Mrs. R.'s Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 20

• Learning Responsibility with Financial Literacy

  Funded Oct 21, 2015

  Thank you so much for sharing yourselves with my little ones. As you can see in the photographs we have been very busy learning how to count, add, earn, spend wisely and save money. Not only are the children using math skills they are also learning more about the value of money and becoming fiscally responsible. The materials you have added to our classroom allow the children to work together cooperatively and problem solve. Learning in first grade should be fun not stressful. You have helped me provide this to my children.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. R.

  This classroom project was brought to life by ConEdison and 3 other donors.

• Help Us Become Published Authors!

  Funded Sep 14, 2015

  Thank you so much for thinking of me and my little ones this school year. We have enjoyed your generous gift so much. It has added an extra special touch to our learning and a great motivation for writing. I now have children beg to write and take much more time with their spelling knowing it will be published. I believe their favorite activity was making a baby animal chart using what they have learned while reading informational books.

  We are working toward paying it forward with random acts of kindness for others. Thank you for allowing us to also learn this lesson.

  hope you and your family enjoy the holiday season!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. R.

  This classroom project was brought to life by NEA Foundation and 4 other donors.

• The Best Teacher Is Always Learning

  Funded Mar 15, 2015

  With your generous gift, I have been able to take courses to learn more about creating a learning environment that supports my English Language Learners so they are able to work toward the Common Core State Standards. I rewrote our unit about plants to provide more hands on experiences to develop our vocabulary and allow us to write about it. We planted seeds, spouted bean seeds and are still waiting for our avocado seeds to sprout. The children loved the opportunity to be scientist and dissect the bean seeds and find the embryo. Using a magnifying glass and microscope was a real treat. My room has had more animated, enthusiastic conversation using new science words. The children are having an easier time reading and writing about plants because they have done these activities. We assess our writing with checklist that I had to write as part of my courses.

  I am grateful that my little ones were able to see that their teacher is a life long learner. They loved to help me with my homework.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. R.

  This classroom project was brought to life by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 10 other donors.

• We Learn By Doing!

  Funded Feb 8, 2015

  As we tackle our new unit on Goods and Services the materials you so generously provided for my little ones have been very valuable.

  We love books! Being able to have nonfiction books that teach about service jobs on many different levels has been a true gift. It means all of my children are able to learn new information from reading.

  We have been able to sort the figures into services paid for by taxes and those that are not. After this we took turns building a town or city and have our services providers act out their job. This has been very valuable to our writing as they have thought about what a dentist, postal carrier or firefighter and others might say as they perform their service.

  I believe the favorite new activity has been the puppets. Some children have matched the puppets with an appropriate book and read with expression as the puppet reads the new information. Another group of children made tools that the puppets would use and sold them in a market. In Writer's Workshop, my authors planned their writing and added dialogue using the puppets.

  One of my favorite materials is the large magnetic money. These coins have allowed all my children to be able to see and make change. In the past, my coins were so small everyone could not see them. If I did it on the SMART Board, my little ones were unable to touch the coins themselves. Now everyone is watching and eager to be a banker and make change.

  Thank you for becoming a part of our room. We appreciate all you do for us.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. R.

• Using K'NEX to Build Our STEM Knowledge

  Funded Dec 16, 2014

  A knock causes our class to freeze and turn toward the door. How exciting it was to have several brown boxes delivered. Luckily we received five boxes, one for each table. Each table opened the boxes, making predictions as to what might be in them. There were exclamations of joy as they discovered we received 'toys'!

  These toys have been wonderful during the recent snowy days when we could not play outside or waited for parents to pick us up. The children have made geometrical shapes, gears, wheels and explored symmetry all while laughing and having fun.

  Six and seven year old children are supposed to have fun and laugh. Having fun and learning while doing so is an added bonus.

  Thank you so much for bringing joy and learning to our classroom.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. R.

  This classroom project was brought to life by Kia and 6 other donors.

• Creating a Classroom Library Full of Love

  Funded Sep 18, 2014

  Thank you so much for helping me grow the classroom library for my sweet little ones. Every morning a group of students are able to go book shopping for their 'just right book'. We now have enough books for each child to have five in their book baggie for a week. We practice what we have learned about being a reader during Reading Workshop. The books go home daily to be shared with family members. It warms my heart and I am thankful for the opportunity to teach when I receive a thank you note from parents, thanking me when their child is able to read to them. Without the books that you so generously purchased for our class, this would not happen.

