Past projects 74
Art for an Arts Integrated School
Funded Feb 8, 2018Thank you so much for your generosity towards my classroom! The students were so excited when our boxes started coming in! When I let them paint their own pictures for the thank you cards, they were so excited to see all the colors of paint we now have! We are even sharing the paint with the other classes in our grade level to spread the love! I especially love the messy mats and drying rack. I used to have to hand wash tables each day with washcloths, since we are not allowed to use cleaning solutions or wipes. My back would hurt since the tables are so low! The messy mats are easy to rinse off and really help the children keep their areas tidy! The drying rack is great because now all the wet artwork has a safe place instead of being placed precariously on top of book bins and cabinets. You have helped make my classroom more functional and more colorful. Thank you for helping me to enrich the lives of my students!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Heinlein
Clean Up Our Chromebooks!
Funded Jan 26, 2018Thank you so much for the generous donation to my classroom! Before submitting this project, my computer area was a disaster. The kids didn't know which cord to plug into the chromebooks. The cords were constantly tangled, even though I tried to organize them, even one got broken and stuck inside the computer because of the way the computers were stacked. Once I set up these boxes to hold the cords and separate the laptops, our computer area was transformed. The cords can no longer get tangled, each computer can be individually removed from the area without bumping others, and the kids can easily put everything back on their own. I am in love! And best of all, now we have enough cleaning cloths to quickly have a group of students wipe down the screens and keyboards each week to keep everything clean and germ free. Wahoo!
Thank you again for your generosity, kindness, and dedication to public education. We salute you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Heinlein
This classroom project was brought to life by The First Million Fund and one other donor.Growth Mindset Through Diverse Literature
Funded Oct 18, 2017Thank you so much for your donation to my classroom! My students were overjoyed when the new books arrived. We have been talking a lot about Growth Mindset lately and how it helps us learn and grow. This book collection will be invaluable to the lessons I plan to teach. Some of the books are about how individuals have beaten the odds, how people have not given up even though there was an obstacle. Some are about how people have made mistakes, but learned from them. Others are about injustices they've seen and what they've done to fix it. Each book is so inspiring, and I'd be lying if I said I haven't shed a tear while reading a few of them to myself. I can't wait to share them all with students and lead valuable discussions around the message.
Thank you again for your generosity, for caring about education, and for trusting in me to teach these children to the best of my abilities. You have helped me immeasurably.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Heinlein
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and one other donor.Flexible Seating in First Grade
Funded Sep 4, 2017Thank you so much for your generous donation to my classroom! My students absolutely love all of the new choices they have for sitting and working in our classroom! I lowered 2 of the table groups. One has a rug underneath with pillows I sewed for them to sit on. One has thick booster cushions to sit on. The other two table groups have a combination of wobble stools, yoga balls, and crates with pillows. I still have a stack of regular chairs and the children don't like to choose those anymore! For other times throughout the day, I now have yoga mats for children to lay on, scoop chairs, and two lounger chairs. A favorite spot is the used couch a friend gave me with the emoji pillows!
Thank you again for your generosity and help in making my classroom a comfortable and inviting place!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Heinlein
Little Literacy Learners
Funded Jun 30, 2017Thank you so much for your generosity! My students are loving our new materials and they help me be a better teacher! First grade is all about learning how to read, so having multiple materials that help students practice skills is key. Students write sentences and poems on sentence strips, they make words with the magnetic letters, and they practice tracking print in our big books with the pointer hands. They enjoy using the special Twistable pencils for "rainbow writing" word practice and they are loving the activities I'm able to print on multi colored paper. Thank you for helping me create a welcoming, loving, and energetic classroom. I am so grateful!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Heinlein
This classroom project was brought to life by Sergey Brin Family Foundation and 3 other donors.Visual Arts Integration with Science and Clay!
Funded Mar 29, 2017Thank you so much for your generous donations to my classroom!
