Past projects 11
History is Fun!
Funded Oct 3, 2024Thank you again for supporting our Wax Museum project by purchasing biographies that we can use for research. Many of the books that were purchased supplemented historical figures that we had a limited number of books on. The books that you purchased are also at my students' grade level, so it will be easier for them to do the research.
This gift will help the students learn about historical figures and will teach them about perseverance, inquiry, and kindness, just to name a few.
The kids are already wanting to choose their historical figure for the project in May! Thanks again for making this project come to life for the kids through these books.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bowen
This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Foundation and 4 other donors.Creative Fun
Funded Jan 25, 2024Thank you so much for the donation of craft supplies for our classroom. The students used the canvases, paints, and new paintbrushes to create a Valentine's Day picture for themselves. They were so excited when given a blank canvas to create anything that they wanted.
Some students made a Valentine's themed picture, and some painted things they really like. The students have decided that they want to use the remaining canvases to make a Mother's Day and Father's Day gift for their parents.
Thank you again for your generosity!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bowen
Wonder Workshop for All
Funded Nov 28, 2023My classroom is so appreciative of the donation toward our Wonder Workshop coding program and our two new Dash robots. We have had Dash robots for a few years, but we have never had the program that teaches us how to use all the accessories that go along with Dash.
Now that we have the program, the students work on it every Friday afternoon. They enjoy the challenges and puzzles given to them and work together to try and solve them. Our next step would be using what we have learned from the coding program to program our Dash robots to complete activities.
Thanks again for giving my students this opportunity.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bowen
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 2 other donors.STEM Activities
Funded May 8, 2023Thank you so much for your support of my classroom. The Teachers Pay Teachers gift cards I received have gone to good use! I used them to purchase units that I can immediately use with my students.
I have purchased coding units to use with the Botley, Dash, and robotic mice . They were used in our summer STEM Academy. The kids thoroughly enjoyed coding the robots. I also purchased units on historical figures that I can use in my Social Studies class.
It is so helpful to have this kind of funding on hand to help supplement the materials I already have. Your generosity is appreciated by me and my students.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bowen
Wiggle, Learn, Grow!
Funded Sep 15, 2021When the large boxes containing our table and wobble stools arrived, the students were so excited. They wanted me to get them put together right away. We let everyone take a turn using the stools and table before we assigned them daily.
We are using the table and stools for everything from partner work to a STEM station. It is the first thing chosen every morning for flexible seating. Flexible seating is such a great tool to teach responsibilty and making good choices. Having this new table and stools really helps with having choices.
Thanks again for helping out our classroom. We appreciate you very much!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bowen
Love to Learn
Funded May 3, 2021When I received the gift cards for Teachers Pay Teachers, I began to make a plan on how best to use the funds. The first unit I purchased was a STEM unit called Mission to Mars. It contained many STEM investigations that we used for our summer STEM Academy. The students loved it! They created a boot to wear on Mars that met certain constraints, they made a shelter that would not let the sun in, and they created a tool to reach into a cave to collect rock specimens and more.
I also purchased a word wall , small group language activities, and writing activities for my second graders. Having these resources is a game changer when planning my lessons. Thanks again for supporting my classroom and students.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bowen
This classroom project was brought to life by Ford Drive 4 UR School and 7 other donors.STEM Excitement
Funded Mar 23, 2021Thank you so much for providing my students with the Hand2mind STEM kit Shrinking Shore. The students loved being able to work together to solve the problem of beach erosion. The kids learned that coral reef, breakwater, and beach grass help slow erosion. They used clay, netting, and toothpicks to make models and test them.
When the kids saw the tubs, colored sand, and clay, they were excited to get started. Everyone wanted a job making the model. Each group was engaged and wanted to share their data.
Our next project is a Project Lead the Way module about erosion. The students have prior knowledge from this investigation to help them solve the problem.
Thanks again!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bowen
This classroom project was brought to life by Herb Kohl Philanthropies and 6 other donors.Coding is Elementary!
Funded Sep 30, 2020My students just finished the Mouse Coding Exploration using the kit that you helped us purchase. In short, they loved it. The students learned about what code , a loop, and debugging is. They had to practice writing code and finding a bug in code. Before they could code Jack the robotic mouse, they had to write the code out with arrows and design a path that would get the mouse to water, food, shelter, and away from danger.
When the totes arrived with our kits, the kids couldn't stop talking about them. "When are we going to use them?" "Can we use the kits yet?" Even after we started the unit they would ask when they could code the robotic mouse!
Because the kids did such a great job with the K-2 coding kit, we are going to transition right into the 3-5 kit where they get to code a robot to explore erosion caused by a landslide! Thanks again for your support!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bowen
Makerspace Mania
Funded May 29, 2020Thank you so much for helping our school create a wonderful creative space for students. The STEM Lab is being put together slowly because of the issues going on in our world, but it is shaping up to be a place where a lot of innovation and creativity will be sparked.
The Maker Space in our lab is a place where kids can tinker, problem solve, and collaborate with others. It is a place where ideas can become reality . It is a place where kids can try and fail and learn.
My students in second grade this year love STEM and are so excited to see the workbenches and tools in the lab.
Thanks again for making this idea a reality!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bowen
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 5 other donors.Elementary STEM Success!
Funded Jul 29, 2019The STEM investigation kits that my class received through Donors Choose made my students' faces light up when I conveyed the challenge to them. The students had to work through several steps to complete the investigation and along the way they learned cooperation, collaboration, and critical thinking skills.
The students had to work in groups and share ideas , that is not always easy, especially when you think your idea is the best! That was one of the hardest skills to work on, collaboration, but this kit and the great challenges it gave my students, had them figuring out ways to work with others, a lifetime skill.
The students, while working on the challenge of engineering aid drop packages, had great conversations on how to design, create, and redesign their packages so that they could be dropped without any damage, be seen in different environments, and be recognizable in any language. This was a wonderful project for my students and one that will be used in our STEM Academy next summer. Thank you for this opportunity for my students!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bowen
This classroom project was brought to life by Overdeck Family Foundation and 2 other donors.