Past projects 7
The Art of the Sketchbook
Funded Aug 6, 2023Thank you again so much for your generous donations to help my students each get their own sketchbook this year. Although the sketchbooks arrived a little late, that just added to the anticipation. Students were excited to get their very own, and would ask questions like, "we can keep them?" [YES!]
By this time of the year we have studied 6 of the 7 elements of art. Their sketchbooks are filled with VALUE studies, COLOR studies, different types of LINE and TEXTURE. The pages are also filled with watercolor techniques, and more. Each week we focus on a a new artist, so we already have pages with the artists students have since learned about.
Whenever we start a new project, their sketchbook is right there filled with ideas and techniques to help guide them along.
Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Frangias
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 12 other donors.The Art of the Sketchbook
Funded Sep 7, 2018Thank you once again for your generous donations! My students were beyond thrilled to receive the sketchbooks and to know that they would be given time for art projects this year. Even now, on days when I have to postpone the art, my students ask, "when will we do the next art project?" This reminds me how crucial it is for art to be embedded within our students' education.
Our most current project aligns nicely with what we are learning about in math, too. We have entered our geometry unit and are just about to determine the surface area and volume of 3D shapes. Incorporating art prior to our unit made the vocabulary much more accessible to ALL students, and students are feeling more comfortable visualizing these shapes after being exposed to how to draw them.
In addition, our 6th graders have a large camping trip coming up, and it will be nice for them to bring along these sketchbooks for them to document their memories from camp. I was inspired by a fellow teacher who had done this last year, and I am thrilled to give my students the same opportunity.
Again, THANK YOU for making art more accessible and meaningful to my students this year!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Frangias
This classroom project was brought to life by Neukom Family Foundation and 9 other donors.Help Brighten Our School - Keeping Tradition
Funded Aug 30, 2017Thank you so much for the supplies that allowed our students to "Help Brighten our School"! We are nearing completion of our project together and wanted to share our progress with all of our donors!
The project started with our 3 classes brainstorming ideas that included our 6th grade motto this year - "Do your best. Forget the rest!" From our initial brainstorm, we combined work together that included more of our students and voted on a design. We are currently working on completing our final touches so that the mural can be displayed on a wall outdoors. Our mural from last year sits alone, and we cannot wait to have this one beside it.
The students have been very excited and are still talking together with ways we can make it even better. Many students have even chosen to use their recess to complete this project! ( I just cannot tear them away!) It is so great being able to see and hear them collaborate and work together so seamlessly.
We are all super excited!
Again,
Thank you so much!
Ms. Frangias”
With gratitude,
Ms. Frangias
Wiggles Out - Learning In
Funded Nov 1, 2017Thank you SO much for your generous donation! I will never forget the day my students opened the boxes! Their eyes filled up with such excitement! I had TOO many volunteers stay in for recess to pump up the balls, and months later, still have to remind others to share! They LOVE all of them.
When they leave the classroom (for specialist, or other responsibilities), many ask to take the cushions with them. AND there is not a day that goes by that one of the balls or stools just sits in the corner when students are at their desks. It has made such a difference in the classroom ESPECIALLY for students that need to take out that extra energy.
Thank you again, from the bottom of my (ALL of our) hearts. I am so grateful my students have more flexible seating options- all thanks to YOU!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Frangias
Reading Together
Funded Aug 3, 2017Thank you so much for supporting our project! The past 2 years, "The Circuit" has inspired many of my students. Teaching them about themes and social issues that still pertain to today. I am excited to continue using "The Circuit," in the years to come to teach to ideas such as poverty, immigration, and courage as well as reading skills such as theme, symbolism, and tone.
It was particularly helpful having class copies in both English and Spanish this year in particular as I have a student that is new to America, and does not yet speak any English. This allowed him to access the text and still be a part of larger conversations. Not only that, but by having individual copies students were able to use the text to find and support inferences they made.
As we closed the unit, we wrote letters to the author. These letters will be sent off to a competition. Their words really do show the impact the story had on them. Here are a few excerpts from my students' letters to the author:
"Your book, The Circuit really inspired me because it was like putting on a new pair of eyes. It made think and look at the world differently."
"Your story made me feel really emotional throughout the whole story. For example when the teacher was being rude to you I just felt bad , if I was there I would really stand up up for you because I just hate the word and action of hate."
"You have inspired me and others in my class to be brave and work hard and you will get places if you just try."
Again, thank you for this generous donation to my classroom!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Frangias
This classroom project was brought to life by Sergey Brin Family Foundation and 8 other donors.The Art of Building Community from Within
Funded Jul 11, 2016Thank you for your generous donations to our classroom! At the beginning of the year, when students wrote introduction letters to me, many told me their passion for art and drawing. I remember one letter in particular where the student told me, "I really want to learn how to use watercolor." As I read these letters, I smiled, knowing that these supplies were on the way. It took a lot to hold this secret.
The student's eyes just lit up when they received the art materials. Each box was placed at a different table group, and students shared smiles and "oohs and ahhhs" as each box was opened. In previous years, these students haven't had much instruction in art, and their excitement grew as I told them about the many projects we will be doing in the next months. My students, especially this year, are very artistic. Many choose to draw at recess, have submitted art into competitions, and one of my student's art was chosen as the heading for our school's newsletter.
We have already used the oil pastels to make Day of the Dead masks, studied line in the form of zentangles, used watercolor to learn about color theory and practice different techniques, and used charcoal to study value and portraits. We will continue to use the supplies throughout the year through exploration of light, value, and color. In addition, the whole 6th grade has been working really hard designing ideas for murals. They are very excited to leave their mark on the school as they get ready for middle school.
Again, thank you for your generous support. The 6th grade motto this year is, "Dream it. Believe it. Achieve it." Your donations take them one step closer to achieving their dreams.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Frangias
Personalized WRITING to Empower Young Writers
Funded Jul 12, 2016Thank you for your generous donations to our classroom.
The students continue to use these materials on a daily basis. At the start of the year, I put a different box at each table for the students to open. One by one, each table group's excitement grew. Students began decorating their journals instantly! When the bell rang to be dismissed for recess, more than half the class wanted to stay in and continue decorating. The students were thrilled with the supplies and continue to use them to enhance their writing.
Because of these materials, students started the year with excitement for writing. Since then, they have cared for and put forth their best effort in their writing journals. Each journal is unique as are all of my students. Their journals are already filled with pages of personal narratives written in colors of all kinds. These supplies definitely aided in their endurance and stamina which is required in 6th grade writing.
Again, thank you for your generous support.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Frangias