You're on track to get doubled donations (and unlock a reward for the colleague who referred you). Keep up the great work!
Take credit for your charitable giving! Check out your tax receipts
Donate
To use your $50 gift card credits, find a project to fund and we'll automatically apply your credits at checkout. Find a classroom project
Skip to main content

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

See this teacher's page

This teacher needs your help!

Dr. O'Keefe from New Haven, CT is requesting supplies through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Dr. O'Keefe is requesting

Hands-On Learning in Kindergarten!

My students need appropriate materials to learn and practice letters knowledge, letter sounds and phonemic awareness with a hands-on approach.

  • $391 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Dr. O'Keefe for their next project!

Help Dr. O'Keefe

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Dr. O'Keefe for their next project!

My Students

Kindergarten is no longer just about naps and playtime! It is now all about reading!

My school is an overflow site with 500 students consisting of eight kindergartens, seven 1st, and four 2nd grades.

Most of these students did not attend pre-school and start the school well below academic expectations. Even on the first day of school they are already playing catch-up. I spend most of the first month of school teaching the students how to follow directions and learn routines. Many are underprivileged children who rely on eating breakfast and lunch that is provided by the school. Because we are an overflow site we are lacking basic materials that are staples at other schools. We don't have a stocked supply closet full of all the materials needed for the year. I depend on the sales stores have during the summer for 1 cent folders and 25 cents boxes of crayons. My husband and I visit these stores multiple times to ensure my students have everything they need for the year. My students are amazing children, all they need is a chance to be exposed to great things to be wonderful learners.

My Project

My students need a hands-on approach. They need to have manipulatives in their hands to engage their learning. Having rhyming, beginning sounds and alphabet manipulatives actually in their hands is a huge advantage. Since our day consists of academics, using manipulatives also provides them with a chance to "play" with educational resources. They think they are playing but are actually learning. During our day we have a literacy center and a phonics center time where students work independently on differentiated tasks. Having more materials in the class will allow for more differentiation and more choices.

Reading will be part of my students' lives forever.

It is important that they learn the fundamentals now and in an age appropriate way. My students have so little in their lives and I want to ensure that their time in the classroom is engaging and enriched with multiple ways of learning.

Dr. O'Keefe Barack Obama Magnet University School Grades PreK-2

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More about Dr. O'Keefe

New Haven, CT View local requests

Nearly all 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

26 students impacted 20donors

Boost your odds

Add a profile photo in addition to your classroom photo. If you add a photo, it'll show up right here on your project page.

You are more likely to receive funding if you put a face to your name.

Upload a photo

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

You donate directly to the teacher or project you care about and see where every dollar you give goes.

Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Dr. O'Keefe is requesting.

See our finances

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
HH879 - Linking Letter Monkeys - Lowercase • Lakeshore Learning $29.95 1 $29.95
FF448X - Single Line Write & Wipe Board - Set of 10 • Lakeshore Learning $18.50 3 $55.50
LA234 - Uppercase Letter Practice Write & Wipe Board • Lakeshore Learning $5.99 6 $35.94
LA233 - Lowercase Letter Practice Write & Wipe Board • Lakeshore Learning $5.99 6 $35.94
HH765 - Linking Number Monkeys • Lakeshore Learning $29.95 1 $29.95
AA412 - Ending Sounds Phonemic Awareness Box • Lakeshore Learning $39.95 1 $39.95
AA413 - Rhyming Sounds Phonemic Awareness Box • Lakeshore Learning $39.95 1 $39.95
HH878 - Linking Letter Monkeys - Uppercase • Lakeshore Learning $29.95 1 $29.95

Materials cost

$297.13

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$4.46

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$331.59

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$58.52

Total project goal

$390.11

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $390.11

15 Donors

-$390.11

Donations toward project cost

-$331.59

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$58.52

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

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

View complete list Show less

Give the most requested basic supplies

See teacher requests

Give back to your community

Find opportunities to impact local needs by exploring a map of classroom projects near you.

See local area

Project Activity

Project Activity
Back to top

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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 Dr. O'Keefe and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

See how DonorsChoose works
{"pmaHash":"","showProjectRecommendations":true,"leadGenEnabled":true,"hideTeacherDetails":false,"schoolState":"CT","teacherPossessivePronoun":"their","PMsManager":null,"schoolGradeType":{"id":1,"name":"Early Education"},"TeacherPMForms":{},"completingDonationAmount":0,"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"proposalURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/project/hands-on-learning-in-kindergarten/885756/","mayHaveReplacements":false,"numStudents":26,"isEquityFocusV1":true,"teacherScreenName":"Dr. O'Keefe","isEquityFocus":true,"proposalHash":"222560377","isApplePayMobileOnly":true,"progressBarPercentage":100.00,"photosPublished":true,"queryString":"","DonorPMForm":null,"shouldTrackEquityFocusV2":true,"schoolCity":"New Haven","teachersOnPage":[434523],"isTeacherViewingTheirOwnProject":false,"minimizedLeadGenEnabled":true,"proposalId":885756,"proposalMessageFormModel":null,"numActiveProjects":0,"verifyShowPhotos":"","eligibleToBeCopied":false,"authorIds":{"434523":{"owner":"Dr. O'Keefe","donationSalutations":{}}},"displayedPercentFunded":1.0,"proposalsOnPage":[885756],"pmaId":"","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp434523_272x272.jpg?width=136&height=136&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1529770575823","teacherHasProfilePhoto":true,"currentWorkflowStatusCode":21,"teacherChallengeId":123932,"isApplePayEnabled":true,"fundedByTarget":false,"activeProject":null,"donorIdsForImpactPhotoCheck":["MTY5NDAyMg==","MTcwNDM5Mw==","MTY5MzkxMA==","MTcwODE1NA==","MTcwODI0OA==","NTczNDI0","MTEyOTgwNQ==","MTY5NDMyMw==","NDg5NDU3","MTcwMjEwMA==","MTU2OTkwNQ==","MTcwODUyOQ==","NzYyNTM5","MTEzNTE1OA==","MTUzMzM0Nw=="],"teacherId":434523,"schoolCounty":"New Haven","fullyFunded":true,"isStudentLed":false,"isExpired":true,"schoolStateObj":{"code":"CT","name":"Connecticut"}}