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This teacher needs your help!

Mrs. Gauci from East Palo Alto, CA is requesting educational kits & games through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Mrs. Gauci is requesting

Hands-On Learning During a Pandemic

Help me give my students hands-on learning with homemade play dough and play dough tools.

  • $595 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

Celebrate Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Students

My students are energetic kids with a love of learning. Over 90% of my students come from low-socioeconomic families. A large percentage of them meet the definition of homeless. Their parents are struggling to pay rent and get food on the table. They are working necessary jobs for us and for their families. My kindergartners worry about their well being, and yet, they still want to explore, create, read, and write! They want to learn and grow.

During this pandemic, my students are sheltering in place with some basic classroom supplies and some books.

I want them to continue to be safe and stay healthy as they work hard to learn to read, learn to use technology, and at the same time learn language arts, math, science and social studies.

My Project

Kindergartners learn by doing and touching. This pandemic is going to make hands-on learning difficult. I plan to make my own play dough and send it home with every student. I will also have homemade play dough at school for each individual student so that they can count, create numbers and letters, and spell words without spreading germs.

Personal containers of homemade play dough will help everyone to touch and learn, even during this pandemic!

I will get containers from Dollar Tree for each child. Homemade play dough lasts for a month in the containers. The play dough tools requested in this grant are wipeable and easy to wash, so students can share after a good washing. Because my students will have a set of play dough at home, they will be able to repeat many of our assignments at home. Students can continue to learn at home when they make letters and words with their home stash of play dough. The kool-aid adds color and a great smell! Thank you for considering my grant for your donation.

Mrs. Gauci Costano School & 49Ers Academy Grades PreK-2

Equity Focus

At this school, more than 50% of students are Black, Latino, and/or Native American, and more than 50% come from low-income households. Learn how your donation to this school supports a more equitable education.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More about Mrs. Gauci

East Palo Alto, CA View local requests

More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

24 students impacted 8donors

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Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Mrs. Gauci is requesting.

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
LA299 Learn the Alphabet Dough Mats • Lakeshore Learning Materials $16.99 4 $67.96
LA278 Uppercase Alphabet Number Dough Stampers • Lakeshore Learning Materials $29.99 2 $59.98
LA532 Lowercase Alphabet Dough Stampers • Lakeshore Learning Materials $24.99 2 $49.98
LL688 Learn to Count Dough Mats • Lakeshore Learning Materials $14.99 3 $44.97
McCormick Culinary Cream of Tartar, 25 oz • Amazon Business $21.02 2 $42.04
Gold Medal, All Purpose Flour, Enriched & Bleached, 5lb. (pack of 2) • Amazon Business $19.48 2 $38.96
Kool-Aid Drink Mix Packets Variety Pack of 22 Flavors (2 of each flavor, Total of 44) • Amazon Business $30.00 1 $30.00
LA394 Dough Design Wheels • Lakeshore Learning Materials $12.99 2 $25.98
EA808 EasyGrip Dough Rollers Set of 3 • Lakeshore Learning Materials $9.99 2 $19.98
VR811 Dough Tool Set • Lakeshore Learning Materials $6.99 2 $13.98
DS348 Dough Rollers Set of 10 • Lakeshore Learning Materials $12.99 1 $12.99
DS344 Dough Scissors Set of 10 • Lakeshore Learning Materials $12.99 1 $12.99
Morton Iodized Table Salt - 4lb. Box • Amazon Business $9.92 1 $9.92

Materials cost

$429.73

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $39.32

3rd party payment processing fee

$6.45

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$505.50

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$89.21

Total project goal

$594.71

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $594.71

5 Donors

-$514.81

Donations toward project cost

-$437.59

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$77.22

match offer

-$79.89

Match offer toward project cost

-$67.91

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$11.98

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Gauci and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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