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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Purdy from Los Angeles, CA is requesting materials related to food, clothing & hygiene through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Purdy is requesting

Engineering Joy: No-Bake Cookie Cottages in the Classroom!

Help me give my students the joy of building cookie houses, where teamwork, creativity, and fun come to life with graham crackers, candy, and icing!

FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Purdy's classroom raised $517

This project is fully funded

My Project

Design Crafts was created for the middle schooler who thinks they don’t like art. My curriculum is hands-on, playful, and collaborative—students build with yarn, branches, papier mâché, duct tape-and what starts as “just crafts” quickly becomes something more: a gateway to creativity, teamwork, and confidence.

My classroom is an inclusive space where students from gifted, general education, English Learner, and special education programs contribute unique strengths.

Here, every learner shines—especially when building together.

One of the most magical moments of our year is the No-Bake Cookie Cottage Project, a beloved tradition that marks the end of the Fall semester. It begins with imagination: student teams explore architectural styles and build models using recycled cards. Then comes the real adventure—transforming simple ingredients into spectacular structures.

Using graham crackers, royal icing, and candy, students become architects, engineers, and dreamers. They measure and cut cracker “walls,” test icing “cement” for strength, and collaborate on structural designs that push the limits of these materials—and their creativity.

But this project is so much more than fun!

Students experiment with fragile materials and adapt when things don’t go as planned-engineering & problem-solving!

They make homemade royal icing to find the perfect texture for load-bearing “glue”-culinary chemistry!

They navigate group dynamics, share limited resources, and stay focused through the delicious distractions of candy construction-collaboration & perseverance!

Finally, comes the most joyful part: decorating. Candy becomes cobblestones, icing becomes snowy rooftops. Students bring castles, cabins, and entire candy villages to life—often building something more ambitious than they ever thought they could.

For many, it’s their first time creating something this elaborate by hand. The pride they feel, and the memories they make, stay with them long after the last gumdrop is placed. It’s not just about cookies—it’s about discovering what’s possible when they build together.

Ms. Purdy Palms Middle School Grades 6-8

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.

Los Angeles, CA 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

200 students impacted 5donors

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Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. Purdy is requesting.

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TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Skittles Original Party Size Bag - Assorted Flavors, Green • School Specialty $23.84 4 $95.36
M&M'S Milk Chocolate MINIS Size Candy 1.77-Ounce Tube 24-Count • Amazon Business $40.55 2 $81.10
Jelly Belly Assorted 49 Flavors Jelly Beans, 32 oz (JBC83748) • Quill.com $24.22 3 $72.66
HONEY MAID Graham Crackers, Lunch Snacks, Party Size, 28.8 oz • Amazon Business $6.31 10 $63.10
M&M's Party Size Milk Chocolate Candy Pieces, 38 oz. (MMM55114) • Quill.com $16.40 3 $49.20

Materials cost

$361.42

Vendor shipping charges

 $9.54

Sales tax

 $33.07

3rd party payment processing fee

$5.42

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$439.45

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$77.55

Total project goal

$517.00

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $517.00

2 Donors

-$258.49

Donations toward project cost

-$219.72

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$38.77

Matching donations from our partners

-$258.51

Match offers toward project cost

-$219.73

Match offers to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$38.78

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

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

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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. Purdy and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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