Past projects 5
Classroom Snacks
Funded Aug 3, 2023Thank you so much for funding this project! It feels wonderful to be starting off the school year with snacks to help my students as they transition from summer vacation and begin their new chapter as second graders. How wonderful to know that even people they have never met care so much about them!”
With gratitude,
Ms. G.
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 4 other donors.Arts and Snacks: Fueling Our Learning
Funded Nov 27, 2018Thank you so much for your incredible generosity! The students were so excited when the Donors Choose boxes arrived filled with snacks and art supplies.
Your generous donations have enabled us to build a stronger sense of community, as we celebrate our achievements and accomplishments together. We have had publishing parties where we shared our writing and had delicious snacks like fruit snacks and pretzels to enjoy, as well as tasty snacks during celebrations of good behavior and acts of kindness.
In addition, your donations have enabled us to do so many more art projects than ever before! Students were amazed by all the different materials they could use creatively to make representations of their learning. We used felt, paper squares, tissue paper, and pipe cleaners to make the parts of a plant as we learned about their functions and purpose. We built models of different types of communities in Social Studies. We made beautiful covers for our writing using watercolor paints or paper squares to make mosaics!
We are now studying U.S. symbols and how they relate to our country and we getting ready to use these art supplies to create our own personal symbols to represent us. Doing all these art projects has helped students become more creative and expressive, and we can't thank you enough for your help making it all happen!”
With gratitude,
Ms. G.
This classroom project was brought to life by An anonymous donor and 7 other donors.Healthy Snacks for Hungry Learners
Funded Oct 23, 2017Thank you for your incredible generosity! Our snacks arrived and the students were very excited to try all of the healthy treats you helped provide for them. So far, their favorite are the nut-free chocolate chip cookies!
These snacks have been helpful to have in a pinch when a student was unable to focus because their tummy was growling from a missed meal. They have also been a great treat for the class after we finished our work. The students really enjoy having a snack while they are reading independently. Recently, we also broke out the snacks after we finished creating replicas of famous landmarks to celebrate our hard work. In addition, it puts our mind at ease to have allergen-free snacks on hand so that our students with allergies can always be a part of our celebrations.
We can't thank you enough for deciding to donate to our classroom!”
With gratitude,
Ms. G.
Support Second Grade Science
Funded Dec 2, 2016For the past month, the students in second grade have been very busy learning all there is to know about the planets in our solar system! Their inquisitive minds have truly amazed me as they used books and websites to research complex facts about the atmospheres, composition, and rotation and revolution of the planets. They can even tell you the origins of the names of the planets! Did you know Mars gets its name from the Roman god of war due to its red color, the color of blood in battle?
After all of their hard work reading and writing about the planets, their eyes truly lit up when dozens of boxes of supplies gradually arrived in our classroom. When I opened up the boxes and explained what the materials were for, they cheered!
It was such a rewarding experience having time to allow the students to apply their knowledge and understanding of the planets to an artistic project. First, we used the styrofoam balls and paper mache to create a Solar System mobile. They had an absolute BLAST using the paper mache (something they had never used before) and they could not believe how weird and squishy it felt. It was heartwarming to see them encouraging each other to sculpt the clay slowly and gently around the balls to create the proper texture and physical features of their planet. If you walked in during this project you'd hear squeals of delight and kids saying, "Its okay, just keep trying. Look at mine! See?" Art has a way of activating so many parts of the mind and this activity was great for academic, social, and emotional reasons.
After we made mobiles, the students worked in cooperative groups to create a 3D model of a planet of their choice. They continued to research the physical features of the surface of the planets as well as the layers and compositions of their core. Again, they cheered when they heard we would be using paper mache again.... and they had a blast mixing paint colors to get just the right shade for their planets.
The students also used these experiences to inspire their "How To" writing pieces so that they could teach others how to make these awesome projects. Having an engaging and concrete activity to write about made writing easier and more enjoyable for all students, especially those with limited English proficiency and learning disabilities.
It has been so much fun creating and showcasing all of the children's hard work in science and writing using the arts, and we have YOU to thank for this amazing experience. I hope that reading this letter gave you a glimpse into the joy you brought to over 70 students and I thank you again wholeheartedly on behalf of myself, my students, and the rest of the second grade teachers and students who you have helped.”
With gratitude,
Ms. G.
This classroom project was brought to life by an anonymous donor and 7 other donors.Healthy Snacks for Hungry Learners
Funded Sep 3, 2016Thank you again to all of our generous donors! The snacks arrived shortly after the first few days of school and not a minute too soon! Due to your contributions, we now have a stash of healthy snacks on hand for students who are woozy with hunger and need a pick me up to help them as they work hard to learn.
The children were are very curious to see so many boxes arriving in our classroom and many of them were wondering what might be inside. They cheered when they saw some of their favorites in the box... like yummy apple sauce and popcorn! They have also been enjoying trying some new healthy snacks such as the dried fruit. Many of them were hesitant at first, but learned an important life lesson about trying new things...they are enjoying the new options! Our students with allergies are also pleased that these snacks are 100% safe for them, too!
It has been wonderful to be able to provide a snack to a student in need. Sometimes calming a rumbling tummy can turn a students whole day around. We cannot thank you enough for deciding to donate to our wonderful children and we hope that you felt the same joy in giving as they felt opening your generous gift. Thank you! Muchas gracias!”
With gratitude,
Ms. G.