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This teacher needs your help!

Mrs. Cruz from Saint Paul, MN is requesting educational kits & games through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Mrs. Cruz is requesting

The Science of Reading

Help me give my students hands-on, multi-sensory, and fun experiences with reading and writing with sand trays, paint pallets, mirrors, and alphabet manipulatives.

  • $492 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Mrs. Cruz has another project! Donate to It’s Just a Game! to help her classroom.

$303 - complete this project and be a hero
Help Mrs. Cruz

Mrs. Cruz has another project! Donate to It’s Just a Game! to help her classroom.

$303 - complete this project and be a hero

My Project

By the time students exit elementary school, most are not proficient in reading. As a passionate educator, it is my duty to change that statistic. I have recently completed LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) with the Minnesota Department of Education and Lexia Learning.

Reading is a science, and with a well educated teacher, 95% of students CAN learn how to read.

This is due to a lack of knowledge around literacy, and a reliance on curriculums that do not address underlying issues. Throughout my LETR training it is evident how much phonemic awareness impacts reading.

The students at my school deserve these materials to change the trajectory of their lives as it pertains to education. These materials will give students a hands-on, multisensory approach to phonemic awareness and phonics instruction. For example students will use the magnetic sticks and clear plastic chips to count out the sounds in a word and place a chip out for each sound they hear, then take the magnetic wand and clear the chips up by saying the word. With your help students will be able to practice explicit letter formation using the sand trays to practice writing upper/lower case letters, use the compact mirrors to look at their mouth while making sounds, paint pallets to paint letters of sounds they hear, many hands on alphabet manipulatives to create fun throughout our classroom. This type of instruction will create daily sensory opportunities for my students. This will help solidify their learning by creating kinesthetic memory pathways and fine motor practice. The materials will also keep my students engaged and make learning fun!

Mrs. Cruz Global Arts Plus - Lower 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. Cruz

Saint Paul, MN View local requests

More than half 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

26 students impacted 2donors

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

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Bambeani Montessori Sand Tray with Flashcard Holder and Flashcards | Play Sand & Wooden Stylus | Kids Wooden Toys | Montessori Toys | Tactile & Sensory Toys for Alphabet Learning • Amazon Business $32.99 2 $65.98
2 Pack Paint Pallet for Acrylic Painting,Plastic Watercolor Mixing Tray,20 Well Paint Palettes Tray Rectangle,13 x 10 inch Paint Pallets for Kids Students All Levels • Amazon Business $11.99 3 $35.97
Compact Mirror Bulk, Round Makeup Mirror for Purse, Set of 24 (4-Color) • Amazon Business $15.89 2 $31.78
Elite Montessori Lower and Capital Case Sandpaper Letters with Boxes • Amazon Business $29.99 1 $29.99
Coogam Letters Matching Eggs 26PCS ABC Alphabet Color Recoginition Sorter Puzzle Easter Travel Bingo Game Uppercase Learning Educational Fine Motor Skill Montessori Gift for Year Old Kids • Amazon Business $24.98 1 $24.98
Lilias CVC Flashcards, CVC Word Builders, Toddler Learning Toys, Learning Supplies for Kindergarten Preschool, 126 Cards, 4.3 X 3 inch • Amazon Business $23.99 1 $23.99
Panda Brothers Wooden Alphabet Tracing Board - Montessori Letters for Learning to Read and Write, Fine Motor Development and Educational Toy for Kids, ABC Reversible Uppercase and Lowercase Letters • Amazon Business $19.95 1 $19.95
MOLIMOLLY Pack of 6 Rainbow Magnetic Wand Set for Kids with Magnet Bar, Use for , Science Experiments, Bingo, Fridge, and Magnetic Concepts, Homeschool Supplies ，Age 3+ • Amazon Business $17.09 1 $17.09
Joyreal Sight Word Games, Wooden Spelling Games Preschool Toys Educational Montessori Matching Letter Alphabet Slide Puzzle with Learning Flash Cards for Toddlers Kindergarten 3 4 5 6 Year Old Gift • Amazon Business $15.99 1 $15.99
Sound Box Mats and Chips 24 Pcs Dry Erase Mats and 84 Pcs Chips Phonemic Awareness Phonics Games Reading Games EZread Sound Box Mats and Chips (Bright Style,Cardboard) • Amazon Business $14.99 1 $14.99
Junior Learning JL178 CVC Builders Activity Cards • Amazon Business $14.81 1 $14.81
EE258 - Tactile Letters - Uppercase • Lakeshore Learning Materials $14.39 1 $14.39
EE259 - Tactile Letters - Lowercase • Lakeshore Learning Materials $14.39 1 $14.39
30 Phone Grip Holder with Double-Sided Sticker Phone Finger Expanding Stand Holder for Almost Phones Cases (Black) • Amazon Business $13.39 1 $13.39
Pllieay 60pcs 15 Colors 2 Inch Very Large Assorted Pom Poms Arts and Crafts for DIY Creative Crafts Decorations • Amazon Business $12.99 1 $12.99
Push and Pop Bubble Ten Frame Math Fidget Sensory Toy (Pack of Six) • Amazon Business $10.99 1 $10.99
Golden Apple, 2oz clear plastic cups. Disposable Mini Cups, Plastic Shot Glasses, Jello Shot Party Tumblers – 50count. BPA Free. • Amazon Business $8.88 1 $8.88
LEARNING ADVANTAGE-7253 Transparent Plastic Counters - Steel-Ringed - Set of 50 - Magnetic - Assorted Colors - Great for Kindergarten, Sensory Play and Light Panels • Amazon Business $4.69 1 $4.69

Materials cost

$375.24

Vendor shipping charges

 $6.49

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$5.63

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$417.36

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$73.65

Total project goal

$491.01

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $491.01

1 Donor

-$245.50

Donations toward project cost

-$208.68

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$36.82

match offer

-$245.51

Match offer toward project cost

-$208.68

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$36.83

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$0.01

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

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

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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 Mrs. Cruz and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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