Past projects 16
Creative Artists in Kinder/First
Funded Oct 25, 2018When I tell my class we are going to paint or make something with our arts supplies, they cheer! They love to create, and they are fearless with what they make. These supplies have taken the need for perfection away from the creative process, and they love the freedom they have to try something, and see if it comes out the way they want. Best of all, because of the uniqueness of the supplies, they are using new materials they have never used before, and finding new ways to be artistic. The easels have allowed access to painting that one of my students has not had in the past. He is able to fully see his art, and to independently paint without the help of an adult. His smiles when he paints can light up the room!
Thank you all for making this all happen for this wonderful group of students!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Amble
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 11 other donors.Building our STEM Skills
Funded May 14, 2018We are in the final month of school and your donation has helped keep these kids engaged and excited. They ask everyday if they can play the OSMO pizza game. They love using the money to purchase pizzas. It is the perfect way to practice money in a real life situation. They love making pizzas and have started to notice that they might be using fractions. They are practicing real life skills in real life ways, and they love it.
The Lego's are of course a hit. They are creating amazing structures and vehicles with all these imaginary accessories. I have a few kids who do not play Lego's at home, they are on a video game or tablet the minute they walk in the door until they go to bed. The ability to create with Lego's has been trans-formative for them. They are creating a thing that they can drive, and play with. They seemed surprised at first that they could actually create a thing to play with. Now they race to get to the Lego's to build something new. Their first buildings were very simple. Their creations get more and more complex each time they play. You have made that possible for them.
Thank you so much.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Amble
Bricks for STEM!
Funded Feb 2, 2018My students love this program! It develops their problem solving skills with whole class activities that get them moving and thinking creatively. Then refines the skill that is being targeted with independent or partner research, before finishing up with the students building. My class happily spent an hour researching, drawing, and then building. All on their own with me just assisting as needed. I have already heard from parents how excited their child was to tell them what they had done that day. It was worth the almost two month wait for this program to arrive! They are already asking when is the next project. Thank you for providing one the most engaging programs I have ever used in all my years of teaching!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Amble
Coding For E-STEM!
Funded Nov 29, 2016Thank you for your incredible generosity. Your donations have brought coding to our classroom, and my students love it! The OSMO system has made coding fun, and as it progressively gets harder the students are meeting the challenge and learning how to code at harder levels. They love to work together figuring out the next steps. They are able to use the system without a teacher guiding them through. This means they are learning to creatively problem solve on their own. They are also learning that mistakes are ok, they can try something and if it doesn't work they can try something else. They are learning skills that they need to be active learners and participants in our very technology centered world.
Your donation has made all of this possible, Thank you again so very much!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Amble
Chapter Books Beat All!
Funded Nov 13, 2016Thank you all so much for your donation of books to our classroom! You would not believe how excited these students were when the packages started arriving and they saw all those books. They were ready to start reading them immediately!
These books have provided more than one impact on our room. Students who were not excited about reading saw these books and found chapter books that they wanted to read. They are now working hard to get to the reading level they need to be at to read them. Students who needed harder books to read, have books at their level that they are interested and engaged in. My students enjoy these books so much they are recommending favorite books after they read them, and then picking another book in their new favorite series to read.
I am currently reading one aloud so that our younger students who may not be ready for chapter books until the end of the year can hear them now. They cant wait to read them all by themselves!
Your donation has helped develop a life long love of reading for every student in my class. Thank you so much.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Amble
Osmo for E-STEM!
Funded Mar 9, 2016Thank you so much for your generous gift to our class. The students love the Osmo's! We started using them right away, and I am amazed at the impact they have made already. The students love that they can interact with the program, and see what they do on the screen in real time. Their favorite program is Words. In Words they collect points by spelling words. Nothing is more exciting than finally reaching 100 points and winning!
