Mr. Lavezzo's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 80

• Clean Water, Clean Air, and Something to Eat!

  Funded Dec 14, 2018

  Today I was able to pass out the first round of snacks during recess. I can't express how great it was to be able to do something to satisfy the hunger of the many kids who usually watch other kids eat. Teachers see many situations during the day that have nothing to do with academics, but are often much more pressing. These well-being and nurturing details should be done at home, but unfortunately, very often they are not.

  Thanks to you I can feed these kids, and as a result they can concentrate on learning instead of lunch time.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Lavezzo

  This classroom project was brought to life by Salesforce.org and 2 other donors.

• Do We Really Have to Go Back in There?

  Funded Dec 6, 2018

  We have just received the very large box, and took a collective deep breath as we saw the air purifier contained therein.

  Please be assured that your donation and caring will affect the well being and comfort of many children for years to come. As their teacher, I am also grateful that I will also benefit from fresh air inside the classroom. Although there really is no substantial proof that air purifiers have any effect on preventing colds and the flu , I can't help but believe that breathing clean air in the classroom will keep all of us much more healthy, and that will also help our immune systems fight for us.

  Thanks again,”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Lavezzo

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

• A Peaceful Green Place... My Classroom?

  Funded Dec 3, 2018

  So my work in progress, peaceful green place, is being delivered little by little by our grateful vendors. I wanted to take a moment and thank you again for your quick and generous response to this proposal. In our very hurried school environment, it is very necessary to provide children with a bit of quiet, and rest. Although they sometimes resist the urge to relax, they eventually do-and after they re-emerge ready to concentrate and ready to learn. This generation of children are in school for so much of the day, that we need to transform the classroom into an extension of "home." This is my intention. I want to sincerely thank you for helping.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Lavezzo

• A Meditation Corner for Over-Stimulated Minds...

  Funded Oct 25, 2018

  One of the most gratifying things about proposing projects on Donorschoose, is I get to explain the process to my students. It is, of course, wonderful to get the items I've requested, but it is also an amazing lesson to learn. The fact that so many people, ( quite often complete strangers) support our children's education, is humbling. Sometimes, those that dictate a child's curricular needs in school overlook the most basic necessities of a child's life-belonging, security, and comfort. I try and make a great place for my students to spend the day. Kids recognize when a place is designed for them...I want them to feel at home in my room.

  Thank you for helping me do just that. I really appreciate you so much.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Lavezzo

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 4 other donors.

• What is it Like to Read a Hardcover Book?

  Funded Feb 9, 2018

  There are no real words that can convey how appreciative I am for your generosity. Quality literature is very important to teachers, especially in fourth grade. My students are now starting to appreciate the small nuances of text, including theme and genre. They need great examples of text so they can learn to make inferences. This is perhaps one of most difficult aspects of language arts to teach. I have included pictures of the books so you can see what the students will be reading because of you very special and wonderful people........”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Lavezzo

  This classroom project was brought to life by Golden State Fund and 8 other donors.

• Can I Read it Comfortably?

  Funded Nov 1, 2017

  There are no real words that can convey how appreciative I am for your generosity. Quality literature is very important to teachers, especially in fourth grade. My students are now starting to appreciate the small nuances of text, including theme and genre. They need great examples of text so they can learn to make inferences. This is perhaps one of most difficult aspects of language arts to teach. I have included pictures of the books I ordered so you can see what the students will be reading because of you.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Lavezzo

• How Did They Build Them?

  Funded Apr 29, 2017

  A while back, I wanted to make report writing a bit more interesting for my fourth graders. The curricula came sometimes be dry and monotonous reading about various inventions and how they impacted the United States and the world. I also knew I wanted my students to work more with their hands, because most of the art they were doing centered around drawing and painting. I saw their enthusiasm when I gave them building blocks (at fourth grade level.)

  As a child I was encouraged to build scale models, and I remember how reading details and fitting pre-cut pieces was a huge challenge. I wanted to give this challenge to my students, to make Social Studies fun and something to look forward to-These models have helped me accomplish that goal. This is the third time they have been funded, and I am so grateful to have them every year.

  Thanks for your continued support and generosity.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Lavezzo

  This classroom project was brought to life by Salesforce.com Foundation and one other donor.

• What Are We Doing Here?

  Funded Jul 4, 2017

  This was an incredibly innovative way to get student's attention. In the past, I had tried multiple methods to help kids maintain the attention span needed to read an agenda item. Often they would glance at the very uninteresting white or chalk board and the short term to long term memory transfer would simply not take place. They would then have to ask "what are we doing now?" and a smooth transition would not happen. Confusion and frustration would further complicate the situation. Now as you can see, my class comes prepared because this lighted restaurant menu highlights what they need to do, and when they need to do it.

  Amazed and grateful for how well it works...”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Lavezzo

• Tales of a Fourth Grade Teacher

  Funded Feb 7, 2017

  These books will be a welcome addition to my seriously depleted classroom library. These days, there is even more emphasis on the accessibility of quality texts in the classroom. The Call of the Wild competes with Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and a number of other "graphic novels" that grab the attention of a child by showing them what is being described. I have tried to select some titles that will allow me to create a group experience. My intent is get the children to imagine, and compare their own understandings through visualizations that are more personal.

  I intend to use the books to continue the writer's workshop projects you see in the photos I've included.

  Thank you for supporting these children, and Donorschoose.org!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Lavezzo

• What Did She Say? Can You Repeat That Again?

  Funded Sep 16, 2016

  Dear Donors,

  I've now had the opportunity to use the PA system you so generously provided. I really can't explain how the introduction of this technology to my classroom has positively impacted student learning. When students are able to hear their own voices, they can adjust the pitch and clarity of their voices, and this makes them not only better public speakers, but better speakers in general. I've also used the system to place audio novels. This has helped my visually impaired student access great literature. I've only just begun to explore the new aspects of learning the system provides.

  Thank you for helping me be a better teacher!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Lavezzo