Christmas Break, Day 6

First order of business today was to disconnect my land-line. I called AT&T and spoke to Miss Cooper. She was very pleasant and very helpful. When all was said and done, I received a lower rate on my monthly charges for the land-line, and the internet services. My bill is half what it was before and lower than if I had canceled the land-line and just had the internet service. So, while we are not going to use the land-line any longer, it was cheaper to leave it connected!

I am happy with that!

Since the end of the calendar year is upon me, I went in search of a project on DonorsChoose.org that I could donate to. I remember the thrill of receiving the email from DonorsChoose that informed me that a project of mine had been funded. I wanted to give that thrill to another teacher this year.

If you check out my Giving Page, you will see a number of projects from Tennessee that have just a few days left to be funded before they expire. Some of the projects only require a small amount.

Bing has joined up with DonorsChoose again to help fund projects. If you go HERE you will be able to request a $$5.00 code from Bing that can help fund a project. One per email address!!
I used my $30 in codes and a little of my own money to fund a project in Knoxville TN!
( I think my own heart skipped a beat when I funded the project-just knowing how the teacher will feel!).

With my in-laws arriving tomorrow, house cleaning was accomplished. I dusted, washed, wiped, sorted, picked up items, took out compost, took out recycling, took out freecycling and vacuumed (although that was after Vince woke up!)

I also made a set of cotton produce bags! These were 4 simple fat quarters this morning. A friend had brought them back from Hawaii for me and while I loved them, I had no idea what to do with them. So, here they are in their new life! There are two large ones, each is a fat quarter folded in half. There are 4 smaller bags, those are fat eighths folded in half. (Or half of a fat quarter folded in half!!) I used cotton twine that I had left over from another project to make the draw string ties. The tare weight on the big bags is 1 ounce, while the smaller ones vary from 0.5 of an ounce to 0.6 of an ounce. The heavier ones are the black batik bags. I like them and now can use these for my produce instead of my small tote bags that don't close nicely! As a bonus, they all fold up and fit inside one of the smaller bags.


The final crafty activity for tonight was putting the bells on the evergreen wreath that I purchased earlier this week at Duncan's Christmas Tree Farm.



Until tomorrow, have a good night!

Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it. Groucho Marx

Our class is so fortunate!

Once again, Sonic completed my project! Although they were not the only ones who contributed to the funding here. There were individual donors (like Sherry and Deborah and others) as well as everyone who participated in the Bing promotion earlier this summer.
The funding of this project truly shows that it takes many people to successfully educate the youth of our country.

So, now onto the next phase of our project. Before we actually put them into full use, we have to thank our donors. Once all of the materials arrive, we write thank you notes and take photographs of the students using the materials from the projects.

Permissions slips have been sent home and I have quite a number of them back already. These are required before I can take pictures of any student and publish them on DonorsChoose. The students are all required to write a thank-you note, which fits with our education standards which require them to know how to write a friendly letter. Each student is required to write a thank you note, as they are graded! Some think that if they do not return the permission slip, they do not have to write the notes! Wrong.

I have already received the materials for the "Save Me!" project: These arrived on Friday. The kids were a little underwhelmed by them, but once they understand what these items will do, they will be more excited.





Our Standing Desk has been purchased, I am anxiously awaiting its arrival. I have already warned Vince that he may be needed for assembly!

Limeades for Learning Update

A HUGE thank you to everyone who voted for "Save Me!" during the first week of Sonic's Limeades for Learning promotion.

I received notice on Friday that "Save Me!" has been funded by Sonic!

Well, actually, I was on the Limeades site, checking to see how many votes the project had. I did a search and only one project showed up in the search results. I was confused and then had that little thrill that told me that "maybe" the project had been funded.


Sure enough, when I checked my school email in-box, there was the notice!
http://www.limeadesforlearning.com/projects/view/396383

I did the happy dance
And then proceeded to let everyone on Facebook know that we had been successful!

