels into our fifth grade classroom. As soon as the books arrived, students where clamoring to get their hands on them. They are not simplistic texts, either. Students must study the graphics, figure out from which box to travel to, and work through the challenging vocabulary. I've found that not only do these texts appeal to our lower level readers but also to some of the highest in the class. Everyone is able to find a different access point, yet discuss what they liked about the text together.
I was also pleased to see how many of the students gravitated towards the Greek mythology. They were especially eager to talk to me about this Oedipus guy and that relationship with his mother! Once students read one, they wanted to read another. For many students, graphic novels don't feel like work or just another school assignment. It's fun and engaging and supports their comprehension of more challenging vocabulary. One student pulled me aside to explain how he figured out a challenging word based on the context and the picture. Those skills are transferable to text without pictures, and he is a student who often does whatever possible to avoid reading during our independent reading time. More recently I have seen him complete novels without pictures, and I wonder about the correlation between getting him reading with graphic novels and him being able to make this next step.
Graphic novels are the gateway to pictureless novels. When students find it less challenging to decode, they will build fluency. With fluency will come comprehension. Students who spend time reading, will become better readers. As a teacher, I see how using graphic novels to hook students has increased the skills of my less interested readers. It has also made reading and discussing reading in the classroom "cool." I'm so appreciative of your support to my classroom and to my students. Thanks, again.”
With gratitude,
Ms. O'Donnell
This classroom project was brought to life by TOON Books and 2 other donors.Let's Get Computing!
Funded Dec 20, 2016We have been making such good use of our Chromebooks! Students have been typing written assignments, receiving feedback and making corrections at school. It's allowed us to be mobile with our work. Students can move them to work in coordination at a table, at the rug, or at their seats. As teachers, we are able to break groups up into centers and target our instruction.
This week we ended our ELA state test prep by having the class take an interactive quiz the teachers made on Socratic. Each student was able to be on a device and we could monitor everyone's understanding of each question. The class had a blast! They were begging for us to do it for math test prep, too. We look forward to exploring more ways to use this technology.
Lastly, the new projector has allowed us to split into groups and offer clear visuals for everyone. We can show interesting videos, project slideshows, show pictures in color, and keep students engaged. So many of our students do not have access to these technologies in their own homes, so we are working to have our students have the skills necessary to be successful in middle school. With your help, we're on our way. Thanks for your generous donations and commitment to urban education.”
With gratitude,
Ms. O'Donnell
iPads to Build Real Academic Confidence!
Funded Sep 3, 2016Thank you again for your wonderful gift towards five iPads, cases, keyboards, and headphones. I cannot tell you how excited the kids are about having relevant and new technology in the classroom. So far we've explored lots of math games to reinforce multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction facts that are not as rote as they need to be! I've used math models on the iPads to demonstrate how to compare fractions. The students have Google-imaged words they don't know. They've opened up Google Earth to explore places we've talked about and to help them study for their geography quiz on the continents and oceans.
Most of all, the iPads have opened up a world for my students with disabilities. Many of them are able to speak their ideas and have them transformed into text. This can be one of the biggest challenges for students with reading and writing disabilities. Editing can be much easier when they don't have to read their own handwriting! Students are just beginning to explore how text can be read aloud to them when they have trouble separating lines of text. This improves their comprehension of what they read, and most importantly, has a huge impact on student confidence.
My only problem is the quarreling over who gets to use them! The headphones allow students to scatter over the classroom and not distract one another with their unique jobs. Students are excited to dive into their work when an iPad is involved.
Thanks so much for your support of our students. I am learning every day from them and am constantly pushing myself to help them be prepared for the world outside our classroom.”
With gratitude,
Ms. O'Donnell