Mrs. Perez's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 27

• Art History DVDs for the Gifted

  Funded Nov 23, 2012

  On behalf of our Gifted center, I wanted to thank you for your generous donation to this project. The videos used to teach Art History made it a uniquely enriching opportunity for our K-5 Gifted students. They absolutely loved the videos and they ask me every week if we can see the "Famous Artists' Dvd's!" I keep telling them that they have already seen all of the videos. It was an outside vendor and we really wish they would make more of these videos for the kids to watch and learn about.

  The theme song in the videos is really hilarious. My 4th and 5th grade class made up a dance and they do it every time the theme song comes on in the beginning of a new Dvd video. You can see them dancing in the first picture...too cute! Anyways, the kids love these Dvds and we are also able to watch them on field trips through the Escot bus line Dvd player so that is really neat as well.

  The generous support of individuals like you makes it possible for our organization to exist and to keep our tight nit community of Gifted learners enriched and challenged.

  Thank you again for your support!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Perez

• Ceramics and Pottery for Our Gifted Students!

  Funded Oct 17, 2012

  On behalf of our Gifted center, I wanted to thank you for your generous donation to this project. The ceramics used to create pottery with our African Unit made it a uniquely enriching opportunity for our K-5 Gifted students. They absolutely loved doing clay and throwing pots on the pottery wheels, as well as handbuilding.

  We have many glazes and pottery still left that we can use before the end of the year! I promised the kids that we would do another round of pottery. During the two weeks we spent doing pottery we made enough for 4 loads in the kiln at our school. We are certainly keeping our art teacher busy with all of our pottery we are having to fire in the kiln! ; -)

  The generous support of individuals like you makes it possible for our organization to exist and to make the community of Gifted learners enriched and challenged.

  Thank you again for your support!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Perez

• Let's Get Creative: "Art History for the Gifted!"

  Funded Sep 6, 2012

  Thank you for your thoughtful donation of for this project. These supplies helped over 50 Gifted students from four different schools. Your donation will make sure that our students have supplies to hang up their art work in our museum that we are creating for the culminating end of the year project.

  As you know, most of our families live on small, fixed incomes. In this economy, not very many people can afford basic school supplies. The funding through donor's choose help provide a huge difference in the lives of many deserving families.

  Your donation makes it possible to continue to provide enrichment opportunities for the Gifted program. We do not receive very much funding from our school so year after year, it is your generosity that provides basic art supplies for our students. Private donations go far in making up for cuts in our state and local government funding.

  Frankly, we could not do what we do without donors such as you. We look forward to working with you in the future. We, and those we serve, deeply appreciate your generosity.

  Sincerely,”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Perez

  This classroom project was brought to life by Kia Motors America and 2 other donors.

• Let's Get Messy with Art History in Gifted!

  Funded Sep 6, 2012

  Our Gifted students love the aprons and we are currently using the aprons weekly with our art projects. Every student from every class(I different classes everyday- K-5 Gifted students) Is able to participate in the art activities without the fear of getting paint on themselves. We have old large adult paint shirts that the parents of our Gifted program have graciously donated that we use to protect the sleeves as the aprons do not cover the sleeves. However, the paint shirts along with the aprons together protects their entire body from paint and clay as well as the other media we use throughout our daily art projects in Gifted.

  The pencil sharpener is awesome. It has already paid for itself because it sharpens pencils faster than the hand held ones thus saving us time. We can also have ready sharpened pencils in a jar for the students before they even come in which is nice. I like that it is still under warranty in case it breaks.

  Anyways, the students have created amazing art projects this year and kept their clothing clean and pencils sharp thanks to your generosity! Our school system is facing a budget shortfall, so without these valuable donors like you, our Gifted students would never have received these amazing resources.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Perez

• Interactive, Hyperactive, Gifted!

  Funded Dec 1, 2011

  On behalf of New Heights Gifted Center I would like to thank you all for your generous gift. Your commitment to help the Gifted children in our community is sincerely appreciated.

