Mrs. Gundlach's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 31

• Great Books for Amazing Students!

  Funded Oct 10, 2019

  Thank you so much for supplying my classroom with this wonderful set of award winning books. We have enjoyed using these books in small book groups and for independent reading this year. Many students are diving into these books, so they can participate in the Battle of the Books this spring. My very diverse class of students is noticing that these books deal a lot with diversity and there is a title that appeals to each and every student.

  There are several favorite titles among my students. One is "The Only Road." This is a great story about two young people who have to escape their village to escape danger and enter the US illegally. This is a very timely book which really shows the reason that people take on this daunting journey. Another favorite was "Front Desk" which is about a young girl whose parents take over running a motel. She gets involved in the process, but the owner of the motel is not very honest and there are many difficulties. Also mentioned as a personal favorite was "The Mighty Odds," "The Goldfish Boy" and "Real Friends."

  Once again, thank you for your generous donation to our classroom. We will continue to read the titles as the year progresses. We really appreciate and are grateful for your contribution to our classroom.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Gundlach

• Making Math Accessible to All Students!

  Funded Sep 5, 2017

  Thank you so very much for providing my fifth grade classroom with TenMarks Premium this year. My 28 students are taking full advantage of this wonderful resource, and we are all very appreciative of this gift to our class.

  TenMarks is a wonderful math resource. There are lessons and assessments to meet all math levels. My students began by taking a fourth grade level test and their personal lessons were built upon their results. For instance, if they scored 90 percent or above, they may get a few review lessons, but for the most part, they would get lessons that would advance what they already know. If they scored in the lower ranges, they would get review lessons for those skills and concepts that they did not fully learn in the lower grades.

  TenMarks has videos and hints for those students who are struggling to understand concepts that they have been assigned. The program also lets me know who is completing assignments during time provided in class, how they are scoring, and what they work on at home.

  Some of my students have already completed over 100 math assignments and are working towards personal goals of 200 or even 1,000 assignments completed. They have really embraced Tenmarks.

  Thank you again for this wonderful gift to our classroom. We appreciate each and everyone who donated so generously.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Gundlach

• Everyone Loves a Good Story!

  Funded Nov 25, 2015

  Thank you for your generous donation to our classroom. These books have provided hours upon hours of entertainment and have helped with our literacy development. They will continue to be well used and loved as the year goes on.

  Every year our school participates in the Battle of the Books which is a friendly competition where our elementary students compete against other schools in the district to see who can recall events from a wide variety of award winning books. This Jeopardy-styled competition happens in May and June and students look forward to it!

  These books will see a lot of usage this year and in years to come. Thank you once again for supporting our classroom. You really made a difference.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Gundlach

• Taking Math to a Higher Level-Getting Personal with TenMarks

  Funded Oct 21, 2015

  I am so grateful to each and every one of you for contributing to our classroom. TenMarks, an online math program, makes a direct impact each and every day in our school, providing students with that extra practice that makes perfect!

  After teaching a lesson, I use TenMarks for that extra practice, extra guidance (videos and hints), and finally for assessing what my students have learned. My students have one-on-one computers at school, so I am incorporating TenMarks into the daily classroom, as well as using it as a homework piece. There are even lessons that I can choose from that I can use to help me get a math concept across to my students. We all know that we live in an era where students are very tech savvy, and they love to be able to use computers to complete their math.

  TenMarks also addresses the fact that students are at different places when it comes to math. My struggling students may have 3rd or 4th grade work in their personal assignments, while my advanced students can be working on 6th or 7th grade topics. This helps me meet all of my diverse group of students' needs.

  Once again, I really appreciate your generosity and kindness in donating to this fabulous classroom. Thanks from the bottom of my heart! My students thank you too!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Gundlach

• Financial Literacy Taught With Literature!

  Funded Sep 29, 2015

  Thank you Donor's Choose, Experian and Kathryn for your contribution to my classroom! I am teaching financial literacy and the love of reading to my wonderful 27 5th graders with these magazines and a bit of accounting.

  The Scholastic Storyworks magazines provide my students will a great reading resource. The articles are well-written and provide both narrative and non-fiction informational reading. Scholastic provides me with wonderful, standard-based teaching plans. I have many options on where I can go with a story, whether it is main idea, key details, theme, or conclusions.

