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This teacher needs your help!

Mrs. Buxton from Joplin, MO is requesting educational kits & games through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Mrs. Buxton is requesting

ABC Adventures: Hands-On Literacy for Little Learners

Help me give my students the Language Instant Learning Centers and other hands-on tools like alphabet locks and tracing trays to build strong early literacy skills through independent, play-based learning.

  • $654 goal

This project expired on October 9, 2025.

This project expired on October 9, 2025.

My Project

My preschoolers are bright, busy, and full of potential. Many of them come from low-income households, and for most, this classroom is their first experience in a structured educational setting. I want that experience to be joyful, confidence-building, and rooted in practices that truly support how young children learn best.

Our district follows the Project Construct framework, which emphasizes learning through hands-on exploration, play, and student-driven discovery.

At the same time, we are committed to the Science of Reading, which provides a research-based approach to developing strong foundational reading skills through explicit, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.

The materials I’m requesting—including phonics rods, sand trays, alphabet locks, and the complete set of Language Instant Learning Centers—support both of these philosophies. They give students the opportunity to explore sounds, letters, and words through playful, sensory-rich activities while building the critical skills they need for reading success.

These tools will allow my preschoolers to:

Recognize and form letters

Hear and manipulate individual sounds in words

Build simple CVC words

Strengthen fine motor skills

Engage with literacy in a way that feels fun, empowering, and meaningful

By combining the strengths of Project Construct and the Science of Reading, I can offer my students a classroom that nurtures curiosity while laying a strong academic foundation. Your donation will help spark a love for reading in children who are just beginning their literacy journey—and that spark could last a lifetime.

In a world full of unknowns, one thing remains certain: our students are the future, and they deserve the best start we can give them.

Learning today for a better tomorrow.

Macie Buxton

Mrs. Buxton Joplin Early Childhood Center Grades PreK-2

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.

Joplin, MO 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

40 students impacted

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Language Instant Learning Centers - Complete Set • Lakeshore Learning Materials $299.00 1 $299.00
Montessori Toys Materials For Toddlers Lock Learning To Unlock With Keys Set 26 Locks and 26 Keys ABC Preschool 26 Letter Learning Tools Early Education Toys Capital Alphabet and Lowercase Alphabet • Amazon Business $42.99 1 $42.99
Colorations Alphabet Dough Stampers Set, Uppercase Letters – Set of 26 Letter Stamps, Fun ABC Learning Tool for Toddlers, Ideal for Classroom and Home Learning • Amazon Business $39.54 1 $39.54
Lakeshore Touch & Read CVC Words Match - Phonics Reading Games for Beginning Readers, Science of Reading • Lakeshore Learning Materials $29.99 1 $29.99
Blue Ginkgo Montessori Sand Tray – Premium Wooden Tray with Lid for Letter Tracing, Numbers, Drawing, Classroom Use (9.8 x 6.7 Inches) • Amazon Business $27.99 1 $27.99
Montessori Wooden Beads Sequencing Toy Set, Stacking Blocks & Lacing Beads & Matching Shape Stacker for 2 3 4 5 Year Old STEM Preschool Learning Montessori Toys Gifts for Kids Boy Girl Toddler • Amazon Business $16.99 1 $16.99
Matching Letters Counting Dinosaur Toys with Double-Sided ABC Alphabet Preschool Learning Uppercase Lowercase Sensory Sorting Educational Montessori Toy Sets for Kids Toddler Aged 3+ Years Old • Amazon Business $15.99 1 $15.99
hand2mind Reading Rods Phonics Word-Building, Word Building Activities, Spelling Toys, Montessori Alphabet Letters, Reading Tools for Kids, Science of Reading Manipulatives, Phonemic Awareness • Amazon Business $15.39 1 $15.39
hand2mind Letter Tracing Sensory Pad • Quill.com $13.76 1 $13.76

Materials cost

$501.64

Vendor shipping charges

 $16.45

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$7.52

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$555.61

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$98.05

Total project goal

$653.66

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

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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. Buxton and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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