The added bonus of Words is I can see areas of phonics I need to target in my instruction based on their spelling attempts. They are having fun and developing their phonics, and at the same time I am informally assessing their phonics skills and changing my instruction to fit their needs. No other computer program or app gives me this information so quickly and easily, and keeps my students as engaged and excited as Osmo does.
Tangram's and Newton have definitely challenged their spatial awareness skills, and taught them cause and effect. They are used to easy games that don't challenge them, or games that let them skip ahead when things get hard. They were very surprised that there was no easy win or shortcuts available for them to choose. They love the interaction of these games, and I love that they are learning patience and perseverance from them.
I knew the Osmo system would bring new technology into my class that would challenge and excite them. I am amazed at the level of learning, engagement, and fun that Osmo provides. Thank you so much for making this possible!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Amble
Technology at Our Fingertips!
Funded Nov 20, 2015I have waited to write this very heartfelt "Thank You!" So I could honestly tell you the impact the iPad's have made on my class.
At the beginning of the year my little class was demanding technology, but for entertainment. They just wanted to watch or play a game. So I waited a few months before introducing them to the iPads. I taught them how to work together, share, and learn as partners. Then the iPads came out. Many of my students had never used one, so I taught them how to turn it on, move between screens, how to touch the screens to get apps to open, and the home button to close. They were very excited. Then I put them with a partner and they started using them to learn. They love it.
Your donation has benefited my students who don't have this technology at home, they are learning important technology skills that are a part of our everyday society. The whole class is reinforcing their literacy and math skills with engaging apps that they love. The class has also learned that technology is not just for individual entertainment but can take them to the forest to see animals in their habitat, or to play designing apps with a friend. Your donation has allowed them to experience technology in new ways.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Amble
More Books for First Grade
Funded Apr 2, 2015I have waited to write this "Thank you" so I could honestly tell you how the books have been received in our classroom. The students love them! They love that they can now read the same books as their friend at the same time, and laugh at the funny parts together. They love talking about the books with each other in their reading groups. I catch several students everyday over at the tubs trying to decide which one they want to read next, or which one is better than another.
Thank you so much for your support. You have helped build a life long love of reading in this class, and many future classes.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Amble
This classroom project was brought to life by an anonymous donor and one other donor.A New Chapter For First Grade
Funded Oct 6, 2014I have waited to write this very grateful "Thank you" until a few more of the students were able to read the books. I wanted to give you a very clear picture of the impact your generosity has had on our classroom. At the beginning of the year 2 students were reading high enough to actually read chapter books and understand them. Yet the entire class wanted to. When the books arrived we actually had to stop class and open the boxes and look at all the books. They were all so excited! They all thought they should start reading those books that minute! I told the class that everyone of them would get to read the chapter books, but only when they were ready.
I have never seen students work so hard to achieve a personal goal in my 20 years of teaching. The gains they have made in reading are phenomenal! We now have 5 chapter book readers, and a few students who are really close.
I am reading aloud the chapter books you donated, so everyone is hearing them. They love that they are old enough to have a chapter book read to them. It is a right of passage.
Everyday I have a student tell me which chapter book will be the first one they read when they are ready. Every week I get asked a few times,"Can I read a chapter book yet?" You have given them a love of books, and there is no greater gift.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Amble
First Grade Techies
Funded Oct 14, 2014Thank you so very much for the iPad for our classroom. With your generous donation we are now at 4 iPads and all the kids are able to access this technology everyday. You have leveled the playing field for my students who do not have the latest technology in their home. They now are able to use and understand tablet technology, something many people take for granted as a part of our world.
Our school is also in the process of becoming a STEM school. Technology is the T in STEM and it is a piece that is used in all areas of science, engineering, and math. It is also the piece that is hardest to get when school budgets are so small. My student's are using the iPad to explore nature with some amazing apps I have downloaded. They are practicing their math skills with math apps and they are enjoying it!
Thank you again for your generosity. You have made 23 amazing students very happy, and you are giving them the technology skills they need for the future.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Amble