  My students are used to getting a small reward called a 3-B ticket for showing the following behaviors: Be Kind, Be Safe and Be the Best that you can be! I have worked out a credit and debit system with my students this year, where they keep track of their earnings (3-Bs), their expenditures (buying extra papers, missing homework assignments, purchasing supplies). With this currency, I am teaching them responsibility. They rent the magazine from me for 5 tickets at the beginning of the reading period. If they return the magazine to me in good condition, they actually earn 5 tickets. If they don't, they might not get back their deposit or even have to pay more. This has been a big incentive for my students and a learning experience for all.

  Thanks again for your generous donation to my classroom!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Gundlach

  This classroom project was brought to life by Experian and 3 other donors.

• STEM Helping Young Scientists Gain Knowledge!

  Funded Apr 5, 2015

  I want to let you know how thankful I am for all the wonderful science resources you provided for our classroom. My students are so excited to learn about the Earth, Moon and the Sun and are gaining so much understanding with all the hands-on materials.

  We have been using the teaching materials to learn about the relationship between the Sun, the Earth, and the Moon. We spent a couple of days outside with the compasses, getting solid on the changing times of sunrise and sunset. They are learning more about the phases of the Moon and the planets in our solar system.

  The illuminated model of the Sun, Earth, and Moon really helps to seal in the ideas of orbits, revolution, and rotation. I look forward to using all these materials as the year progresses.

  Thanks again! I appreciate your generosity very much!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Gundlach

  This classroom project was brought to life by South King County STEM Network and 3 other donors.

• STEM Building: A Hands-On Science Experience Classroom!

  Funded Apr 5, 2015

  Thank you so much for the wonderful K'nex kits, Whisperphones and the books that were given to my class. With all the supplies I received this year, I was able to provide each student with a rich learning experience.

  My students enjoyed learning about simple machines and using their engineering skills to build machines such as elevators. The K'nex provides my students with hands-on experiences that challenge them and build upon their teamwork skills.

  The Whisperphones allow pairs of students to read together at their own pace and not disturb others around them. I can use these not only during science, but in language arts, social studies, and anytime I want partners to work quietly together.

  Thanks again for your generosity! I look forward to using these supplies again in the coming years!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Gundlach

  This classroom project was brought to life by South King County STEM Network and 2 other donors.

• Living in a Digital World Requires Technology!

  Funded Oct 10, 2014

  Thank you so much for this wonderful investment in our classroom learning! Our new I-pads are used daily for multiple purposes!

  We use them for math when we are working on our new math technology programs. Students take reading assessments on them after they finish their independent reading. At recess, they play educational games and use the apps, such as Sky Guide and the frog dissection program. We have had fun taking pictures of each other during classroom celebrations and during classroom science observations. Students use them for research, to learn more about grammar and language, and in many other ways.

  These I-pads have been a great addition to our classroom and I look forward to learning more ways to use them in our classroom. Thank you so much!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Gundlach

• Building Bridges To Scientific Knowledge!

  Funded Sep 15, 2014

  My students are so excited about the bridge building kits! While we haven't had a chance to use them yet, they know they will be getting some hands-on bridge building experience soon.

  In the past, I have had student build toothpick bridges for our science fair. The students study some different bridge types and build a bridge model to test for strength. This has been a project that is fun, but also teaches the importance of being a team player and problem solving. With these new building kits, my students will get hands-on experience with all the different bridges out there. Toothpick bridges lend themselves only to the truss style of bridge. I am hoping that these kits will teach more about the benefits of different bridge styles.

  Thanks again for your generosity! I am so appreciative of your gift to our classroom!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Gundlach

• Battling Our Way to Literacy!

  Funded Aug 22, 2014

  Thank you so much for donating these wonderful books to our classroom. When they first arrived, they couldn't wait until I had them out in the library - they wanted to take them out of the boxes themselves! My students are checking them out, reading them, and are enjoying them so much!

  My students are expected to read every night, so these books are getting plenty of use. They take them home, read them, and take the Accelerated Reader Quizzes after they finish, which helps them meet my independent reading requirement.

  These books are helping build reading fluency, increasing their comprehension and are providing my students access to many different genres. I cannot thank you enough! I am so appreciative of this gift!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Gundlach

  This classroom project was brought to life by Gates Foundation Back To School and 6 other donors.