Past projects 7
Let's Get Organized!
Funded Aug 21, 2015Thank you all for your generous donation towards the organization of my new Think Tank space. While many not see bins and boxes as critical to a functioning class, I assure you, I couldn't make learning happen without them.
Your donation has allowed for each group, in each grade level, to have their own group bin. In it they keep their STEM journals and I place all materials needed for classroom projects. My new space is tiny, and these bins allow the student work to be organized week to week without being touched.
This system also helps support student responsibility and organization. All students, K-5, know where their materials are, have jobs with it and are responsible for caring for their work. Students love the security their group bins add and the jobs that come with them.
Thank you so much and please feel free to follow our work on Twitter (@maurythinktank) where you can see the students in action using your gift.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Ford
Fast Plant Fun!
Funded Aug 21, 2015Thank you so much for your generous donation! The students love it! They are finishing a unit on pollination and pollinators and the plants have made for a real-life application.
The students planted their Fast Plants two weeks ago and will pollinate them with real dried honeybees next week! This resource also allows for students to see the entire plant life cycle from beginning to end in 45 days and make real scientific measurements and observations. This type of experience, planting a seed, monitoring it's growth, pollinating it and collecting seeds from it's pods after pollination is unique--- and you helped make it happen.
Thank you so much for your donation. You can see more of our work on Twitter (@maurythinktank) where I tag Wisconsin Fast Plants (@fastplants) .
Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Ford
Measure, Balance And Roll! Stock Our STEM Lab!
Funded Nov 2, 2014Thank you so much for inspiring my young scientists and engineers! Through your donation, my students have been able to take their learning to the next level- measuring, collaborating to test ramps, learning about forces and accuracy-- all through your grant!
From our youngest students ( 3 year olds) to our oldest (10 year olds), this grant allowed every single student in the school to have an enriched experience in class. They beg to use the materials, come in during cold, indoor recess months and ASK to measure things with the various scales! The fact that they see these materials as exciting and engaging brings us one step closer to having students choose STEM careers!
THANK YOU!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Ford
This classroom project was brought to life by Chevron DC and 4 other donors.Oceans Alive!
Funded Oct 30, 2014Thank you so much for you generous donation to my OCEANS ALIVE! unit. Through your generousity, my students were able to explore the ocean- how it felt, sounded, what lives in it and more- all while staying in the classroom.
From observing and drawing seashells, to digging through sand, to swimming and "fishing" and scuba diving, our youngest future STEM leaders' learning was amplified by your gift.
As you can see in the pictures, students loved this unit and all it brought to them. We were sad ot see the ocean come down but I know that the materials will be to great use in future years and this unit will become a favorite.
I also wrote a blog post all about our students' exploration. You can find it at http://maurythinktank.blogspot.com/2014/12/ocean-and-motion.html .”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Ford
This classroom project was brought to life by Chevron DC and 5 other donors.Light It Up! Sound the Alarm! We Have Lots of Energy!
Funded Sep 5, 2014Thank you so very much for your generous donation to our huge energy unit! Students are getting more excited everyday as we start to look through the materials and dream up the many exciting projects ahead. I truly believe that the ideas this unit will spur could truly change the world some day!
In the next few weeks students will begin using the magnetic materials, learning the basics of electricity and exploring sound and light energy. Then , in January students will combine all of these new studies in one big invention-style convention where they will create one-of-a-kind contraptions combining all of their knowledge. Thanks to you, new ideas will be formed and minds will LIGHT UP!
Stay tuned for pictures of this process, both on this site, Twitter (@maurythinktank) and on my blog http://maurythinktank.blogspot.com . You will see the real impact of your giving in each of these spaces--- the collaborative problem solving work of our students in action! THANK YOU!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Ford
Shhhh! We're Tracking Animals!
Funded Sep 17, 2013Thank you so very much for your generous donation towards our "Shhhhhh! We are Tracking Animals!" project. This has already become a student favorite and one we hope to replicate for years to come.
Our youngest students have started using the animal track plates to create their own "forest floors" and enjoy using the stamps to create stories about sneaky animals. The Owl Pellets were originally purchased for only the upper grades, but even our youngest students have taken an interest. For this reason, your donation has had an even larger impact! ALL students, preschool to 5th will or have had a chance to dissect an owl pellet and truly experience the food chain.
All-in-all, this unit has inspired so many students, some of whom may choose a future career in ornithology or zoology because of you! There were at least ten 4th grade students this week alone who asked to spend their recess dissecting their pellets instead of going out to play.
Next week we will introduce the remaining parts of this project and I will add pictures as they are implemented. I have a feeling the card games will be a particular hit. Please also follow the implementation of your donation in action by visiting my blog at http://maurythinktank.blogspot.com or following our program on Twitter @maurytthinktank.
Thank you so much for your dedication to education and to the exploration of science for our students!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Ford
Build our Science Lab!
Funded Aug 31, 2013Thank you so much for your dedication to ensuring that students have real, meaningful opportunities to explore science. While I anticipated the fingerprint kit to be the "coolest" for the kids, the safety goggles have been the biggest hit! For young children, the very act of putting these on allowed them to transform into real scientists... something I know they are but they sometimes need help believing. They now believe!
The caddies and book holders have also been wonderfully helpful in facilitating my center-based inquiry science class with our youngest students. Three and four year old children learn best by doing and these items have allowed me to organize my space to best meet their active and inquisitive minds. As we use each of the items you helped provide, I will be sure to upload many pictures and I encourage you to frequently visit my blog at http://maurythinktank.blogspot.com to see your gifts in action.
Your donations truly make a difference in the learning experience of my students. Each of my 315 students enters my class with their own passions or interests that are as unique as they are. It is entirely possible that because of the items you helped provide, one of those passions will be ignited and the flame will burn for the rest of their educational careers. You are helping shape the lives of future scientists and for that, I thank you! A”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Ford