Past projects 3
Literature Connects Students
Funded Nov 29, 2022Thank you for providing a catalyst for my students to read, discuss, and think about their lives and literature. Being an 8th grade student is challenging, fun, creative, and a time of self- awareness. Daily life and relationships change quickly for our young people at this age.
Literature provides a way to connect with others who experience these same changes. Literature provides a format for students to discuss what is going on with themselves and others.
Literature provides a glimpse into how to navigate all that is going on in students' lives.
One of my favorite student conversations to overhear includes how students connect with a character from a novel. How delightful to see the "ah-ha" moment when a student realizes they share common life experiences with a peer by talking about a novel. And, the shared realization of what life might have been like for a student their own age in a place such as as Manazanar, in a "pencil canyon", or hidden in a basement in Brussels.
Your generosity will continue to open the eyes, minds, awareness, and experiences of students. Thank you from all of us!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Beard
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 2 other donors.Presenting Medieval Projects and Research
Funded Nov 27, 2018Thank you so much for providing the technology tools for my students to create projects. The students are also learning how to use the technology!
With the addition of the Chromebooks, my students are learning how to research topics and verify the authenticity of sources and information. They have been able to check for primary sources for their topics, research areas of interest which lead to additional topics. Students are excited to then take that information and create presentations in a variety of formats to showcase their learning. Projects have included a google slide presentation on knight's armor, a video that has been created and edited to illustrate how serfs and lords interacted with each other, and a visual tour of a castle.
The ipad allows students to record each others' skits that they write, create, and present. I currently have a group of students researching medieval music who are looking for specific scores from that time period that they can practice and present to the class. A small group of my students are working to create a "movie trailer" on medieval games.
Many of my students are exploring new ways to present what they have learned. Even some of my most reluctant students are eager to work on a project that utilizes the iPad or the Chromebooks. I see students who used to "hang back" step forward with their ideas and collaborate with their peers. The technology is especially beneficial to my students who do not have access to iPads or computers at home.
Again, thank you for your generosity. It is appreciated on a daily basis in my classroom. I personally look forward to learning even more ways to incorporate both the iPad and the Chromebooks into my classroom.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Beard
Literature Brings Students Together
Funded Nov 27, 2018"Is this a true story?" ("Revolution is not a Dinner Party")
"This author lives in San Francisco now. Wow! "
"This is a sad story. But it showed how people can overcome so many obstacles." ("A Long Walk to Water")
"This story is about one person walking for water and another person walking to freedom."
"I really had to think why the author held back the main character's story until the end of the book. It was like the author wanted us to relate with the character before we found out how different his story is from ours." ("All the Broken Pieces")
"There's never a real description of what the main character looks like. I think that's because the author wants us to connect the main character's experience to what we go through in middle school."
These are just a few comments that my students expressed as we discussed these books in a "fishbowl interview" last Friday. The students wrote the questions and asked their peers to discuss the various aspects of the novels. The conversation was rich and deep, analyzing many details from the novels and finding ways to relate to the characters. One of the final questions in each interview was, "How would you rate this book?" To my joy, almost all the groups rated these novels an 8 or 9 on a scale of 10!
These novels provided the opportunity and choice for the students to work collaboratively in literature circles to read, discuss, analyze, and have a peek into the lives of characters whose life experiences are not so very different from theirs. "Listening in" to the student conversations on a weekly basis provided insights into their understanding of the author's purpose, character development, and the craft of writing. Even my most reluctant readers were excited to read the novels and collaborate with their peers in literature circles.
Thank you for providing the resources for my students to experience stories from other parts of the world. I know they would express their gratitude and thanks as well. We truly appreciate your generosity.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Beard