My students have thoroughly enjoyed working with clay! Last year we used it to create a replica of the Waihe'e sand dunes while on a field trip to the Waihe'e Coastal Dunes and Wetlands Refuge. While looking at the actual dunes in front of them on site, in groups of 3 they used clay to create them and then added other materials to represent the native plants and animals. Students showed high levels of critical thinking while practicing observational and collaborative skills. The art materials surely added to their experience and learning.
This year we have used the clay to make replicas of characters from books we read. The students had to closely observe the illustrations in the book to create their chicken and then use creativity to add color once the clay had been fired in the kiln. After the chickens were all ready, the students were able to retell the story using their chicken as a storytelling prop. I even entered some of them into our county fair art contest!
Without your help, I would not be able to create these meaningful learning experiences for my students. Thank you for your dedication to education and the arts!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Heinlein
This classroom project was brought to life by Lynne and Marc Benioff and 3 other donors.S.T.E.M + the Arts = S.T.E.A.M!
Funded Dec 27, 2016Thank you so much for your generous donations to my classroom! My students were so excited when they saw all the instruments! We had a ton of fun learning about the science of sound and even more fun learning about all the different instruments! The students love getting to choose which instrument they want to play and love making their own rhythms.
We haven't made our own instruments yet with the mailing tubes and other recycled materials, but we are excited to start this project soon!
Again, thank you so much! I appreciate your support!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Heinlein
This classroom project was brought to life by Tom's of Maine and 2 other donors.Going Back to 1st Grade!
Funded Sep 2, 2016Thank you so much for your generous donations to my classroom! Having a classroom stocked with supplies we need eases my mind so I can focus on what really matters: my student's knowledge and growth!
We use the clipboards ALL the time when doing math or reading centers, writing time, whole group work. I love to allow my students to work around the room and not just at their desks all day. The clipboards are a MUST!
The craft supplies come in handy when working on art projects. The kids can choose their materials to be creative and make their project unique and all their own. Children love having choices and I love being able to offer so many different materials!
The math supplies, like unifix cubes and calendar are wonderful for teaching numeracy and number sense. My students love visuals and hands-on materials and I am so happy we have these supplies in our classroom now.
Again, thank you for supporting me and supporting my students. Being stressed about not having supplies is not a fun feeling as a teacher. I am so relieved that I don't have to worry anymore and can teach and enjoy my students. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Heinlein
Active in First Grade!
Funded Aug 29, 2016Thank you so much for your generosity in donating to my classroom! My students were overjoyed when our boxes of PE equipment arrived. The looks on their faces were of pure joy!
Each day, the students get to use the balls, jump ropes, and hula hoops at recess. They are so responsible in taking care of these materials because they know how precious it is to have them donated and we can't get more if they are lost or ruined.
The other equipment is used for PE class and Fun Friday. The bean bags came with a CD of fun bean bag games. The students love this! There is a tossing game that is perfect for inside recess. The parachute is a great team building and cooperation game. And the scoop and toss game is great for hand-eye coordination.
Thank you for the love you have shown my classroom. We will cherish these supplies and look forward to using them each and every day!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Heinlein
This classroom project was brought to life by Target and one other donor.Book Clubs for Fifth Grade
Funded Apr 16, 2016Thank you so much for your generosity! My students were overjoyed when we received our book sets in the mail. They love reading and were so excited for the wider variation in book choices!
When the boxes first arrived, I pulled out the books one by one to show the students. We read the back cover synopsis to learn about each book. We looked up the Accelerated Reader level to find how who this would be a book book choice for. There were many "ooohs" and "aaaahhhhs"! To say the students wanted to read the books is an understatement!
After I added the books to our regular book club storage area, I was reassured that we now have plenty of titles for student groups to choose from and in a wide variety of levels. Thank you for helping me create an environment where choice matters! I know the students in 5th grade will enjoy these books for years to come!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Heinlein