Past projects 4
Developing Young Writers
Funded Aug 23, 2014As you know from the Donor's Choose request, this project was for picture books for an entire group of 5th grade students, as well as a document camera for my class. Each class was thrilled when they received their books. My students were amazed when we received boxes of so many new picture books and a much desired document camera. They couldn't believe the generosity of the community. My students were eager to to begin reading and exploring.
Our 5th graders have been working hard to develop and improve their writing skills. We spent a great deal of time reading through all of the new stories as there were so many we'd never seen before. The students enjoyed the many crafts they were able to identify in Patricia Polacco's writing. Then we had a discussion on theme and how it helped us develop stories as writers. From there students were asked to sort the books into various theme categories. It was lively discussion as students debated over which theme the books fit into and why. An extension of the lesson was that students looked over the picture books for different ways to start and end a story. We revisit them often as wonderful examples of personal narratives and memoirs, as well.
The document camera has made discussions and explanations in our classroom so much more visible. Students are able to see from anywhere in the room and can now follow along easier.
The donation boosted my teaching as it gave beautiful concrete examples of ideas I wanted to convey to my students. It also made demonstration of so many things more efficient. It boosted my students' learning as they were intrigued by Patricia Polacco's wonderful assortment of picture books and they were on task and produced a good discussion as a result. The document camera boosted their learning as they now had more visual cues for daily lessons.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Kolb
This classroom project was brought to life by Gates Foundation Back To School and 18 other donors.Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages - Oh My!
Funded Oct 2, 2014Thank you so much for your generous donations. As you know, this gift benefited all 5th graders at our site. The students were very curious about the Cuisenaire rods when they arrived in the mail. They are accustomed to seeing math manipulatives, but these were different from any they had seen. They were eager to explore with them.
Although there are many uses for this resource, my students and I are going to begin using these resources to break down the concept of fractions. The students sat together in small groups. They each had a package of Cuisenaire rods. First I gave them time to investigate these new tools. Then we did a guided exploration of fractions. They were excited and completed the lesson confidently.
This project boosted my teaching in that I am able to model the concepts of fractions and decimals with concrete examples, especially since fractions and decimals are such a large part of the 5th grade curriculum.
It boosted students' learning as they seemed to let that fear of fractions wall down and attempt to learn or revisit an unfamiliar concept. The students commented that they liked being able to have a visual representation of something that had often seemed so foreign to them.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Kolb
Inspire The Desire To Write
Funded Oct 22, 2013Thank you all so much for making this project a possibility. I am so grateful that you saw the importance of this request. When the boxes started arriving my students were very curious. When I opened them and they saw all the new picture books we were going to have available to us, they were amazed and excited. They wanted to know how soon we could start reading them. They love good literature and enjoy making connections to the stories as well as identifying the things we have learned (such as descriptive language, etc.).
My students and I are using these resources to compliment our new writing program. We use picture books to reinforce and model writing lessons. We showcase what good writers do to engage readers and evoke emotions. After reading a book, students are able to discuss what they liked, why they liked it, and how they can use that skill in their writing. For example, this week we were talking about point of view. We read several picture books that displayed a specific point of view and talked about how the story changed based on who was telling it. Students were then asked to complete an assignment where they agreed on a particular story topic with a family member and each wrote it from a different point of view. They were fun to write and read together.
These resources will boost my teaching and my students' learning in that we are all so excited about them. I feel empowered having these materials at my fingertips to show, not tell my students how to write better. They are excited to have real life examples of amazing writers and their crafts. I feel like my students are more eager to write having been exposed to such fantastic pieces of writing.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Kolb
Book Groups Galore for Kids
Funded Oct 24, 2012Thank you so much for your generous donation to our classroom. It is exciting that you see the value in teaching our young students to become thinkers, to wonder why, to infer, and to express their opinions. Reading rich novels together will do just that.
Our students will benefit greatly from all of the wonderful novels they will be exposed to. The resources you've provided give them a number of learning options: following along as I read to them, choral reading with me, reading with peers in small groups, or reading independently. Having the text in front of them will enable my students to identify words they don't know, find examples of descriptive language, and answer comprehension questions using information in the story to support their answers. I am looking forward to teaching my students how to think beyond what is obvious using the wonderful reading materials you have generously donated.
I can't wait to share my love of literature with my students using these tools you have provided.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Kolb