I know that without everyone's help and votes, this project would still be pending. I am glad that I have wonderful friends and family, and that my friends and family have wonderful friends and family! I know that it takes more than one person to educate a child. Together we all make a difference for our children's future, which is our future.

So, this is a very heartfelt Thank You to each and every one of you who voted last week and who are still voting this week. My other project "Sit,Stand or Lounge?" http://limeadesforlearning.com/projects/view/395955
is at 137 votes and counting. Thank you for voting for my projects.
I hope that once my projects are funded, you will continue to vote for someone's project. If Limeades For Learning reaches 1 million votes before the end of September, they will make another $100,000 available for public school teachers. So, while I will have benefited already, there are thousands of other teachers who will benefit as well.

Thank you.

Limeades for Learning

Yes, folks, Sonic is once again running their Limeades for Learning promotion!

All you need to do is go to the Limeades for Learning site, and vote for your favorite project. I (of course) trust that you will vote for mine!

When you get to the site, do a keyword search for "Chester Co, Tn" and my two projects will pop up.
or go here: Save me!
or here: Sit, Stand or Lounge
You can vote once a day for each email address you have.

Sonic works in conjunction with DonorsChoose.org to help public school teachers obtain supplies and equipment for their classrooms. I have had a lot of luck in getting my projects funded through a variety of programs run by DonorsChoose and their partners. I am endlessly amazed that the generosity of individuals as well as larger corporate sponsors.

Earlier this summer, Bing ran a special Teacher's Appreciation program. During that program, you could make a comment about how a teacher inspired your or affected your life. Bing then sent you a gift card to use at DonorsChoose! FREE! My project Sit, Stand or Lounge was partially funded through that promotion.

Now with Sonic's Limeades for Learning, I am working on receiving enough votes to get both Sit, Stand or Lounge AND Save Me! funded.

SO, I am asking for everyone's help! Go to Limeades for Learning, vote for my project.
Vote every day! If you have more than one email address, vote with each one!

As of right now, Tuesday, the top project has 243 votes. Sit, Stand or Lounge has 15.

Together, we can make this happen.

Thanks

Donors Choose and Sonic: Partners Again!

Last August, Sonic partnered up with DonorsChoose.org in the Limeades for Learning promotion.
I was fortunate enough to have two projects funded through that promotion!

Starting August 30th, drinks at Sonic will have voting codes on them. It is very easy to then go to the Limeades for Learning site and vote for your favorite Public School Teacher's project!

I have created two links on my blog to aid you in finding my projects when you vote for your favorite!

All I am asking is that if you patronize Sonic, know anyone who patronizes Sonic, knows someone who works at Sonic, or want to go to Sonic because you want to support public school teachers, please pass the word along and help out a teacher!

DonorsChoose Project has been FUNDED!

Yesterday, as I was checking up on my DonorsChoose projects, I found that both projects has qualified for a "Double Your Impact offer". That means that half of the funds needed for the project are provided by an organization once other donors fund the remaining half. That was EXCITING!!!!

Then earlier today, I found out that in honor of Presidents' Day, the Pershing Square Foundation is funding history, government, geography and civics projects down to $98--on the condition that citizen philanthropists take these projects across the finish line.

The offer is the first in a new series called "Almost Home," made possible by a $1 million grant from the Pershing Square Foundation. Over the next four months, funding will be implemented as five site-wide "Almost Home" offers, each pegged to a specific theme day. For a limited time each month, "citizen philanthropists" will be challenged to activate matching funds from the Pershing Square Foundation by completing the funding on classroom projects meeting the theme day's criteria.

I thought WOW! So, I planned to arrive home and spread the word!

Upon arrival home, I received an email that one of my projects had been fully funded! My class will be receiving three different news magazines for use in our classroom! FANTASTIC!!!

My other project: What did He Do to Become Famous?, also qualified for the Pershing Foundation Offer.

