Past projects 10
Lightning Bean Coffee Resurgence
Funded Nov 20, 2024I cannot thank you enough. Lightning Bean Coffee Company is BACK in action! My students were so excited when I told them about their new job opportunity. They loved opening the boxes and setting everything up including hanging up posters in the hall to advertise.
The coffee shop has been in full service since the new year. The students can either be a coffee preparer, pourer, deliverer, or restocker. The students have loved their new jobs and have a sense of pride in their work. They have aprons that we labeled ourselves with our coffee logo and name tags. My favorite thing to see is students problem solving and feeling confident in their work.
Thank you for helping bring this project to life!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Keith
New School Year, New Materials
Funded Aug 14, 2024Thank you thank you thank you!! All these materials have helped supply us for the start of the school year. Something my students look forward to every day is going to the classroom store. They earn "money" during the day when they complete their work and get to go to the store at the end of the day. They get to spend or save their money. This teaches them several skills such as making a choice, communicating what they want, counting money, and saving for the big things (that can be a hard lesson to learn!). Check out our pictures of the store and thank you for helping stock it full of incentives!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Keith
This classroom project was brought to life by The Gates Foundation and 18 other donors.Let's Read!
Funded Apr 18, 2024My students love our additions to our classroom library! We have a quiet choice reading time every day. My students love to choose their favorites from our library, including books about animals, weather, vehicles and places. These new books include real life pictures that expose my students real life topics that are on their reading level and of interest to them. I am also able to pull some of these readings to relate to and expand on our curriculum topics and current events. Thank you so much for bringing new life to our choice reading time!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Keith
New Year, Fresh New Materials
Funded Oct 15, 2019Thank you!! My students were so excited opening these packages filled with goodies.
We have been in school for a couple months and students are now very familiar with routines and expectations. When they finish their work and meet expectations they earn break time and the classroom store where they spend the money they earned during the day. Through this, they learn important skills such as hard work, earning money, counting money, saving money, and making choices. And now they have even more to work for! A popular new break time is the water beads and Playdoh.
We've also put our laminating sheets and pocket protectors to good use! We laminate just about everything as you can see on our calendar and grocery aisles. Thank you so much for supporting our students. They are learning important life skills and lessons!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Keith
Let's Clean It Up!
Funded Jun 16, 2019Thank you so much for your support! These cleaning supplies have helped our classroom in many ways. We work on life and job skills throughout our day such as wiping tables, vacuuming, washing and putting away dishes, and their favorite...cooking! My students feel a sense of responsibility when they have a job to do and they enjoy doing it. Vacuuming has become one of their favorite jobs to have with our new vacuum! These skills help build my students' independence and confidence. Thank you again for supporting my students and classroom!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Keith
Good Hygiene Gets the Job Done!
Funded Jan 7, 2019Thank you so much for supporting my students' new years resolution to have good hygiene! My students were so excited to receive and open all of the packages. They are happy to have their very own hygiene kits.
Each morning, my students complete a hygiene checklist. They have really taken ownership of this new routine. My students are proud of themselves whenever they complete their checklists. Learning these daily living skills has helped my students in so many ways. Gaining independence not only helps my students care for themselves but boosts their self confidence. Thank you again for your generosity!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Keith
Functional and Foundational Resources
Funded Jul 12, 2018Thank you so much for supporting our classroom and students. From day one, my students have and continue to impress me. These resources have set a great foundation for the beginning of the school year.
The primary objective for my students is to gain independence. We work to provide them the tools necessary to meet this goal. Visuals and routines help our students know what to expect. When students learn what to expect, they can grow from there and build upon those skills. The real picture visuals have helped my students understand what comes next in their schedule or where to locate items. The ELA and Math curriculum is formatted the same way throughout each unit which makes it easy for my students to know what is expected. This is crucial as it takes less time for direction and more time on building the skill being worked on.
Thank you again for your support! My students are getting functional instruction as well as working on material and activities they are proud of and enjoy.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Keith
Lightning Bean Coffee Company
Funded Mar 13, 2018Thank you thank you thank you!! Lightning Bean Coffee Company has been a great success. When opening the boxes, my students were thrilled. They were giving me ideas already on expanding to a food truck-- ambitious bunch!
Coffee Barista has become the class favorite job title. Students have taken great pride in preparing the orders and delivering the coffee. Students have worked on job skills such as following directions and prepping their work station. The greatest success has been the students' interactions with their customers. This fosters social skills as well as inclusion, acceptance, and most importantly joy! Teachers have complimented our students' customer service, "the politeness, respect, professionalism, and stellar customer service demonstrated by your students was absolutely outstanding," "it's the best part of my day," "I cannot wait for my next order."
Again, thank you for supporting my students and their passion to work hard and spread joy!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Keith
Bountiful Books
Funded Dec 22, 2017Thank you all so much for your generous support and interest in my classroom. This donation has impacted my students in so many incredible ways!
Introducing these new books into our classroom library has been so exciting and beneficial. All my students receive speech therapy services at least once a week. The new books have been a conversation piece as they are high interest and on reading level! Our class also welcomes general education peers into our class every day for our school-wide "flex period." Both groups of students look forward to this time every day and we do different activities each day of the week. On Tuesdays, we read. With these new books, my students are able to read to their general ed. peers.
Your generous donation has helped my students improve on not only their reading skills but also their social skills.
Thank you again for your support!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Keith
Mindfulness Matters
Funded Sep 28, 2017Thank you all so much for your generous support and interest in my classroom. This donation has impacted my students in so many incredible ways!
When the yoga mats were first introduced to my students, they were a little unsure but curious. Before entering the classroom, I asked my students to remove their shoes, quiet their voices, and find a mat to sit on. Of course there was some laughter. They felt a bit silly and hesitant. However, the more we practiced our mindfulness on the yoga mats, the more comfortable they became. Now it is something they wish we could do every day!
Mindfulness techniques that we have practiced have also helped in real life situations. When my students become angry, frustrated, or are in a dilemma, I ask them to take a step back and I model a deep breath as they follow along. This technique I have now seen some do independently without any prompting!!
Thank you again for your mindful support!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Keith