Education Funding Your Way

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This past February I chose four classes (one fifth grade class and three fourth grade classes) to pilot the "Using Social Networking to Inspire Reading" project after receiving two 4th generation iPod touches through the grant funds. After introducing the purpose of the project and modeling how to use the iPods to access book trailers using QR codes, each student had an opportunity to choose a book they were interested in reading about to try it out! The students were so excited to be "the ones" chosen to pilot this project and couldn't wait for their turn. I loved hearing the students' responses after watching the book trailers when I asked them, "Did that trailer make you want to read the book?" In many cases, the students were excited to check out and read the book after viewing the trailer, but there were a few who decided not to read it and try something else. I encouraged their quest for a great book either way. Some students just take a little longer to find a book that is right for them, but, having the extra information about the books in an engaging format makes all the difference.

Since their initial training, these students have been coming down to the library on their own time to sign out the iPods and view book trailers in their search for a great book to read. I have one dedicated parent volunteer who has been scouring the web for book trailers and adding QR codes to as many books as she can find. This is just the beginning! I have had several students in classes I have not yet trained asking about the iPods. The more QR codes we can get on the books, the more students will be able to find just the right book for them. In addition, I have seen students who may not normally pick up a book to read that are motivated to find a book with a QR code so they can find out more about a book in way that appeals to them!

Thank you so much for making this this renewed enthusiasm about reading possible for my students!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Winkley

We are so excited to have received our new iPad thanks to your generous support of our classroom project! When I showed the iPad to my students they were so excited to use it! They couldn't wait to get their turn to try it out! Some of the students knew exactly how to use it and some of them needed some help but they caught on very quickly!

We are using the iPad in a variety of ways, both as a reward by letting them play games and read stories when they have completed their work and as a learning and communication tool with some of the more innovative applications like Choice Board Creator and iclick italk. The Choice Board Creator application has been wonderful for our nonverbal students to allow them to make choices between items at snack time.

This project has helped boost student learning by helping motivate my students that would otherwise be very limited in their communication have a way to communicate their needs and wants with several of the applications available to them. It has helped save me time in my teaching because I can use the camera on the iPad to take pictures of items and have them quickly accessible to use the same day instead of having to print, laminate, and cut them out and not have them available until several days later.

We are so thankful to have this wonderful resource in our classroom thanks to your generous donation. You can know that many students are being reached by the funding of this project and that it couldn't have been done without YOU!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Bartusiak

I can not thank you enough for funding the laminator for my class. My students love having durable items to use in their daily classroom lives.

We use the laminator to make communication pieces, schedule icons, work schedules, and other items that are used daily durable and long lasting. If a student needs a new communication piece I can easily and quickly print out a new one and have it laminated with in a few minutes.

I have seen an increase in active communication attempts from my students now that the communication pieces they use are easier to pick up and last longer. This increase is essential to being part of the school community.

Thank you again for making a difference in the lives of children!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Orsborne

This project was the first one that I was able to open with my class this year. I told them I had some exciting boxes to open and they could hardly contain themselves! When we finally did get to open all of the boxes with our reading games they couldn't wait to get their hands on them. I love seeing kids getting excited about reading and when they saw these big colorful games they were ready to play. We spent an afternoon just exploring the games and getting our hands on them. They loved it and can't wait to really begin using the games in our reading small groups and reading centers.

It is difficult to put into words the gratitude I feel to anyone who is willing to donate to and support my projects. Just knowing that there are people out there willing to donate to my classroom makes me realize that people do care and want our children to succeed. Thank you again for taking the time to make a donation and support my students.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Nikki

We've been working with our puppet theater, puppets and dollhouse for a few weeks now and I can easily say they are a hit! We use the puppet theater and puppets during our whole group reading lessons to retell stories after I read them. We also use the puppets and theater during independent reading centers. The students make up their own stories and they love it! The dollhouse is another tool we use during our school day. I have seen some of my students who have low Oral Language skills just blossom after using the dollhouse during free play and center times. I love that for the most part they would rather play with that and the theater than the computer center!