  Each year New Heights Gifted Center continues to have struggles with the budget. Our mission to help Gifted children learn in the Gifted program can only be met through giving them motivating tools to help keep their busy minds engaged. Through our Gifted program, we have seen many lives changed for the better with these new SMART board games. The kids are so motivated to do Math and have even told me they don't get enough time on the games. Each grade level will beg me to play on the SMART board every week.

  In particular the Math SMART board games have engaged even those not too interested in Math. They are challenging enough and fun to play in teams. We've even had competitions with the games and the kids are even more engaged about that! We have enjoyed great success in the since we have received the materials.

  The goal of the New Heights Gifted Center is to continue to make a difference in the lives of children who need help. With the help of donations from supporters such as you we will continue to keep these very special kids motivated, challenged and engaged.

  Thanks again for your generous support of our efforts to help New Heights Gifted Center. You've helped around 60 Gifted students keep the motivation with Math and Science through technology.

  Sincerely,

  Mrs. Perez of New Heights Gifted Center ”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Perez

• Jungle of Dreams

  Funded Jul 1, 2011

  I want to express my appreciation for your generosity in support of New Heights Gifted Center. Your personal commitment was incredibly helpful and allowed us to bring the Rainforest to "Life" with butterflies and other exciting materials for these bright students. Your assistance means so much to me but even more to the students of New Heights Gifted Center. Thank you from all of us. If you ever need me to help with a charitable cause of your own, please let me return the favor. We had such a nice time with all of the materials, and it was great learning opportunity for the kids to see live animals that live in the Rainforest.

  Again, on behalf of all my students, thank you so much for all you've done for New Heights Gifted Center.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Perez

• Great Minds Lead the Way

  Funded Feb 3, 2011

  Your kind and generous efforts in funding our project is greatly appreciated. My students are using the chess sets in class every week. Many of them are beginning chess players and some are experienced. They have began to take an interest in Chess since I began teaching them how to play. Now they are hooked! Playing Chess increases problem solving skills and helps them think of strategies. They are required to "think ahead" and calculate the other opponent's next move. There are many benefits of learning and playing Chess for my students.

  Age is also not a factor when you're looking for an opponent-young can play old and old can play young. I'll admit it, some of my Gifted kids have even beaten me in Chess! Chess develops memory. The chess theory is complicated and many players memorize different opening variations. The students will also learn to recognize various patterns and remember lengthy variations. Chess improves concentration. During the game you are focused on only one main goal-to checkmate and become the victor.

  Chess develops logical thinking. Chess requires some understanding of logical strategy. For example, the students will know that it is important to bring their pieces out into the game at the beginning, to keep their king safe at all times, not to make big weaknesses in their position and not to blunder your pieces away for free. Mistakes are inevitable and chess, like life, is a never-ending learning process.

  Chess promotes imagination and creativity. It encourages the students to be inventive. There are an indefinite amount of beautiful combinations yet to be constructed. Chess teaches independence. The students are forced to make important decisions influenced only by your own judgment. Chess develops the capability to predict and foresee consequences of actions. It teaches our students to look both ways before crossing the street.

  Chess inspires self-motivation. It encourages the search of the best move, the best plan, and the most beautiful continuation out of the endless possibilities. It encourages the everlasting aim towards progress, always steering to ignite the flame of victory.

  Chess shows that success rewards hard work. The more the students practice, the better they'll become. I have been teaching them to be ready to lose and learn from their mistakes. One of the greatest players ever, Capablanca said, "You may learn much more from a game you lose than from a game you win. You will have to lose hundreds of games before becoming a good player."

  Chess can be used across the board to promote academics:

  Science:

  Chess develops the scientific way of thinking. While playing, the students generate numerous variations in your mind. They explore new ideas, try to predict their outcomes and interpret surprising revelations. They decide on a hypothesis, and then you make your move and test it.

  Computers/Technology:

  What do chess players do during the game? Just like computers they engage in a search for the better move in a limited amount of time. What are you doing right now? You are using a computer as a tool for learning.

  Mathmatics:

  Chess helps the students with Mathematics. Chess involves an infinite number of calculations, anything from counting the number of attackers and defenders in the event of a simple exchange to calculating lengthy continuations. The students use their head to calculate, not some little machine.

  Once again, on behalf of all my students, thank you for making this project possible.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Perez