Mrs. Taff's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 8

• Sharing Through See Saw

  Funded Sep 21, 2018

  Thank you so much for your generosity to my students and our classroom. I am so blown away by your commitment to education and your thoughtfulness for my third graders. I wrote this grant to primarily increase the interaction between my students and their families. I wanted them to be able to create digital portfolios and share the awesome things they do each day with someone at home. We have been able to do just that with the iPad mini you helped to fund!

  We primarily use an app called See Saw. Students have labeled items in Science, recorded themselves reading descriptive summaries they wrote, created cartoons to demonstrate ideas, shown off their learning in math, and so much more. Students have worked independently and collaborated together in groups, all while giving their families the opportunity to "come into our classroom" throughout the week! I think that is the most exciting thing; pairing technology and family involvement. Two things I passionately believe in, and two things students crave.

  Thank you so much for caring for my students and for caring about education. Your generosity blows me away, and I do not take lightly your gift! Many blessings to you!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Taff

• Craving Chromebooks

  Funded Feb 10, 2018

  Thank you for your generous donation to my classroom. I am so appreciative of your commitment to education and helping to ensure my students have the very best. With your donation and the donation of others, I was able to get 2 new Chromebooks for my classroom. With these Chromebooks, I have been able to increase student access to computers. The students are loving not having to wait so long in order to have access to a computer. One thing I spoke about while asking for your partnership, was the Classworks program that our school had recently implemented. Classworks is totally rocking instruction, independent practice, and data; and my students are able to get more of Classworks, in part, thanks to you! The new Chromebooks are playing a big part of my classroom becoming a home of digital learners. Thank you again for your generous gifts and becoming part of our village.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Taff

• We Are Scientists!

  Funded Sep 9, 2017

  I can't thank you enough for your generosity! Thank you so much for contributing and partnering with my students and I. My students were so excited to receive a package in the mail, and even more excited to REALLY look like scientists. We've already been using our clipboards in math and science. It really is the little stuff that makes the difference. We will be using the safety goggles every chance we get this year. Not only will they look the part, but 80 little eyes will be protected all year long. We have a dissection coming up in Science in just a few weeks, and the gloves, glasses, and clipboards will all get used for that lesson. Thank you again for becoming part of our village!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Taff

  This classroom project was brought to life by Tom's of Maine and 4 other donors.

• Cursive Handwriting: The Lost Art

  Funded May 7, 2017

  Thank you so much for your generosity. My students are so excited to learn and perfect cursive handwriting. In the digital world we live in, cursive handwriting truly is a lost art. The cursive materials I was able to purchase through your donations will allow us to regularly practice our cursive handwriting. The best part about receiving them at the beginning of the school year, is that it allows us to have all year with these materials. What a blessing! My partner and I team teach 2 groups of 20 students each; your donation will impact 40 students.

  Cursive handwriting was recently added back to the third grade course of study, but teachers must meet those curriculum needs on their own. It truly takes a village, and you have become part of ours. Thank you, again, for reaching out and partnering with me to give my students every shot at success.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Taff

• iPad for imPact

  Funded Oct 16, 2015

  Thank you again for your support in our classroom. The iPad mini has been an added resource (and major blessing). The "new" certainly has not worn off yet! The kids are loving it. It's wonderful what one more piece of technology has done in the classroom. I am located in a high poverty area, and for many, school is their main exposure to technology. Each "group" in my classroom now has their own iPad to share. It's so refreshing to see them collaborating together so independently, scanning QR codes, practicing their multiplication and division fluency, helping each other in apps that support regular classroom instruction, taking AR tests, and much more! All of the students handle the device with such care, and realize the value in the gift you've given us.

  I am so appreciative of you being apart of our village, your support in education, and specifically, the difference you've made in our classroom.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Taff

• All About Those (Audio) Books

  Funded Jun 29, 2015

  My students and I are so grateful for your generosity. Our chapter book read aloud time is one of our favorite times during the day, and having the books on audio to listen to is an added bonus. The voices on the c.d.s are great. We've listened to several of the audio books already this year, and have also shared them with two other classes. That's nearly 70 students who have benefited from your gift! In addition, students are taking AR tests on these books, and passing them with great accuracy. Our school is making a push on increasing students' word counts for the year, and these audio books are encouraging students to read more chapter books. They are also helping me to instill a love of reading and a love of stories in my students. For that, I thank you! Your kindness and commitment to education is greatly appreciated.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Taff

• Can You See What I See?

  Funded Sep 26, 2015

  My students were so excited about our document camera, especially when I explained what a grant is and that it was strangers who gave us this gift. On the first day, we played with the camera, looking at ourselves on the Smart Board and making silly faces. After that, we got down to business with it. It came at a perfect time, as we were exploring place value in math. The document camera allowed me to easily show my students how tens bond together to make up hundreds units. With 24 students in my class, it does take a little while to show each student the manipulatives. Not only am I modeling for students, but I love when a student can use the camera to show the other students in the class, for example, how and why 219 is made up of 21 tens. Thank you for helping increase the quality of instruction in my classroom and for giving my students another way to take ownership of their learning. I am so appreciative of your partnership!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Taff

• Nonfiction Books for Nonstop Readers!

  Funded Jan 28, 2013

  Words cannot express how grateful I am for your generous donations. My students absolutely love the nonfiction books you helped us to receive. The books are passed around the classroom daily, and I even have students who are begging to take them home! Many are reading and rereading books about topics they had no previous background knowledge about. Students are taking, and passing, Accelerated Reader tests, and more importantly, students are talking about books. You made this possible! It is true, it takes a village to raise a child, and I would like to thank you for the part you have paid in our village.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Taff