I only need $97 worth of donations to make that project a reality too!

SO, here I am , spreading the word! If you are interested in supporting a classroom, or know someone who is, please help us out! It would be wonderful to be able to take advantage of the Pershing Square Foundation's generosity!

Thanks!

UPDATE!!!!
What did He Do to Become Famous? has been FUNDED!

Donors Choose has Challenged All Teachers!!

You all know that I am currently teaching 6th grade in Tennessee. Most of you also know that I have benefited greatly from donations through DonorsChoose.org. I have received many wonderful resources for my classroom through donations. My students are working hard and learning every day through the generosity of others, including many of you!

Donors Choose has challenged all teachers associated with the site to collectively get 5,000 people to give to projects. If that happens before October 31st, then DonorsChoose will provide an additional $100,000 worth of funding to projects!

You may have children in school whose teachers have projects on DonorsChoose. If so, contact the teachers and get their links if you are interested in donating to a worthy cause. (remember all of your donations are tax deductible!!) You may have a friend (other than me!) who is a teacher with a project on DonorsChoose. Regardless of who you support, supporting a teacher's project on DonorsChoose is supporting the education of our young people, who are the future of our country.

Please help! Visit: How Does History Effect What We Do Today
or: What Did He Do To Become Famous?

and support one of my classroom projects. Please also forward this to others to spread the word. If you have your own blog or website, I would love it if you could support my projects by posting this information on your own blog or website!

Thanks in advance for your help in supporting both me AND the DonorsChoose.org teacher community!

Thank you Sonic!

I never thought I would be thanking a fast food restaurant for anything!

Sonic is currently running a promotion called Limeades for Learning. During this promotion, Sonic will fund $500,000 worth of projects on DonorsChoose.org.

Most of you know that I have been working with DonorsChoose.org since last year. I have set up five different math and social studies projects and have been truly blessed to have received funding for all of those projects! Three were last year, and I received reference books on religion and mythology as well as a series of individual Math games. Recently many of you helped me to get my Document Camera project funded (which is a WONDERFUL addition to my lessons. Thanks!)
My most recent project was another series of group math games focusing on Probability and Algebra.

I had registered as a Sonic Teacher and was busily promoting the Sonic program in my classes and within my circle of friends. Well to my pleasant surprise, my Math project was funded last Friday! YAY!

The way this Sonic program works is that each drink has a code on the side of it, sort of like the Subway Scrabble or McDonalds Monopoly games. Folks can take these Sonic codes and go to Limeadesforlearning.com and vote for their favorite project. My Math project received 82 votes and we were funded! Since Sonic is giving away $100,000 each week, I was really excited to see that my project squeezed in!

My current pending project is for a series of Ancient World Maps. I would love for my students to be able to see and understand what the areas looked like during the time periods we are studying, as opposed to what they look like now. They would also benefit from seeing the actual names of the ancient civilizations and empires on the maps!

So, Thank You Sonic.
And, Thank You to everyone who has voted for a project, will vote for a project, has donated to a project or will donate in the future! The education of our children is a community effort. Together we can achieve greatness!

Together we can do this!

Okay folks, together we can get this DonorsChoose project funded! I have been thinking on this and with Cat thinking along the same lines as I, I guess that is the 'sign' I was looking for!

I really, really, really want this classroom project to be funded, because I really, really, really want to have a document camera for my classroom this year.

For detailed information on this project, check it out at Donorschoose.org. http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=242190&zone=302

With this camera, I would be able to use math manipulatives as part of Math lessons. Manipulatives are used to demonstrate math concepts for the students. I would be able to demonstrate with these tools on a flat surface, with the camera projecting my work onto the BIG WHITE SCREEN at the front of the classroom. Every student would be able to see the demonstration easily.

I would be able to read a story to the class, showing them the pictures and text while I am reading, and everyone will be able to see the book easily as it would be projected onto the BIG WHITE SCREEN at the front of the clasroom.

