My students need soprano recorders for their general music class.
FULLY FUNDED! Mrs. Jones's classroom raised $679
This project is fully funded
My Students
I believe that playing the recorder in the fourth grade must be one of those universal experiences of childhood. Do you remember the first song that you learned to play? It was most likely "Hot Cross Buns" and you could probably still remember how to play it and how exciting that was for you!
I am the general music teacher for about 540 students in grades k-5.
Each student has one forty-five music class with me every week. We are a Title 1 school, which means that approximately 42% of our students qualify for free or reduced lunch. We have a full time English as a Second Language teacher. About 10% of our students are homeless, and every Friday, 48 backpacks go home with food staples to feed a child over the weekend.
Fourth graders eagerly look forward to learning how to play the recorder. There are so many skills that they have to learn in order to be successful: they must learn how to blow with just the right amount of warm air and they must learn to start each new note with a "tuh" sound. They must also learn how to completely cover the holes, so that the recorder doesn't squeak; and they must learn the fingerings for the notes. All of these skills must be in place before they even start learning how to read music!
My Project
Usually I start teaching my fourth graders how to play "Hot Cross Buns" by rote. I want them to be able to make music before we start decoding the pitches and rhythms on a musical staff. These children are so excited and so proud that they are able to actually play a real song by the end of their music class!
The songs we learn next are all Virginia folksongs, like Babylon's Fallin', Ezekiel Saw the Wheel, Go Tell It On the Mountain and last year's favorite, Death of the Robin. Once the students are able to play these folksongs fluently on the recorders, we add in other instruments, like drums, or xylophones, or temple blocks.
In June, the students play these recorder folksongs as part of a grade level performance called A Showcase of Virginia's Music. While the beginning stages of learning to play a recorder may not always result in beautiful music, by the time of this performance, everyone is thrilled with the musicianship of these students.
For some of these children, asking their parents for $5 to purchase a recorder would be like asking for the moon.
I want to be able to provide a recorder for every fourth grade student that I teach this year, so that no child is embarrassed because they can't afford one. These children will treasure this first musical instrument. I know from previous years that they will even take them out to recess, to play with their friends.
Thank you for your generous support!
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
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. Jones and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.