I cannot say enough to express my gratitude for your support of my classroom. It means so much to know that there are people out there who care enough to donate to a stranger's classroom to help children.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Nikki

We were so excited to receive the Fiskars Fuse Creativity Machine and die shapes! It has been lots of fun already, and the kids are loving being able to cut their own shapes for projects. They are using lots of language to describe what they are doing, taking turns, and asking permission (these are IEP goals for many of my students with special needs). I am grateful that my own hands are being spared, and that my students who are unable to cut well with scissors due to disability get a boost of confidence in being able to cut a shape so neatly. For our first project, the students used the die cutter to cut triangles and circles (which they further cut with scissors into half-circles.) They used those shapes to create sailboats, which are displayed on a board in our classroom to introduce everyone. (It's the photograph, "Meet Our Lil' Navi-Gators". Our school mascot is a navigator with a ship's wheel, which has personified as an alligator.) They love going to the board to proudly show off their work and their picture. We are using the die cutter machine this week to talk about fall and are using the leaf shape that was purchased separately to create fall leaves. We have used the frame shape to display other art pieces, and are anticipating using the machine for many more cutting projects! We are hoping to add more die shapes soon to our classroom to expand how we are able to use the die cutter. Thank you so much for adding such great visual impact to our classroom, creating opportunities for students to express themselves with improved language skills, and giving them new artwork opportunities!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Taylor

The beautiful new tubano arrived last week, and now has been introduced to all of my general music classes. So far, the students have been able to compare the size of this 12 inch drum to the 14 inch and 10 inch that we already owned. They have been able to compare the sound of the instruments, based on the size of the instrument, which is a fundamental of the science of sound.

My second grade students are using the drum right now to discover the difference between playing a steady beat and the rhythm of a song (the way the words go), using the song "Yankee Doodle" and the rhyme "Solomon Grundy."

Having this wonderful instrument to add to the other drums that DonorsChoose donors have provided means that more students are able to play at the same time. Kid who are actively engaged in learning retain so much more than children who have to sit and wait for a turn.

Thank you so very, very much for loving music and sharing that love with my students. We will enjoy this wonderful drum for many years to come!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Jones

First and foremost, thank you for your generosity and all your support. My students were beyond excited to see all the new books, colorful storage bags and Scout the Tag Junior. At first, they didn't know what to make of the Tag Junior reader. After showing them how to turn it on, they were so fascinated that I had to designate who would get it first and remind them to share it. After loading the stories onto the Tag Junior the students selected a book and kept pressing it all over the pages. It was wonderful to see their faces light up as the story was read to them.

We have begun to use these stories and the Tag Junior in our Library center. The students are very excited to use the device and enjoy reading "independently". They will walk up to myself or the instructional assistant and be overjoyed to show us how it works and to read to us. My students are also loving the text and learn Leapfrog device. Many of my students are beginning to learn their letters and love to be able to press a "key" on the device and be able to hear the letter sounds.

I believe that these devices and products were a great addition to my classroom. My students were already excited about reading, but now they can read on their own time, in a cozy corner, and really enjoy the whole experience. These devices are amazing, and allow my students to feel confident about reading. I am so thankful for these devices and most importantly, I am thankful for all of you. Thank you again for providing my students with such amazing resources. We are forever grateful.”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Perry

Thank you so much for your above and beyond donations to support the students and myself for this and many upcoming school years. I have wanted a nice easel to use in my classroom for a while and I am so lucky to have one now! I used it many times last week all throughout the day. I love how it has wheels on it and is so mobile, not to mention the double sided boards that are both magnetic. You are such special people that have not only taken your time but also your hard earned money and put it towards a worthwhile project that has made our life so much easier already! I am very thankful for your generocity!”

With gratitude,

Ms. Andrews