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!

Ms. McSpadden from Houston, TX is requesting supplies through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. McSpadden is requesting

Write On, Wipe Off, Write Opus

My students need 25 dry-erase lap boards with the music staff printed on it.

  • $400 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Ms. McSpadden for her next project!

Help Ms. McSpadden

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Ms. McSpadden for her next project!

My Students

Practice makes perfect and in the case of writing music notation, nothing could be more true. The simplest way to provide this practice is to use a student sized white board My students need white boards with the staff on them to use when practicing writing music notation.

Our school is a Title 1 school where virtually all of the students are learning English as a second language,receiving free or reduced lunch, or are considered to be "at risk" for dropping out of school.

Many of the students carry two or more of these challenges to learning with them through their school day. As a result, we want to do everything we can to ensure that every moment of their educational day is fully engaged and embedded in hands on learning. My students love to come to music because we sing, dance and play games that are effort-ful and joyful. They also enjoy coming to music because they have the opportunity to be creative. One aspect that they particularly enjoy is learning how to write music notation in preparation for writing their own compositions.

My Project

I am requesting 25 student sized lapboards to be used as part of writing music notation. To explain how we will use these lapboards I'll compare our study of music literacy to language literacy. Literacy starts with language but we'll start at the point when a child starts to learn about letters by manipulating magnet letters, cards and books. It's a big day when a child learns to write their name or copy CAT because learning how to write the letters for yourself is the first baby step in being able to write something original. The same is true for music, music literacy starts with making music, but then we want children to develop an awareness of musical symbols so we use manipulatives too. Then the day comes when a child has a piece of staff paper and a pencil and begins copying their first quarter note. This is the first step to writing something original. We can either use LOTS of staff paper which isn't cheap, or we can use lap boards which can be used again and again.

This project is important because these lapboards will allow my students to practice their music notation easily and actively without being wasteful of time or resources.

Giving my students the opportunity to hone their skills at writing music may one day inspire them to create something that will inspire us all.

Ms. McSpadden Spring Shadows Elementary School Grades 3-5

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 Ms. McSpadden

Houston, TX 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

660 students impacted 1donor

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 Ms. McSpadden is requesting.

See our finances

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Music Stave Lap Boards • Woodwind & Brasswind $12.00 25 $300.00

Materials cost

$300.00

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$4.50

Fulfillment labor & materials

$35.00

Total project cost

$339.50

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$59.91

Total project goal

$399.41

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $399.41

1 Donor

-$399.41

Donations toward project cost

-$339.50

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$59.91

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 Ms. McSpadden and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

See how DonorsChoose works
{"pmaHash":"","showProjectRecommendations":true,"leadGenEnabled":true,"hideTeacherDetails":false,"schoolState":"TX","teacherPossessivePronoun":"her","PMsManager":null,"schoolGradeType":{"id":2,"name":"Elementary School"},"TeacherPMForms":{},"completingDonationAmount":0,"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"proposalURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/project/write-on-wipe-off-write-opus/612253/","mayHaveReplacements":false,"numStudents":660,"isEquityFocusV1":true,"teacherScreenName":"Ms. McSpadden","isEquityFocus":true,"proposalHash":"-423709811","isApplePayMobileOnly":true,"progressBarPercentage":100.00,"photosPublished":true,"queryString":"","DonorPMForm":null,"shouldTrackEquityFocusV2":true,"schoolCity":"Houston","teachersOnPage":[496389],"isTeacherViewingTheirOwnProject":false,"minimizedLeadGenEnabled":true,"proposalId":612253,"proposalMessageFormModel":null,"numActiveProjects":0,"verifyShowPhotos":"","eligibleToBeCopied":false,"authorIds":{"496389":{"owner":"Ms. McSpadden","donationSalutations":{}}},"displayedPercentFunded":1.0,"proposalsOnPage":[612253],"pmaId":"","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp496389_272x272.jpg?width=136&height=136&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1448318687714","teacherHasProfilePhoto":true,"currentWorkflowStatusCode":21,"teacherChallengeId":39517,"isApplePayEnabled":true,"fundedByTarget":false,"activeProject":null,"donorIdsForImpactPhotoCheck":["MzU3OTM2"],"teacherId":496389,"schoolCounty":"Harris","fullyFunded":true,"isStudentLed":false,"isExpired":true,"schoolStateObj":{"code":"TX","name":"Texas"}}