Past projects 6
A Calming Aquarium for a Caring Classroom
Funded Jul 26, 2018Thank you so much for your support in our classroom! The new aquarium has absolutely become a wonderful addition to KC. The students and I love watching our little fish swim around, and it feels like an important responsibility to take care of them. This has certainly been a calming tool for our classroom community. If a child is feeling sad or missing a family member, then I often go ask them to help me check on the fish. They immediately rush to the tank and spend a few minutes observing the fish swimming. When they return back to the group, you can tell that they are feeling calmer. Once again, thank you so much for your generosity! We are so grateful!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Johnston
Kinder Kids Can Grow With Imagination Playground!
Funded Feb 9, 2018I cannot thank you enough for your generosity and support in reaching our goal! I am truly inspired by the community of caring individuals who supported WISH's TK and Kindergarten students. These Imagination Playground blocks have really been an amazing addition to our play yard. I have frequently watched, with pride, as the children collaboratively create stages, boats, rocket ships, and marble runs with these amazing blocks. Their imagination has no limits- and these blocks help make that possible! The way our community rallied together to raise enough funds for this item for our Kindergarten yard is truly something I will never forget.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Johnston
This classroom project was brought to life by Golden State Fund and 75 other donors.3D Printer: Making Inventions Come to Life!
Funded Mar 29, 2017Thank you so much for your generous contributions to help make this project a reality for my students. I wish I could share the excitement, joy, and curiosity that I saw on their faces when I showed them our new 3D Printer! My students were involved in every step of the process with this new piece of technology. They helped me learn how to assemble it, read the directions on how to use it, and we viewed helpful online tutorials about all of it's capabilities. It was truly a learning experience that they had never experienced! They were passionate about learning more about this technology, and wanting to share it with their families. Students worked in small groups to choose design and choose items to 3D print, and we had them on display at Open House.
Our class was so excited about our new printer, that I wanted to share this special tool with the other 3rd graders at our school. Our grade level team decided to have a STEM day, where students rotated around different classrooms, and got to learn about new Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math activities. So, over 100 3rd grade students got exposure to this 3D printer! Many of the children at my school had never seen this type of technology before, and they were truly excited to see it in real life.
I cannot thank you enough for caring about public education, and enhancing the lives of my students. Donors like you truly make such a difference in the lives of teachers and students alike. We are looking forward to integrating this 3D printer in many new projects throughout the school year.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Johnston
This classroom project was brought to life by Aspect Ventures and one other donor.We like to Move It, Move It!
Funded Dec 1, 2016I can't thank you enough for your generosity! The materials provided in this project have positively affected each student in my classroom. I wish you could have been there as we unwrapped the flexible seating chairs, lap trays, and fidget toys. The students were beaming with joy and excitement! The wobble chair has particularly been helpful for one of my students, who has ADHD. The new seat allows him to focus on instruction and assignments, while constantly moving around in his seat. The children are able to purchase the bouncy balls and other wobble chair with their classroom money. Each morning there is a list of students who are eagerly anticipating their turn for one of the wobble chairs. Thank you again for making this excitement happen for my students! I will keep working hard to ensure that I create a classroom environment that is a warm, supportive, and nurturing space for all children.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Johnston
Math with Manipulatives is Magical!
Funded Sep 9, 2015Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generous donation you provided to my classroom earlier this school year. The students have been immediately drawn into using these math manipulatives and it certainly has made math become more alive!
Since receiving these donations, we have begun creating math centers, where students can rotate to three or four centers during math time and use a wide variety of strategies and tools to understand the standard/skill of the day. The specific math resources provided has made learning fractions and multiplication much more tangible and manageable for all learners. Seeing students explore fractions by building different "wholes" and interacting with each other in math games has been much more rewarding to witness than simply filling out a worksheet.
You have greatly impacted the learning of my students this year and I look forward to integrating these games and tools into my future students' learning. Again, thank you very much for your support in making 3rd grade math exciting!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Johnston
Help Bring Technology to Ms. J's 2nd Graders!
Funded Aug 20, 2014I wanted to express my sincerest Thank You for your support for our classroom. With your generosity, my students are able to use the ELMO Document Camera to access more technology for interactive instruction. The children are are always so excited to use the ELMO camera in our lessons! They love to come to the board and teach their peers.
This new technology allows students to see a copy of a worksheet, game, or activity projected onto our large Smart Board. This is so helpful, as it gives a large visual resource to those students who need to see examples, instead of just listening to instructions. We particularly love using the ELMO during Language Arts and Writer's Workshop. The ELMO isn't just for instruction, but it's a great way to instructional games on the big screen. My students have enjoyed playing several rounds of BINGO, Adjective Match, and Pirate Treasure Hunt.
This project has been a huge tool in boosting my teaching and my students' learning. The main benefit of the ELMO Document Camera is the ability to visually project papers onto the Smart Board, that I would otherwise just have to read aloud. Many students are visual learners, and the ELMO is a wonderful way to connect to their learning style.
Thank you again for donating to our classroom. I am dedicated to creating a nurturing and stimulating learning environment for my students. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Johnston