Past projects 3
Race to the Top - Toothpick Towers!
Funded May 8, 2019My students and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generous donations to our classroom. Because of your generous donations, we were able to compete in a toothpick tower race where top teams were rewarded with prizes. They had a BLAST! This required students to use architectural and engineering skills, work as a team, and think quickly on the spot to create the strongest, tallest, and free standing towers.
This hands on and engaging activity would not have been possible without your financial support. It is extremely expensive to pay for an abundance of gummies and toothpicks for 200 students to use as building materials. Your donations made this memorable experience possible. When my students first saw the materials, they were in awe of the amount of colorful gummies and asked me how I could afford all of it. I proudly told them how I advocated for them to have these supplies for our activities and how generous donors provided them with these materials. They thought I was so cool for knowing about Donorschoose.org and doing my part to try and make class fun and interesting!
We just ended our school year, so next steps for my students is to continue providing amazing opportunities for my students each year (like the toothpick tower competition), and the supplies they need to succeed in school. Donorschoose.org allows me to do this without spending my own money. Thank you for your unforgettable generosity! You brightened the lives of many disadvantaged high school students (and their teacher!).”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mendoza
This classroom project was brought to life by San Diego Gas & Electric and 2 other donors.Race to the Top! Toothpick Towers
Funded Nov 1, 2017My students and I had an amazing time constructing marshmallow toothpick towers. This race to the top is one we will never forget. I've never had so many resources to work with. In the past, I'm usually worried if I bought enough marshmallows and toothpicks because it is extremely expensive to orchestrate this project. Thanks to DonorsChoose.org, I did not have to worry at all whether I had enough materials or whether I could afford all my bills this month. I've previously funded this project in past years on my own and it is a severe financial strain. As my numbers of students continue to grow to about 190, there is no way I could have funded this project on my own this year.
Students were so wide-eyed when they saw all the boxes of marshmallows arrive. I strategically waited to do this activity for when the students returned from Winter Break and received new seats. This is because this project doubles as a math/architecture project and a team builder. I wanted students to bond with their new teams in a fun and engaging way. Before we left for Winter Break, multiple students approached me and asked when we were going to get to use those marshmallows. This shows that they maintained an awareness of our race to the top activity even without me ever bringing it up and highlights their excitement about it.
Our results yielded a tallest tower of 14 inches. Many towers lingered around 11 inches, and students were extremely creative with the geometric shapes and patterns that they used to keep their towers standing (see pictures). As a teacher, it is the most beautiful thing to watch all hands contributing to a final product through communication, collaboration, and team work. This is the epitome of the best teams, and this is why these marshmallow toothpick towers are my favorite day of the school year. The next steps for this project is to carry the positive team building skills and collaboration into mathematical learning. When posed with a math task, the goal is for students to delegate responsibility, communicate, and work well together as they were forced to do with their marshmallow towers. From all of us here at Montgomery High School, we want to say thank you for your generosity. We've gained much more than just cool towers from this entire experience.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mendoza
Wonderful Colorful Math!
Funded Jan 11, 2017My classroom has been greatly enhanced as a result of your generosity. My students and I are still beaming from joy and disbelief that all these supplies are really ours! Your thoughtfulness has gone leaps and bounds to improve understanding in my math class. Students eagerly reach for their colors in order to differentiate the material and break down the academic vocabulary. Many students come from homes where they do not have access to fancy highlighters, markers, tracing paper, and organization materials if it is not provided by the school itself. Now my classroom has become that safe haven for these students. They see these generous gifts as an empowering statement that shows they will receive the resources they need to be successful.
You are the reason they have a newfound hope.
There is a new vibrancy within the walls of my classroom since DonorsChoose.org has blessed our lives. Students comment that they look forward to coming to my class and exploring new ideas. This is only made possible as a result of the greater access to resources that we've been given through the donors from DonorsChoose.org.
Saying thank you does not feel like enough to express the gratitude that the students and I feel for noticing us, funding our project, and adding color and excitement to our lives. Thank you for brightening our school year and making all of our lives less financially strained.
Watching this project unfold reaffirms how much each students is truly hungry to learn. Their imaginations come to life when they are provided with adequate resources and allow their creativity to intersect with their math learning.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Mendoza