Mrs. Shepard's Classroom Edit display name

Current requests

Past projects 16

• Just the Basics

  Funded Dec 2, 2024

  Thank you for funding our basic supplies this fall. They have been a key part of keeping our classroom running smoothly and establishing consistent routines and procedures.

  Our new pencil sharpener has been used well and kept our students writing. The sharpener doesn't allow students to sharpen them over, so we haven't wasted pencils.

  The blank notebooks have been a great addition to our math block. Lines on the page do not hinder students; they can draw models and strategies on the page. The plastic folders, such as number charts and open number lines, have been used as resource folders for math aides. The students can access them at all times, so they do not have to ask or spend time looking for them.

  Special thanks for sending the pack of tissues. The tissues have helped us survive a very tough cold and flu season!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Shepard

• Boogie (Board) Down with Learning

  Funded Aug 29, 2024

  The students have enjoyed having Boogie Boards in our classroom. They get so excited to use them during phonics when we are doing dictation or when they can use them to solve our daily word problem. As we hoped, students are able to get working right away now that they do not have to find their dry erase markers and erasers.

  An unexpected benefit to having these boards is that students are learning how to handle having mistakes on their boards. They can not erase or they will lose all that work. Students are learning that mistakes are proof of their learning and that they can cross something out and make corrections. This translates to paper and has cut down on students getting "Stuck" when they don't have erasers.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Shepard

  This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Supporter and 3 other donors.

• Learning to Read with Decodables

  Funded Aug 10, 2023

  Recently, the NYC DOE shifted how reading is taught to students. Part of that shift has been to following Science of Reading best practices which include explicit phonics instruction and having students practice the phonics skills they are being taught with decodable texts. These decodable texts are not easily found in what we have been using in classroom libraries. In addition, with remote learning and the increase in reading books through online platforms, many younger children did not know how to navigate physical books. I requested decodable books to allow students to read physical books.

  NYC is also in the middle of a migrant crisis. Our school has welcomed many new families into our school community. These newcomers are eager to learn and have loved having colorful, engaging books to read. They have been using them to build their vocabulary and practice letter sounds they are working on. Students who are still working on blending to read enjoy having books they can read during independent reading.

  The plastic menu holders and photo boxes have been a great addition to our learning stations for organizing our materials and making them durable and accessible to all learners. These additions have made this challenging year more enjoyable to everyone.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Shepard

  This classroom project was brought to life by Reese’s Book Club & the SONIC Foundation and 3 other donors.

• Building Sound Foundations

  Funded Aug 31, 2023

  Thank you so much for your generous donation to my classroom and your investment in my students' learning. These games and books are going to be a great addition to our reading stations. These games and activities will provide them with fun, collaborative, and engaging ways to practice their reading skills!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Shepard

  This classroom project was brought to life by The SONIC Foundation and 3 other donors.

• Ring Around the Math Stations

  Funded Sep 29, 2022

  Thank you for your donations to our math stations. The students' eyes were so big when they saw the balance scales and colorful manipulative jars full of animals, fruits and vehicles.

  The students were able to use the balance scales with the plastic manipulative library items to learn about balancing equations. They loved working together to prove the equations true or false. It provided a great visual for students to understand the meaning of the equal sign.

  Students have learned about choosing the best tool to help them solve different types of problems, from the beaded Rekenrek, magnetic ten frames, and manipulatives. The library we have built up has provided students with more flexibility and it has gotten them to expand on their problem solving strategies.f”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Shepard

  This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Classroom Supporter and one other donor.

• Pull Up a Flexible Seat

  Funded Feb 3, 2023

  My students were so excited to receive our new seating options. We unboxed them as they arrived and talked about the ways they could be used in our classroom. They were especially excited by the rocker seats which have been used mostly for independent reading time.

  The floor cushions have given students ways to have different height levels while sitting as a class on the carpet for whole group lessons, read alouds, presentations. The floor desks are a great alternative to clipboards and students were able to position them in face-to-face pairs to work on their Black History Month biography books.

  The flexible seating has been needed even more than I initially anticipated. NYC is in the midst of welcoming many migrant families. Within just a few weeks our class added 15 new students. Students have gotten the chance to use our flexible seating options, like the floor cushions and floor desks to feel comfortable in the classroom.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Shepard

  This classroom project was brought to life by Disney and 7 other donors.

• Math Through Discovery and Play

  Funded Mar 27, 2018

  My students LOVED the Math Folder Games and Math Discovery Cans. They arrived just in time for us to use them to review for state testing. The activities are engaging and help students practice collaboration. The folder games and Discovery Cans have become a part of our school's math materials library.

  Multiple classes of students have used these games since they arrived at our school. Students have been able to practice concepts in measurement, decimals and fractions, and problem-solving. Students can access the games without a teacher's facilitation so that everyone gets the support they need.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Shepard

  This classroom project was brought to life by Ripple and one other donor.

• Super Sonic Hearing for Remote Learners

  Funded Jan 4, 2021

  I would like to thank you all on behalf of my co-teacher and our students for your donations of headphones with microphones. Our entire class is learning remotely this year. Living in New York City, living spaces are small, and it can be difficult for them to find a space that is quiet. We often hear family members in the background of our meetings, and it can be difficult for students to focus.

  The students were so excited to have their "gamer" headphones. They love to wear them and we have noticed that when they wear them they are better able to focus and we can hear them better because the microphone is closer to their mouth.

  The students who have benefited most are those that have other siblings in their homes. The headphones block enough of the noise that they aren't as easily distracted. We also have a few students that have started making their video responses like they are making a Youtube video. They are so excited and animated!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Shepard

  This classroom project was brought to life by Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and 2 other donors.

• Differentiate With LearningFarm

  Funded Dec 24, 2017

  Having access to the Learning Farm website has provided my students with a new way to practice Math, Science, and ELA skills. The students are able to work at their own pace listening to lessons review and practicing answering a variety of question types. They even get Brain Breaks (games) when they answer a certain number of questions correctly!

  Students use the website for extra practice at home, or during stations. They love when we bring in the laptop cart and they all get to work on the website at the same time. We have used the website for whole class practice after a lesson, and also to provide students will individually reteach on topics they have not mastered.

  I get to cheer on students, give feedback or support through the website's messaging or face-to-face while I watch the Live View. It helps me see at a glance if there are students that need to be pulled into a small group or an individual needs a conference to fix a misconception.

  We are looking forward to using this useful website for the remainder of the school year!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Shepard