Past projects 8
Encourage the Desire to Read an Award-Winning Native American Author!
Funded Sep 8, 2018Thank you for your donation of Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, the color ink jets, and black ink jet. We have begun reading the books, and the winter break will provide more time for reading this fantastic book.
These students are Early Intermediate, in the U.S. just about a year. Some have studied English in their home countries, but many come from places where they don't even read/write in their first language. That range makes teaching reading and writing English challenging; but a compelling, semi-true story of an indigenous high school student who is motivated to succeed creates a sort of equal footing among the races and genders. Everyone relates!
After break we will begin our projects use the color ink jets. We will create booklets about our "Tribes," a dominate character profile (other than the author), and figurative language journals. It will be so fun!
Thank you notes went out before Christmas, but photos will be sent the first week of the New Year.
I wish I knew of more high-interest stories for this age group, but at least we have this one. Thank you so much for your investment in our classroom!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Tigert
Learn to Think Critically Through Reading!
Funded Oct 19, 2017Thank you so much for your support in purchasing 30 copies of "Looking for Alaska," a young adult book that won the 2006 Michael L. Prince Award and was on the New York Times bestseller list for seven years. Students can relate to the themes of coming of age, death, and the balance between community and the self.
We will begin reading the book next week (first week of 2nd semester) and students are very excited. Some of you donors graduated from Hiram Johnson, so you know the thrill of a new beginning, but this time with brand new books!
We really appreciate your generosity and support.
Sincerely, and with gratitude,
Ms. T.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Tigert
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and one other donor.Student Chromebooks
Funded Oct 23, 2015The three Chromebooks and printer are a godsend to my new English learners. I have students at the Beginning Level of learning English who do not have access to technology in their homes. They currently come from Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Romania, China, Taiwan, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. In the case of the Near Eastern students, we have no dictionary resources to help them in our inner city school, so the Chromebooks provide access to translation into their home languages.
The printer assists students in creating projects, both individual and group, by designing on the Chromebook, then printing the product. The students are enthusiastic to see their ideas take shape and form.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Tigert
Literature Circles: The Hunger Games
Funded May 4, 2012We began our Literature Circles unit Monday, December 10. Students are really excited. Several said, "This is the best idea you've had so far, Ms. T!" It is great to see the enthusiasm for reading this selection, The Hungar Games.
Our first "club meetings" were today, December 13th. Students were surprisingly engaged. Those who hadn't done the reading felt out of place and sorry. I think next Monday (we meet twice a week: Monday & Thursdays) we will have even a larger percent of student buy-in. Some students read way ahead of what their group set a the target reading assignment. I wish you could be in the classroom to watch the process. Next week I will take pictures and attach them.
I am so grateful for your making this project possible. I know it took us a long time to get it running, but it's the perfect project for this time of year.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Tigert
Bringing the Classics Alive Through Video
Funded Dec 14, 2010Thank you so much for the incredible Canon Camcorder& Crayola Modeling Clay. Both have made a great difference in student writing and editing.
We are using the camera for several different projects: an instructional video, a personal exposition of life in another culture, public speaking, and technology that transfers to the outside world.
The Crayola Modeling Clay was part of teaching the STAR editing strategy: Substitute, Take Out, Add, and Rearrange. By doing the kinesthetic and visual activity of molding the clay, students seemed to understand the concept of moving their writing around to produce a clearer, more concise piece of writing.
We will reuse the camcorder year after year. The modeling clay has been consumed, but the results will last!
Thank you again for your generosity.
Sincerely,
Ms. T”
With gratitude,
Ms. Tigert
This classroom project was brought to life by Sacramento City Educational Foundation and 4 other donors.Student Voices Through Video
Funded Nov 13, 2010Thank you again for the wonderful gifts of thirty Young Adult Literature books and tripod to help us make our videos. These materials have been shared in all five ninth grade classes this semester, and the units/days with access to these supplemental learning tools are favorites for many students.
Students are eager to participate in the Literature Circles. I only wish we had more books/choices to continue with the program. My next request will be to add more selection and replace the books that have disappeared (I think some students want to read a particular title and have "borrowed" the book). This literature will be appreciated for many years to come.
The tripod allowed students to add a professional element to their instructional videos, and they are proud of their results. As we continue through the years, I will request more cameras to build a larger inventory of cameras so the program works more smoothly.
Thank you so much for making these two learning opportunities available to our underperforming and motivated English Language Learners.
Sincerely,
Ms. T.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Tigert
This classroom project was brought to life by Townsend Press and 5 other donors.Capture Learning with a Digital Camera
Funded Feb 3, 2010The five Canon Powershot digital cameras that you have funded for my classroom have already made a difference in the student enthusiasm levels for our English Language Learner classes. Each and every student has had opportunities to take pictures pertaining to the videos we submitted to the SEVA video contest on March 5, 2010, upload them into their iDVD, and learn to edit them using the software on a group computer.
Before you donated these cameras, only 2% of the students had used a digital camera. Now 100% of the students in my classes have a new skill they are proud to use. Our classroom has become the cool place to get English instruction in both technology and the traditional style of reading and writing. I wish you could feel the energy. It's exciting to be their teacher.
We will continue to use these cameras far into the future now that the video project is completed. Our next big project is story writing. Students will choose an interesting experience from their lives and document it in words and pictures. Following this project, we will do a "Parts of Speech" diorama which will require digital photos as well.
Our sincere thanks for helping me put technology into the hands of these smart and worthy English Language Learners. With the budget cuts in California education, we feel especially lucky. There would be absolutely no way to accomplish this experience for my students without your help.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Tigert
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and 2 other donors.Create Video Public Service Announcement
Funded Dec 10, 2009We are happily and creatively using the four Flip video cameras your donations provided us. All classes have videos underway. Each group must choose between making a Public Service Announcement or an Instructional video. We have titles such as "How to Stop the Violence in Our School" and "How to Make Huervos Rancheros."
Beginning next week, we will begin storyboarding for our Documentary Video. These English Language Learners have many compelling stories to tell, and I expect inspired productions.
Thank you again for your donations to make this technology possible for our students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Tigert
This classroom project was brought to life by Sacramento City Educational Foundation and 2 other donors.