I would be able to demonstrate various map skills for the students, while they are looking at their own copies of the maps.

I would be able to to demonstrate how to fold papers for various foldable projects we do in class.

I can share artifacts with the class without having to spend time passing it around the room, or walking it from student to student.

This camera is not only a wonderful piece of technology that would enhance the classroom learning, but it is a time saving tool as well.

I have already pledged to give all of the money I make in sales from half.com and etsy.

Now, I pledge to match, dollar for dollar, any donations made by individuals between now and Friday of this week.

I encourage you to donate any amount, even one dollar. Do you need a gift for a relative? Make a donation in their name! Check with friends and co-workers, perhaps they are willing to forego their $5.00 coffee for one day and give to a good educational cause. Check with your employers...do they have a matching gift program?

Thanks.

Pieces of the Past Quilt progress

While not the greatest picture, this is the center of one of the quilts I have been working on this summer. This center measures 48.5 " square. It is comprised of 108 flying geese and 144 half square triangles!

I am actually quite pleased with this quilt so far! I have several borders to put on this before it is finished, 3 are simple, but one is comprised of Jacob Ladder blocks and the other is rows of flying geese.

Should be fun!

Today, I worked a bit on the Snow Crazy quilt, finishing the last crazy block and part of the second to last snowman head.

I cut out the letters to make the few posters I plan to put in my classroom this year. I used old magazines to make the letters! I thought it was quite appropriate since one of the posters makes reference to recycling!

I used up almost all of my remaining bulk soap to mold scented bars of soap. Last summer, Vince and I decided to stop buying soaps until all of the bulk soap was used up. Well, we are still working our way through it!! I still have half a block to go, but with a dozen new bars of soap to use, it will be a while before I have to make new bars.

Another positive note: Today I received a donation to one of my Donors Choose projects! YAY!

More Great Educational Items!

I absolutely LOVE DonorsChoose.org!
On New Year's Eve, I received notification that my second project had been fully funded!

WAHOO!!!

I am even more excited to return to school next week and am anxiously awaiting the arrival of these items for my class!

This second project, entitled "Math Multiplies the Mind", has math related games and activities that I can have the students play when they finish their classwork. Some of my students are more advanced than others are and tend to finish their work earlier than the rest of the class, even their homework! They are then looking for things to do to keep busy. Some bring books to read, some do not. I will sometimes ask them to work with another student, but I do not like to do this constantly. So, now I will have other activities for them to work on that are fun and educational!

Most of my students are very into learning and enjoy variety in the lessons. I can give them any of these new games and ask them to become "experts" on the game so they can teach it to their classmates.

While some of the games are specific to certain math skills, like Fractions:

I also ordered a tub of DICE!! I plan to let the students come up with some of their own games that use math skills!
A huge thanks to anyone who donated to a deserving organization in 2008!!

In the Spirit of Giving

Several months ago, I read about Donorschoose.org, a website that helps teachers obtain much needed school supplies. I did a bit of research into the site and decided it was worth the effort to see what would happen if I submitted a project. I had to write a detailed proposal, use their online mall to create a materials list and wait for approval.

On September 15th, my project was submitted and accepted and "Who Founded That Religion?" was one of hundreds of projects on the site that were waiting for funding!

My sister had also mentioned another website that worked to get funds to teachers for school supplies. So, I checked out Iloveschools.com. It worked very differently from Donorschoose.org, as it was a simpler process. For Iloveschools.com, all you did was list what you would like and how much you estimated it would cost.

Either way, it was worth seeing what would happen.

Well, over Thanksgiving, I received an email from Iloveschools.com letting me know that someone wanted to donate money to my classroom! Was I surprised! I was able to purchase pencils and markers for the classroom.

Then on the last day of school before Christmas break, I received an email from Donorschoose.org letting me know that my Religion project had been fully funded! Woo Hoo!

I am truly thankful for the generosity of others that makes it easier for me to do what I love!