Past projects 6
Brain Games: Tools for Socio-emotional Learning
Funded May 3, 2022Thank you for your generosity. We just finished the chess unit in my Game Theory class. Students worked together to develop their chess game. Some students learned how to play for the first time with the assistance of their friends. Others learned better openings and developed their end game strategy. It was a great opportunity to build community and think strategically. We couldn't have done it without the new boards.
After our statistics unit, in which we focus on casino games, we will dive into the rest of the materials your donations have afforded us. In our 'Game Rater' unit, students will be able to play and assess different aspects of the other new games. Uno is always a fan favorite, but I strive to introduce students to Eurogames. Splendor and Azul are new games that students fall in love with. Those are the gateways I use to introduce Catan and other, more complex games.
Thank you for your gifts. They will be well loved.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Ashley
This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Drive-In and 6 other donors.Be A Hero: Help Support Literacy
Funded Mar 9, 2016Kind donor,
Thank you so much for your generous contribution to this project. My students absolutely loved the comics. The Spider Man comics absolutely flew off my shelf and have not been back for a day since. My students of color have expressed great pleasure over being able to see themselves in Miles Morales, the new Spider Man. He brings diversity to an overly white medium and shows students that people that look like them are heroes.
Captain Marvel and Thor, likewise have been hits among my female readers. Unfortunately, the Marvel movies have focused so much on the men that women have been left out. My female students love these titles because the women in them can go toe to toe with the male super heroes, but often find more diplomatic solutions that prove that might does not always make right.
As this year comes to a close, I feel honored to have helped these students read more and connect with that belief that we are all heroes. You certainly are for giving that gift to them.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Ashley
Empowering Women and Minorities through Comics
Funded Sep 20, 2015Thank you all for your donation to this project. As the title suggests, many of the selected titles are centered around diversity on the page as a means of enabling my highly diverse student body to see themselves in the heroes they read. Because of titles such as "American Born Chinese," "All-New Captain America," "Barefoot Gen," "Are You My Mother?" and "Kite Runner," the students of Asian, African-American and middle eastern descent as well as women and LGBT students can see themselves in the protagonists of their literature.
Students have enjoyed (and fought over who gets to read) these books in my Comic Book Club as well as my History Through Comics elective course. Students have debated the merits of Marvel's new increase in diversity efforts and treatment of minorities throughout history. They will soon be paired in literature circles to read the comic book memoirs and write their own. I greatly look forward to seeing students tell their own stories while reflecting on these comics.
I hope to see your name on my donor sheet again soon. Excelsior! :)”
With gratitude,
Mr. Ashley
Waiting for Superman
Funded Aug 21, 2015Thank you very much for your contribution of graphic novels to our school. Students have been able to use them both in the classroom in my history through comics class, and out of the classroom in the schools' comic book club. At the most basic level, these texts give students high interest reading material that is accessible to English language learners and students with reading deficits alike. However, I believe that these comics help on a deeper level.
Comics like Batwoman and Wonderwoman are loved by my female students who demand to see strong females in their literature. The new Spider-man with Miles Morales is a favorite as well; I'm not sure if it's because it offers fresh storylines and possibilities, or because my black and latino students enjoy seeing a hero reflecting themselves. Regardless, students are not only reading, but demanding new content. This is all because of you.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Ashley
Social Justice League [Comics for kids who need them]
Funded Mar 12, 2015Thank you very much for the donation of the resources to my classroom. Unsurprisingly, since students voted on which comics to ask for, each volume has been in high demand. I haven't kept titles like Fables or Deadpool in stock for over a day because as soon as one student returns it, another is there to check it out.
Furthermore, the new array of comics has brought in new readers. I have a reluctant reader who comes to comic book club for the social aspect but who had never read a thing pouring over Hawkeye. Any material that gets students reading is valuable.
Students are discovering new genres and themes because of the variety of titles, and texts such as March and Hamlet have been supplemental material for low-level readers in content classes.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Ashley
Waiting for Superman
Funded Nov 11, 2014My students are ecstatic about the new reading materials. Salsabeel and Tyasia are connecting Greek mythology we're learning in class to the modern myths that Batwoman fights. Imutinyan's eyes lit up when I told her I had Kingdom Come. Cassidy struggles with depression, but when I told her that the lead singer of My Chemical Romance, a band whose name is plastered on all her notebooks, wrote The Umbrella Academy, she jumped at the chance to read it.
These comics are allowing students to make connections. Students are connecting these easily accessible resources to what we're learning in class. Furthermore, they're connecting with each other. Students are talking to each other about whether or not it's ethical for Batman to kill the Joker. They're talking about how much they love reading to their friends, who are coming to pick up recommended titles. A community is being formed thanks to you.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Ashley
This classroom project was brought to life by Wells Fargo and 8 other donors.