Past projects 2
Language Arts Meets Science
Funded Jun 20, 2013Thank you for your generous donation to support "Language Arts Meets Science." I was thrilled to get the project funded so quickly and eager to begin using the books for the benefit of students.
The books arrived at the start of the year, and the English and science teachers began working on a cross-curricular unit for the second quarter. Although we had never done anything like this before, we were eager to try it out and see how it would go. What we discovered is the students had a deeper understanding of the content in both areas because of our joint focus.
Students did most of the reading in their English class, but they were also allotted time to read in science, something which would not have happened without this unit. Also, students shared their science projects with the English teacher by creating a presentation, which not only showcased their scientific knowledge but also gave them practice at public speaking. In fact, the presentations were assessed using our district rubric for Nebraska State Standard 12.3.1: Speaking.
At the start of the unit, students were apprehensive about the book and the combined effort, but after they started reading the story, they were engaged and couldn't wait to learn more about William Kamkwamba's life. Plus, as they began working on their science projects, they were enthusiastic about finding materials and putting into practice what they had learned from William's experiences. Due to the students' response to the story and unit, I am excited to continue using this book and working with the science department to make school more engaging and strengthen student learning. To get an idea of what students thought of the experience, here is a link to some of their responses to a survey upon completion of the unit: http://goo.gl/0YP99b
After reading the novel, students shared the story with elementary students in our district by reading the children's version of the book, which was possible because of another generous person using their Scholastic points to purchase and donate the books after hearing about idea. Furthermore, some classes got to participate in an art project with the youngsters, which involved making paper pinwheels to simulate the windmill in the book, while other students wanted to write letters to their new pal and personally deliver them. Seeing high school students interact with youngsters was definitely the highlight of the semester, year, and possibly my teaching career. In fact, staff is working on more opportunities to use our K-12 campus to provide more student collaboration. To view highlights of our interaction with elementary students, here is a link to a video of some pictures: http://goo.gl/VzNsor
Once again, thanks for supporting my project, but more importantly, education.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Coady
This classroom project was brought to life by UPS Foundation and 4 other donors.Connecting with Chrome
Funded Dec 17, 2012Thank you for your generous donation to support "Connecting with Chrome." I was thrilled to get the project funded so quickly and eager to begin using the technology for the benefit of students.
The Chromebooks arrived at the end of third quarter, and I started using them the next term. I first had students/parents sign a contract form explaining the importance of taking care of this valuable gift. Students began doing the daily jumpstart at the start of class, and within a short amount of time they were in the habit of logging on when they came in the door and completing the task. In addition to providing structure to the beginning of class, students like the convenience of using a keyboard to write, as well as the reliability of letting Google keep track of work rather than a binder where items might be disorganized and/or fall out.
Another benefit with this technology is implementing online and interactive lessons. For example, rather than print a unit packet students accessed the document online. Also, lessons are demonstrated while students follow along. Yet, the biggest benefit is the collaboration since our school uses Google Apps for Education, something Chromebooks were designed to complement.
After only a month of using the Chromebooks, I have noticed a huge difference in the classroom environment and student engagement. I asked students to share their thoughts on using the technology and thank our donors. Their comments can be found on a Glogster page at this link: http://goo.gl/zE6ym.
Although I am passionate about my content, I also promote technology because students will be able to use these skills no matter where life takes them. Thanks to your generosity I am able to meet my goals in an efficient and realistic setting. I can't wait until next year to see how the Chromebooks enhance my classroom and student learning.
Once again, thanks for supporting my project, but more importantly, education.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Coady