Past projects 6
Stimulating Problem Solving for Gifted Primary Students
Funded Feb 3, 2022Thank you so much for the creative problem solving materials! My students have absolutely loved working with these items this past year. Their favorite games are Zoog, SET, and Distraction. The students love these games because they can utilize their analytical skill sets as well as their cognitive flexibility. Many times gifted kiddos are very much black and white in their thinking. These games have challenged my students to think in ways they don't always get to in their regular classroom.
My students also loved the Kapla Building Blocks as well. These blocks have allowed my students to construct many different structures that their imaginations can come up with. It also has strengthened their communication and collaboration skills. Many times the students team up when constructing and brainstorm ideas about what to construct and how to make the structures more complex.
Attached you will find some pictures of my students working with these awesome tools you have provided for my classroom.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Dieckman
This classroom project was brought to life by Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and 3 other donors.I Can Have Confidence In My Mathematical Thinking!
Funded Feb 21, 2015After attending Greg Tang 3-day conference in Kansas City over my summer break I will say I gained more insight into quality math instruction for my second graders. Each conference I attend the better my number and math sense is and I am also able to better instruct and guide my students in gaining their math skills.
This past month I have started to implement some of the strategies and teaching techniques I learned about from the conference this summer. Some approaches that I have started to implement include bar modeling and part/part/whole to model word problems, having kids use their own coins to add money, funny numbers, and using three clocks to tell time. It was exciting to hear what the experts have learned what are best practices. While attending the conference I learned about a new math tool, place value disks. These are popular in Singapore and help students understand that and object can represent hundreds, tens, and ones. Place value disks also help students realize that place value does not only have to be shown with base ten blocks. In my pictures you will see the students utilizing this new tool thanks to your generosity.
By utilizing the approaches I learned at the Math Plus Conference my students are really growing to love math and make the connections that are important to being a successful math student later in their instructional careers! Thank you again for your support on quality math instruction in my classroom and supporting my students in their journey of mastering mathematics.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Dieckman
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 4 other donors.Lego Maniacs
Funded Sep 10, 2014First and foremost my students and myself would like to thank you for our Lego Forces and Motion kits. The day the boxes of Legos arrived my students were immediately asking, "Are those our Lego's?" "When can we use them?" Many students said Legos make SCIENCE FUN! Students were so excited each day to get their kits out and try different forces and see the motion the Legos produced.
The Lego kits you so graciously helped purchase are being used in conjunction with our forces and motion unit in Grade 2. Currently there are three classes of second grader and I am using the kits and lessons with all of these classes. I also plan to also use these kits with the whole school this summer when I teach a summer enrichment science course.
What I noticed as my students used the kits, is that students worked well in teams and had to bounce ideas and concepts off one another to make their Lego kit succeed. The team concepts the kits reinforce allowed the students to develop life long teamwork skills they will need in the workforce. I also noticed that my students were relating already learned force and motion concepts to the Legos. For example in our science unit students use plastic disks and shafts. My students realized these shafts and disks were like the wheels and axles in the Lego kits. Thanks to these kits my students now have authentic kid relative resources to use. Thank you again donors for supporting my students in their quest to further their knowledge!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Dieckman
Picture This!
Funded Mar 28, 2014Thank you for the digital cameras, memory cards, and cases. My students have used the cameras in many ways. Just a few weeks ago my 2nd graders took the cameras on a field trip to a local natural history museum. Groups of students took pictures of what they saw and things they thought would be interesting to remember and or share back in the classroom. Also, students have been taking pictures of us doing special projects and daily work. Students have also been taking pictures of our pen pal flat people from Germany who are visiting. They have then been printing these pictures and writing about them in their pen pals journals. Also some students have been taking series of pictures to document the steps to solve a math problem or science experiment. This summer I plan to have my students use the cameras to document their noticing in my Crime Scene for Kids class.
So how have the cameras impacted my students learning? Well to begin with students are better able to retain their learning because they are the ones taking ownership of their learning. Students decide what is important and then they take pictures to document their discoveries. Students continually ask to use the cameras and to print pictures. Many times they will ask, "Can I use the camera to show my learning?". Pictures are memories and so is learning. Research states that when humans zoom in on an object they have a better memory of it. I have also noted this in my class. Again many thanks for helping my students reach their learning potential.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Dieckman
This classroom project was brought to life by Match for Kansas City Schools and 22 other donors.Speak and Say German
Funded Mar 31, 2014Danke fur die schrecklichen deutsche Sprachbetriebsmittel! (Thank you for the awesome German language resources!) Currently my students are using the purchased resources in many ways. Students have been using Rosetta Stone to learn phrases and words for communicating with their pen pals. Recently we Skyped with our pen pals in Germany and my 2nd graders were able to try out what they had learned. One student said after we Skyed, "My pen pal could understand me. How cool is that!". Students have also been writing phrases and words in their pen pal letters, emails, and cards which have been passing back and forth with their pen pals.
Without these resources teaching my kids German would have been harder. I learned the language as a student myself, but teaching a foreign language is not exactly my area of expertise. It is also exciting to see how quickly my 2nd graders pick up the language. Before having these resources I had been teaching my 2nd graders some phrases and words, but retention was not great, but with the German For Kids video I was amazed after two showings my class was recognizing German words and phrases. They were also speaking German to each other! Yes it was limited, but they were learning a foreign language.
Vielen dank! My students now see the world as one BIG community they are part of.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Dieckman
This classroom project was brought to life by Match for Kansas City Schools and 5 other donors.Snips and Snails, and Puppy Dog Tails!
Funded Oct 8, 2012Thank you for your support for our classroom. My students are very excited about the variety of books that they have to read now. I understand how students all have different interests and taste in books.
This project helped bring books that are targeted specifically for boy and for girls. I tried to choose a variety of books that will appeal to all my students. I believe that students are more likely to read books that are interesting to them. The more students read, the better they are at reading.
We also have a new balanced literacy program. The books will really help with this district program.
We could not have had this project funded without you. We want you to know that we really do appreciate your support.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Dieckman
This classroom project was brought to life by Kia Motors America and one other donor.