Mikey Dobin's Mustache

Edit title

I cannot thank you enough for your generous donation. The rechargeable batteries and chargers are being used to power our Leappads. This summer I was able to send two Leappads home with students who I have again in my class this year. During the summer I met with the students three times to give them new books to read on the Leappads and provide freshly charged batteries for them to use. I tested both students at the end of May and again in August when they returned to school. I was pleased to see that using the Leappads over summer made a difference in their reading already!

There is a bank of four Leappads in the classroom which students love to choose as their Workshop time activity. They are so enthusiastic and were thrilled when I told them they would get to take them home to use during the year. I have started sending the Leappads home as students have had a chance to learn how to use them in the classroom, and their parents have been trained in their use as well. Students will be able to exchange books to read and record the books they have read on a "Leappad Reading Log." They will also be able to exchange for freshly recharged batteries as needed.

With your generous support, my students have access to books that can "read to them" using appropriate pronunciation. As they begin to read the words themselves, the Leappad can read the words they do not already know, and they can check their pronunciation on the words they can read. I cannot wait to see their reading results this year. This is a wonderful tool to create excitement about learning and with the new rechargeable batteries, they will be able to use them at home as well as in school. Thank you again for your support of reading!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Sowden

Thank you so much for your recent contribution to my classroom! We received our document camera, and it was a huge hit. When it arrived, the students were ecstatic. They opened the box, read through the manual, and set everything up themselves. They even wanted to miss recess to finish installing the software!

Once everything was up and running, they loved using the document camera in class. They loved displaying their work on the document camera for their peers to see. One highlight was during Science when we used the document camera for our snail observation. We put one of the snails on the document camera, and every student was able to see the snail moving around and then eating. Every kid was engaged, and it was great for everyone to be involved at once instead of having to take turns with the few snails. 

Thank you again for making this resource a reality for our classroom. I can't wait to incorporate it into my teaching for years to come”

With gratitude,

Ms. Richard

Thank you so much for all of your support of our classroom project! All of my students were so excited to see the boxes of magnetic letters and letter tiles arrive in the classroom. They couldn't wait to start using them right away!

In our reading groups, we have been able to do so much more word-work now, and the kids get so excited when I get the letters and whiteboards out to start using them. Having the magnets to manipulate around seems to make learning more fun and enjoyable. What used to seem like boring work, now is exciting! All of my students are benefiting, as will all of my classes in years to come.

We have been overwhelmed with the generosity of Donors Choose donors this year, and are so grateful for your help in providing new materials to us. It really has helped the kids with their spelling and phonics skills. Thank you so much again! ”

With gratitude,

Ms. Dixon

Thank you so much for your generous support of our classroom. It always amazes me when people step in to show children that they really are cared for, which is what each of you did for all of my students. All of the comprehension materials that you helped provide for these kids were very much appreciated.

Third grade is a very tough year for many children, and comprehension is one of the hardest concepts to understand. They know how to read, but struggle with understanding what they are reading. The many games and card sets that you helped get for us have really benefited my students in a big way. They have been able to play games with each other that helped them with the various comprehension strategies. Before our state testing, they were able to practice test prep materials with the many card sets. Overall, they just had a huge variety of new materials to choose from. Instead of fighting to have to learn something, they are now having fun.

We really want to thank you for what you have done for our class. It means a lot to know that people do care for children and their futures. My students are going to work hard to prove to all of you that they can succeed in their futures. Thank you again for your support! ”

With gratitude,

Ms. Dixon

I just want to express to each of you again my sincerest thanks in helping our classroom receive the wonderful fluency centers that we did! My students have absolutely loved partnering up and practicing their fluency with partner scripts and then being able to "perform" their scripts in front of the whole class on a microphone! These scripts and daily fluency passages have helped even my most reluctant readers come out of their shell and not only read, but really pay attention to what they are reading and not rush through it! The students have also loved the new chart that they are tracking their words per minute on! After each timed fluency reading I am always being asked "Do I get to move my soccer ball up?!"

Without your donations, I would not have been able to bring these wonderful learning resources and experiences to my students. My class and I are forever grateful!!”

With gratitude,

Ms. Massie

The kids love them! The center activities have brought excitement to our classroom. The students are learning so much about the English language and how to read. We have used these centers to learn about rhyming, letters, sounds, conjunctions, verbs, nouns, and best of all building a community of learners in our classroom.

The students are excited to share what they have learned. They want to help their friends learn how to read. Our school is 97% poverty and these activities give them a great hands on learning experience. We are facing another tragic budget shortfall again next year and hope that you continue to support Cherokee Heights Elementary in St. Paul, MN. Thank you for giving these resources to kids that want them and enjoy them!

Thank you again for supporting children and their learning! YOU ROCK :) (as the kids would say)

Warmly,

Mrs. Mc”

With gratitude,

Mrs. McBride

Thank you so much for your generous donations to my classroom. The Deluxe CD and Cassette Listening Center, picture books and CD Read Alongs are helping my students reach their reading potential. My kids were so very excited when these items arrived.

The students are listening to the stories independently thus increasing their reading fluency as well as their listening skills. They are developing good reading skills which are essential for them to become independent and fluent readers. The Listening Center and Read Alongs have allowed my students to work in smaller groups at their own pace, building self-confidence and skills essential to reading. These kids are excited about being able to read by themselves.

Please know without your support and contributions, the Listening Center for my students would have just been a dream. Thank you for making the dream come true! Your sponsorship has made and will continue to make a difference in the lives of the students at my school.

I hope the photos that I have uploaded will give you a glimpse of the enjoyment my students are having.

Thanks again for your generous support! ”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Williams

What started as a simple gift to our school Librarian has blossomed into more than I could have ever hoped or wished for. The collaboration between myself, the art teacher, and the librarian has spread to encompass the whole school. Everyone who heard about it wanted to get involved, visit the website, view the art work, and vote.

As our contest draws to a close, we invite you to visit our website to see what we have accomplished and which books were important enough to make the final cut. The website is www.is278.org. Keep checking back for up to the date info on the final days of the project. Without your generous donation, we could not have hoped to have these bookmarks professionally printed so that each child will be able to cherish theirs for years to come. ”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Kieran

Thank you all again for your generous donation. My students have been using the nonfiction library, which also included a rack and checkout system, for a few months now and they absolutely love it. My students have acquired a true love for reading this year and this library has been a really special gift.

Reading is a subject where students start the year at multiple levels and progress throughout the year at different paces. The library I had prior to your donation was made up of older books consisting of mainly books that were fiction. This new library not only allows students to choose an appropriate book for their particular reading level, it also provides expository text. I've used it to teach students how to responsibly check in and out books on their own as well. Not only are these books engaging, they also provide an independent activity when the students complete a book so I can gage their comprehension.

Thank you again for providing this invaluable resource for my classroom! ”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Bucey