Past projects 3
Diving into Focused Work with Headphones Snugly in Place
Funded Nov 15, 2024We are incredibly grateful to our donors for providing our students with the new headphones for their computers. These headphones have made a tremendous difference in the way our students learn and engage with technology, and we'd like to share the positive impact they've had on our classrooms.
The headphones have made a huge impact on our ability to create personalized learning experiences. With the increased use of educational videos, interactive lessons, and digital activities, students can now focus on their tasks without distractions from their peers. The clarity of sound and the ability to listen individually has improved their understanding and retention of lessons, especially for subjects that rely on auditory learning like language arts or foreign languages. Additionally, students with learning differences, such as those who benefit from extra support in concentration, can now work more effectively in a quieter, controlled environment.
The most exciting aspect of the headphones is the ability to engage with content without interruptions. Whether it's a math lesson, a science experiment, or listening to an audiobook, students are thrilled by how immersive their learning has become. Some students have mentioned that they now feel like they are in a "zone" when listening, which helps them concentrate better. The headphones allow them to engage in audio-based tasks, participate in virtual discussions, or even listen to instructional podcasts at their own pace, which has greatly increased their confidence.
We've seen specific students excel with the use of the headphones. For example, some of our students who previously struggled to focus in a noisy classroom environment have really blossomed. The headphones provide them with the space they need to concentrate without distractions from background noise or other students. Students with special needs, such as those with hearing impairments or ADHD, have particularly benefited from the noise-canceling feature, which helps them stay engaged and improve their learning experience. Additionally, our English Language Learners (ELLs) have found the headphones especially helpful when listening to pronunciation guides and language activities, allowing them to focus without being distracted by the surrounding environment.
Thanks to your generosity, our students are not only able to engage more deeply with their lessons but also develop essential skills in using technology that will benefit them in the future. We are truly grateful for your support, and we can't wait to see the ongoing positive impact these headphones will have on our students' learning journeys.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Debbie McGinnis
This classroom project was brought to life by STAG Industrial and 4 other donors.A Safe, New Home For Clover the Rabbit!
Funded Sep 20, 2021At the beginning of the school year, we got the opportunity to adopt a young rabbit for our classroom. We were so excited! Having pets inside the classroom will enhance our learning environment. Animals are an integral part of my science/sustainability classroom. We have guinea pigs, a snake, fish, and worms. Science lessons about different types of animals come to life with school pets. Discussions about animal life cycles, habitats, ecosystems, and the affects of climate change are all part of my curriculum.
Statistics show time and time again that animals can help relieve stress and anxiety, and regulate breathing and heart rates. A pet in a classroom can provide a similar sense of peace and calm. Students may feel at-ease when they can walk over and see their friendly pet. They may be able to relax and enjoy their day when they know they have their pet friend nearby. Clover is a free roaming classroom rabbit. When my students are sitting at their tables and Clover hops on over to them, they can reach down to give her some scratches or a pet. Their classroom experience overall is strengthened with a class pet.
My students have different social/emotional issues but they are creative and curious. Due to my student's varying levels of abilities, I want to allow them to engage and relate to the science curriculum while keeping in mind their social/emotional learning. A pet brings increased sensitivity and awareness of the feelings and needs of themselves and others—both animals and humans. So, it is with great gratitude and appreciation that I submit this impact letter to you for your kindness and willingness to give toward "A Safe, New Home For Clover the Rabbit!".”
With gratitude,
Ms. Debbie McGinnis
Science in the Digital World
Funded Nov 7, 2019On October 10th, 2019, I began our adventure into the trout world. I went to an all day training that was hosted by Trout in the Classroom, picked up trout food, and our trout eggs. The trout eggs were introduced to their new home, a 55 gallon aquarium, designed just for them. Raising trout in our classroom is a hands-on activity that will engage students and will help to connect them to real-life water quality, fish and wildlife issues and problems, and inspires them to seek solutions. Grades 2-5 will be using our trout to study animal and plant dependance, environmental traits, adaptations, ecosystems, environmental factors, and food webs. Hatching eggs in the classroom and watching fish develop from eggs to fry generates enthusiasm among our students and helps them develop caring attitudes about fish species and their habitats. This is the first step in fostering in students a sense of stewardship for the planet. So, our trout adventure begins.
With the generosity of our donors, our Sustainability Studio received six Kindle Fires. This has allowed us to connect sustainability to the digital world. One particular lesson had students studying "form follows function" which means the shape of something relates to its purpose. We became trout detectives by using clues and determined how the shape of the body parts of a trout relates to how it moves through the water, what and how it eats, and the environment and habitat it lives in. We used our kindles to read more, look at pictures, and watch videos to verify our findings of a trout. Using the internet, we were able to research our fish and write a paragraph comparing our deductions with our research. Our kindles helped create an interactive experience for our students and allowed them to enter the world of a trout.
Stream Explorers is an interactive website as well as a four-page magazine. The website includes "Go Fishing, Fish Facts, and Get Active tabs where students can play and learn more about trout. Each magazine issue focuses on one important trout topic, and includes articles, illustrations, and activities and can be found on the website. We will use our Kindle Fires to connect to Stream Explorers as a culminating activity to our Life Science unit on trout.
So, it is with great gratitude and appreciation that I submit this impact letter to you for your kindness and willingness to give toward "Science in the Digital World!" We plan on continuing to use our kindles as we dive into our next unit on Earth Science and then finish up the year with our Physical Science unit.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Debbie McGinnis