Past projects 45
Jazzing-Up the Science Library!
Funded Aug 14, 2024Well, another uber-supported project of high-octane science reference books for our beloved school library!
One of the mightiest features of this books project is, that not only does this project immediately fill existing holes in our science reference library, but it also allows for our wonderful librarian to stockpile extra copies of books for future reference gaps.
Of course, kudos to the Gates Foundation for generously offering this matching grant year-after-year, but solid-gold bear statuettes are owed to our civilian donors, especially those Anonymous donors who donated with herculean effort.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Petuskey
This classroom project was brought to life by The Gates Foundation and 4 other donors.Librarians Need Help, Too!
Funded Aug 9, 2023Thanks to you all, so so much, for believing in this project and literally carrying it across the finish line! Brainstorming for this project started way back in August of 2023, and it can be said that The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is our perennial bedrock for projects like this.
Why so much fuss for a library resources project? Firstly, our librarian is beloved, and deserving all praiseworthy words that spring to mind. Secondly, if our school is a wheel, our library is truly the Hub; everything that benefits our library benefits all students. What benefits the books in our library likewise benefits our students' minds: "A book, like a person's mind, should always be open."
My teaching, and the teaching of every educator at our school, becomes more profound when we can place library books and resources into our students' deserving hands. Thank you, everyone!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Petuskey
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 17 other donors.Owl Pellet Palooza!
Funded Aug 15, 2022When we dissect owl pellets, we never know what we will find inside. These grayish lumps come, after all, from the stomachs of owls, and by extension, whatever the owl ate at that time. The hair and bones inside owl pellets may be from mice, moles, snakes or other birds.
In the classroom, we use a Zoomy macro-camera to enlarge the image of a bone on our Smartboard. For our thank-you pictures, picture #1 is what the owl pellet looks like before dissection. Pic #2 is a mouse's upper jaw. #3 is the mouse's sinus. #4 is the mouse's nose. #5 is one of the mouse's vertebrae. #6 is the scapula of a bird, and #7 is the bone of a snake.
We are, eternally grateful to you, our supporters, for making this project possible!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Petuskey
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 10 other donors.Waste Not, Want Not!
Funded Aug 10, 2022Our new, capacious composter assembled easily, and fit the schoolyard nicely. I was a little worried that we wouldn't be able to fill it. Ha!
Fallen leaves from an autumn cleanup, donated vegetable scraps, and slightly-used pumpkins began our composting process in October. Since then, our wonderful cafeteria staff has been donating expired foodstuffs: potatoes, oranges, bananas (by the bunch), pears, dried raisins and cranberries, and wheat hamburger buns, keeping these ingredients out of our trash dumpsters. Our new composter is now completely full, and ready to be hand-rotated through the winter months.
By next spring, we should have rich, dark soil to use in our raised garden beds, all thanks to you, dear donors!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Petuskey
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 12 other donors.Science is an Open Book!
Funded Oct 25, 2021Our Science is an Open Book project is a tremendous success!
I really hadn't planned it this way, but the greatest strength of this project is how essential science concepts overlap between non-fiction and fictional genres. Our students really picked-up on this, after reading the Lucy and Stephen Hawking series books.
In so few books, (hopefully) without overwhelming any one student, we are able to cover not only an extremely wide array of science topics, but to also be able to explore each topic in depth. We thank you all for allowing this to happen for us!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Petuskey
This classroom project was brought to life by Dollar General Literacy Foundation and 2 other donors.Dinosaur Exploration!
Funded Aug 11, 2021Mea maxima culpa: this is my fault that this impact letter is so late!
Student learning has certainly been different this school year, and this project is no exception to that rule. Thank our lucky stars for this Dinosaur Exploration project!
Our science students have been devouring our new hardback dinosaur books, particularly because we now have a representative model of so many dinosaurs to hold and compare during reading sessions.
I am also pleased to report that the number of elementary-age girls that have explored these books and figurines has easily tripled over previous years.
Most importantly, for our youngest readers, whose reading proficiency has been delayed by remote learning during the pandemic, our new dinosaur figures act like virtual magnets to interest these future readers to ask questions and search for broader resources.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Petuskey
Book It, Dano!
Funded Mar 6, 2020The impact of the donated books from this project cannot be understated!
These new science reference books entered the catalog of our school library just this last Tuesday, and already students are asking for them by name. No matter how rare the niche interest of each student, there is now a stunning tome to support her or his interests.
A fine book, like water, seeks its own level. If a younger student wishes to consult a higher-level book, then great! If an older student wants clarification from a simpler text, then that is also easily achieved.
How elegant, how insightful, how wonderful!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Petuskey
This classroom project was brought to life by A group of anonymous donors and 8 other donors.We Dig Geology!
Funded Feb 3, 2020It is with a light and carefree heart that I am composing a well-earned thank-you letter to you, dear supporters, to thank you for our magnificent new minerals collection!
We have already organized our minerals by color and type, and are keeping them semi-submerged in water, to enhance their natural colors and luster. Since these minerals all originate in India, we are looking forward to researching each one, to determine, with certainty, it's name and background.
The earnest study of geology never looked so good, or meant more to budding geologists. Thanks to you!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Petuskey
Chemical Foundations!
Funded Dec 3, 2019Our laboratory classroom is well into the new year and the vital materials from our Chemical Foundations! project! These essential nuggets of science laboratory gold are all only possible because of your extraordinary vision and support. Here is further insight into this ongoing science saga:
After unpacking the mountain of supplies needed for this project, we chose Rheoscopic Currents as our first lesson to tackle. Not only is this lesson less complicated than others, it is less toxic as well. Four of our six thank-you photos illustrate the swirly-pearly water currents that are only visible when our rheoscopic fluid is employed.
In order, our next chemical lessons will be: Elephants' Toothpaste, Hot Ice, and lastly, Burning Gummy Bear (to be explored outside because of toxic fumes). We cannot wait to savor all of these chemical inquiries, all because of you, dear donors!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Petuskey
This classroom project was brought to life by An anonymous classroom supporter and 3 other donors.Elemental Colors!
Funded Oct 1, 2019The beautiful thing about seeking support for projects like this is, e pluribus unum. It's true: from the many, one amazing thing occurs.
Our older students have already begun their inquiry of these spectrum tubes, with our younger students following close behind. Here are a few factoids that don't easily show up in our thank-you pictures: chlorine combusts with a chilling, green color, while hydrogen blazes with a ferocious red color (think of Darth Vader's lightsaber).
This project has even spawned a Periodic Table joke: "What is a pirate's favorite element?" Answer: ARgon!
We are, all of us, infinitely grateful to you!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Petuskey