Past projects 36
Accurate Data in the Techno Age
Funded Mar 11, 2010Thank you for the digital thermometers you so generously donated to our school. As you can see in the pictures, we did an experiment to test the effect of the sun on different earth materials. The students had a bowl of either sand, water, wet soil or dry soil. They inserted the digital thermometer into the earth material, let it sit in the sun and recorded the temperature every 5 minutes for 20 minutes. Then we moved into the shade and again recorded temperatures for 20 minutes.
I have done this experiment for several years and this was the first time we really had not only a good experiment but an even better follow up. The temperatures were easy to read and thus easy to record. You can see in a picture the worksheet we used and the data is easily readable. Temperatures were written quickly and we passed the interim time observing shadows. It was a beautiful day and science was our favorite subject that day.
When we analyzed the data by finding the average of all the students who collected data for each earth material, the numbers were within reasonable range of each other, making for a more realistic analysis and graph. The students were able to use the data to have meaningful discussions about the effects of the sun on earth materials, all thanks to you. It was the best lesson we have had in the solar energy unit.
We also had the students use the thermometers to find the difference in temperature between thermometers at waist level, on the ground and underground. We really are having great science lessons and instilling a love of learning into our students. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Reeves
You Say You Need a Demonstration...
Funded Jan 24, 2010I have uploaded pictures of our students using the ELMO. As you can see it is a great boon to our teaching, as it provides images so every student can see. We used it to show changes in the tadpoles to the 1st grade, water flowers to the 2nd grade, earthworms to the 3rd grade and crystals in a petri dish to the 4th grade. None of these lessons would have been as effective if the students were crowding around a table. This piece of equipment is such a wonderful benefit and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving it to us, and making biology and chemistry learning a delight for the students.
We recently received crayfish for the 3rd grade biology science unit, and this device will provide up close and personal looks at the creatures without having shrieks and jumping, as we got when the crayfish were in tubs on the tables. Once the students get accustomed to looking at the little snappers with the ELMO, we can then segue to interacting with the live specimens with much less jumpiness.
Thank you again for this magnificent and generous gift.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Reeves
Hands on Algebra
Funded Jul 1, 2009Thank you for your generous donation of the graphing calculators for our pre-algebra class. These students come to school every day an hour early to work on their math and learn to use the calculators to improve their understanding. Our students come from a low-income area but their effort and enthusiasm for tackling this difficult material is helping to level the playing field. Thank you for helping us do that.
Learning to use the calculators took several lessons, and then learning to understand the data the calculators provided was a different set of lessons. The class was a small group that included a lot of discussion of what to do to solve problems and what to do with the graph and numbers they came up with. They were a delight to work with, and so hardworking! It really made my teachers heart swell with pride.
You have given my students a great great gift that they have used to their advantage. What an great asset to the education of America's youth. Thank you from all of us.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Reeves
Pathways to Discovery
Funded Aug 12, 2009Thank you for your generous gift of the National Geographic magazines. My class enjoys them immensely. The pictures are not only vivid and eye-catching but they illustrate the text of the articles in such a way that they students do not even know they are learning! They are excited about what they read, often sharing interesting parts with each other. "Look! Read this here!" are comments I often hear as I listen to their sharing circles.
Even more important to the children than having the magazines to read is the fact that they got to keep them for their own. In a school where we have to share everything from pencils to lockers, having this vivid, unique magazine for their very own really led to a sense of ownership of the material included in it. They could pull it out in any class where reading when they have finished a test or seat work inspired them to do just that.
Your donation to our learning is very very much appreciated. Thank you again for inspiring my students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Reeves
Rendezvous with a Comet
Funded May 29, 2009Thank you again for the most amazing field trip this class has ever taken. The students were a bit skeptical at first. They are used to a lack of materials and resources, and could not imagine such a place or experience would be available to them. The farther they got into the simulation the more I could see them open up and get involved. By the end of the session they were very excited and much more interested in discussing careers in space science.
The most interesting group was the pairs of students that built the probe. They began by just reading the directions helter-skelter which led to a bit of frustration. In fact, I heard one astronaut say to the ground team, "Just wait til you get up here. You won't be laughing then." I noticed, however, that when he did go to Mission Control he had connected with the job and his directions to the new building team were clear and more patient. He felt ownership of the project and wanted to be part of the team that got the probe built in time. Where he had felt at the beginning like sabotaging the project when he got to Mission Control, the overall experience of the whole mission changed his attitude and he worked to finish the probe correctly and on time. Thank you for giving him the chance to experience that.
Other students commented often, "I saw them do this on TV" as they used test tubes, monitors and recorded blood pressure and heart rates. They were excited that they had actual test tubes, balances, glove boxes, remote sensing, microphones, headsets and real data to report. You have certainly sparked their interest in STEM. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your generosity.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Reeves
Technology Classroom
Funded Jan 14, 2009What a wonderful gift you have given us! Thank you so much for supplying us with our own, state of the art projector. My students have really done amazing work in our 21st Century learning center and we are so grateful for this equipment of our very own. Thank you again. And again and again and again”
With gratitude,
Ms. Reeves
Let's Go Fly A Kite
Funded Feb 24, 2009Thank you so much for the generous gift of the kites for our 4th grade students. What fun we had decorating them, assembling the parts and attaching the tail. To avoid entanglement, we took a few students out on a nice day to give the kites a "test fly." Wow! What a great time! Our school is located in the flight path of the city's airport and one kite was so high we thought it was going to touch the plane. But no. Whew! Still what a laugh and frantic tugs on the string to bring the kite down.
A few of the kites went high enough to swoop down on the roof of our 3 story school building but a lucky gust of wind brought them up so the children could move them away. One student had misplaced the tail to her kite and after seeing the loop de loops and nose dives of a kite without a tail learned that a kite tail is very important. Others had a hard time getting started but soon everyone had a kite in the air.
Unfortunately we have had rain for the last few days so the anticipation of the next group to go out is growing and growing. I have pictures of the first groups' experience I will post to our project page. Thank you again for this thrilling experience.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Reeves
This classroom project was brought to life by Motorola Foundation and one other donor.A Walk Of 500 Million Years Begins With A Single...
Funded Dec 15, 2008Thank you for your generous donation! My 6th graders will really get a handle on how geologic changes occur over millennia, much more than just reading it in a book. Hands on science is the best way to teach, and your interest and gift are evidence of that philosophy too. This is a fun lesson and I can hardly wait to get started. Thank you again for thinking of us”
With gratitude,
Ms. Reeves
This classroom project was brought to life by Motorola Foundation and one other donor.Lift The Load!
Funded Oct 1, 2008Thank you for your generous gift of the dual force sensors. Learning to use digital data collection will assist my students in their journey through their education, and it's fun to use cutting edge equipment. Science is already an eagerly anticipated lesson and these sensors will excite them even more, and improve their data analysis because they will know they are getting accurate information. We can hardly wait to get started! Thank you again”
With gratitude,
Ms. Reeves
Bin There, Dump That
Funded Nov 1, 2008Thank you for your generous gift of the worm composter. Teaching children about the benefits of worms, and the interconnectedness of all life will surely make them good stewards of the land, a worthy goal for these city slickers. I truly appreciate your thinking of us, and the environment by enriching our curriculum in this hands on way. We are truly thankful for your donation”
With gratitude,
Ms. Reeves
This classroom project was brought to life by Motorola Foundation and one other donor.