  We are becoming a caring community of readers because of your generosity and example of giving. I am so appreciative that you took the time to read about and show my little ones some love.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. R.

• It's OK to Be Different

  Funded Aug 23, 2014

  Thank you so much for helping me begin my year off on the right foot. I have a very diverse and exciting class this year. Many of my students are form the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Jamaica, Ghana and New York City.

  Our first activity was to make ourselves to place around our class pledge. The color pencils were wonderful! As you can see in the photograph, the children were very creative when making themselves. We read books to learn about countries from all over the world. It was very motivating to have books at their level about countries they have been to or their parents are from. One of my little boys called out very excitedly when he was building schools with the blocks and had a block person dress ad his mother does. As you can see it was a wonderful way to welcome them to first grade.

  As the year has progressed, we have used the materials to support how we learn differently. I have a precious little girl pick the yellow soft seat and sit by herself as she tries to read. She has been able to do this herself because of your generosity. We use the charts and wipe off pockets every day in the word work center. We are able to have four different word work groups with their own weekly words using the supplies you gave us.

  I cannot properly express my gratitude. You have given us the most wonderful gift.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. R.

  This classroom project was brought to life by Gates Foundation Back To School and 55 other donors.

• Help Plant Some Seeds of Learning!

  Funded Jul 20, 2014

  Thank you so much for helping me bring nature into our classroom. When your items were delivered one of my little ones exclaimed it was like Christmas! The science materials have allowed us to look at the life cycle of apple trees and pumpkins. This is the first year that not one child said pumpkins came from the grocery store. They all know how plants grow and love to use their new vocabulary such as soil and sprouts. This will continue all year. I look forward to starting our garden in the spring.

  They love the Hot Dots that gives them instant feedback if they are correct or not. It has been wonderful to have them and other independent learning centers so that the children can research and explore plants. They truly are scientist.

  You have given my children a gift that will help provide them with a rich education and allow them to be exited about learning. That is the best gift any teacher could ask for. From the bottom of my heart I thank you.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. R.

• Help Us Become a Class of Readers

  Funded Aug 28, 2014

  We were so excited to receive our first piece of mail this week! Thank you so much for putting the look of excitement on my little ones' faces.

  We used our first Scholastic Magazine whole group to review the features, how to read a nonfiction magazine and use the on line resources. We learned that we will be scientist this year and what tools we will use. I went home and wrote my lessons plans to have a day of germs. We used Science Spin to reinforce what we are learning about germs and what we can do to stay healthy.

  The remaining issues will be used to support our learning. We will be learning about apples this week and our Investigating Apples magazine will be a great resource. Our current unit of study is how to be a citizen in school. The I SPY Good Citizens will be used in a small group center so the students can begin to work independently with the magazines. I was very excited to see the David Shannon magazine. He is a favorite author of ours and we will be doing an author study in October to learn about him as a mentor in Writer's Workshop.

  As this first delivery has fit in perfectly with our learning, I am looking forward to our future issues. Every month I will be sending you thoughts of gratitude. I appreciate all you have done for my children.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. R.

  This classroom project was brought to life by Gates Foundation Back To School and 4 other donors.

• Please Help Take My Little Ones to Outer Space

  Funded Mar 13, 2014

  My special one, 'J', has been checking the UPS tracking web site since we received notification our package was on its way. Yesterday, they were so excited to receive mail. I went home and rewrote my lesson plans to include our new materials, created a sign out sheet so that I can share the books with the other first grade teachers, and put the software on my laptop.

  I have had my little ones for two years. Today's literacy block was one of the quietest we have ever had. All twenty-eight were amazed, eager to learn and trying new things. Children that had been reluctant to read or 'stuck' on level G were reading harder books. 'D' stated that her nonfiction planet book is going to be even better because she has more to research.

  Y'all have no idea the impact you have made on my little ones. Everyone that comes in our room is given a tour of the materials that my friends have given them. We have brainstormed a way to pay it forward and are now collecting box tops to donate to a local Catholic school that participates in that program.

  Please~ if you are ever in the area, feel free to stop by and see us learn with your help.

  teresa”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. R.

  This classroom project was brought to life by 100 Women in Hedge Funds and 8 other donors.