Past projects 105
Remote Students Need to Be Engaged
Funded Sep 21, 2020Thank you for all that you have done to help bring this project from my dream to a reality. The challenges of the new teaching environment can not be minimized. There is so much that becomes difficult when we are remote. I cannot even go into my school building to get supplies.
I am so grateful that resources were made available thanks to the you and DonorsChoose.org. The AirMouse makes remote lessons so much more convenient to teach. And the storage boxes are also used daily keeping things organized.
Thank you again for your assistance.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Stern
Growing Food With Water
Funded Jan 27, 2020Thank you for your contributions to this project.
Although I was unable to carry out the project as I initially envisioned it, as an in-class observation and recording of data, it was nevertheless useful. The initial shipment I received as damaged, and so I had to send it back. Before the replacement arrived, my school went to remote teaching.
So I've been running the experiments and data collection from my basement, taking photos and sharing measurements with my students. Many have expressed surprise at seeing how plants actually grow -- that is, it isn't a linear model. This alone has made things worthwhile, as one big misconception that math teachers struggle with is getting students to look for non-linear explanations for what they see.
I am still awaiting a couple pieces of the project, which I suppose won't arrive until September at the earliest. Nevertheless, we have moved forward with what we could.
Thank you again for your help.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Stern
Writing Tools for Hand-Lettering
Funded Dec 3, 2019Thank you for funding this project. During the time I had with the materials before we broke off for "distance learning" (due to health concerns) students were reacting very positively to this new (to them) form of writing.
Several students commented that they very much liked the tactile feel of writing with a fountain pen. I believe the haptic feedback it gives as you draw the pen nib across paper can be very satisfying to students. Other students mentioned that it made them feel like an artist, using a "real" writing instrument.
I am hoping that, once we return to the classroom, I can continue giving my students this experience. Thank you again for your assistance.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Stern
This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Drive-In and one other donor.Cycle Out the Older, Cycle in the Newer
Funded Dec 2, 2019Thank you for your generous contributions that brought this project to fruition. Several of the new calculators have already been cycled in to the classroom set, and the ones with cracked screens and sticky keys have been cycled out. I still have two more calculators still in their packages, waiting for their moment to join the class. Although students accidentally drop calculators on a regular basis, they are made very sturdily, and mostly continue to work. But eventually even the sturdiest of equipment will take one drop too many, and I know the remaining new ones will soon be out of their packaging and in use in my classroom.
Thank you again for your help.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Stern
This classroom project was brought to life by Verizon and 3 other donors.Classroom Basics, Nothing Fancy
Funded Oct 24, 2019Thank you so much for your generous contribution to the completion of my project.
As I expected, the pencil sharpener is used multiple times each class period. Some students seem to wait for my class to sharpen their pencils, and process a fistful of pencils at once. Others just appreciate being able to put a fresh point on their writing implement.
The stapler, likewise, is used daily, although not quite as much. I generally have our copy machine staple packets together for students when I originally reproduce them. But on occasion students want to add something, a graph, a chart, a drawing, to the package. The stapler is perfect in these instances. It also has the "swing-open" feature, so I can tack things to the bulletin board.
All in all, the items have improved the flow, and thus the learning in my classroom.
Thank you again.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Stern
This classroom project was brought to life by An anonymous classroom supporter and 2 other donors.We Need Storage Space and Power.
Funded Oct 9, 2019Thank you so much for your generous donation to this project. The main goal I was trying for was to give my students a convenient way to organize their classwork. Many are still struggling with the idea of referring to their notes and previous work when stumped on a new problem.
The bookshelves have given me a simple way to make sure each student has a three-ring binder easily accessible to hold their work. The shelves fit almost precisely below the chalk-tray of my classroom boards, as though they were designed for this purpose. Each of my classes has its own bookshelf, so the students know exactly where to go for their own binder.
I still need to provide some assistance with their organizational skills, but the shelves go a long way to providing a simple visible structure to organize around.
Thank you again.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Stern
Keeping Things Straight and Holding It Together
Funded May 7, 2019I want to take this time to express my heartfelt thanks for your generous contribution to my project. It is gratifying that people, who don't even know me, will take the trouble to give to projects benefiting public school students across the country.
The materials you funded have already gone a long way towards improving the situation for my students. The metal rules are so much sturdier than the cheap wooden meter sticks they replaced. Some of my colleagues are already scrambling to try to order a second or third replacement set, while mine are still going strong.
The other materials were similarly helpful, and are being put to use almost each week in the various quantitative activities in math and the design explorations in STEM. Thank you again for your help.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Stern
This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 2 other donors.Hands-on Crafts for Special Needs Mathematics
Funded Apr 16, 2019Thank you for your assistance in funding this project to benefit my students. The materials are already in process of being allocated to various projects in my classroom. The photos I posted show one such project, in which students work to figure a way to join simple equilateral triangle cutouts into multi-color ball.
Many of my students come to me with significant math phobias, and a fear even to begin engaging with math materials. Hands-on projects are sometimes just what is needed to entice a student in. Once they see they can be successful at a math task, they are more willing to try again. Bit by bit I try to chip away at their fears.
Thank you again for the role you played in this project.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Stern
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 2 other donors.Zometools Approach to Geometry of Solids
Funded Feb 28, 2019Thank you so much for your assistance in funding this "Zometools" project. The Zometool is a building tool which allows the user (student or teacher) to create a wide variety of geometric shapes in three dimensions. There is no comparison between having a student look at a drawing of a three-D shape versus allowing them to hold one in their hands, and manipulate and observe it in real time.
The Zometool kits I requested were tied to specific models, but the flexibility of Zometool as a building component will allow us to disassemble the original model and reassemble the pieces into a wide variety of shapes.
Thank you again for helping to supply us with this wonderful tool.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Stern
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 2 other donors.Surfacing Our Learning With Materials
Funded Feb 13, 2019Thank you so much for your contribution to my classroom, in the form of a Microsoft Surface tablet computer.
Much is made of late about technology in the classroom, but technology alone is not a panacea for all students. Technology must be used appropriately in appropriate circumstances. The compact size and light weight of the Surface gives me exactly the flexibility I want, to have things available when appropriate, and to quickly put things away when they aren't needed.
The addition of a tablet computer has been quite helpful. Thank you again.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Stern
This classroom project was brought to life by Microsoft Corporation and 2 other donors.