Ms. O'Dell's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 5

• Lighting Up With STEAM

  Funded Oct 28, 2023

  Thank you for supporting hands on learning in my classroom. These types of activities engage students and inspire them to think analytically while solving problems in a fun way. There is so much more to learning than reading and filling out worksheets. Thank you for helping me create life long learners.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. O'Dell

  This classroom project was brought to life by Infosys Foundation USA and 5 other donors.

• Maker Bootcamp to Make Learning Accessible for All Students

  Funded Jun 13, 2019

  I had an amazing time at Infosys USA's Pathfinders Summer Maker Educator Collective Bootcamp. I learned about and tried a number of technologies that I wouldn't have had access to otherwise. After a full week of learning I returned home with plenty of ideas to implement in my class this year.

  Being part of a learning community of educators who like to code and tinker really impressed on me how effective making and technology is for helping students develop essential collaboration and communication skills. Experiencing the excitement of sharing ideas and seeing others' projects as an educator reminded me how engaging making can be for students when included in the classroom with purpose and planning.

  Thank you for making this week possible for me and my students.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. O'Dell

  This classroom project was brought to life by Infosys Foundation USA and 3 other donors.

• Making Science Engaging and Relatable

  Funded Mar 1, 2019

  Fourth grade is special year. This is a time when students are moving away from concrete thinking to being able to think abstractly. The materials that you provided with your generous donations helped students deepen their understanding of nature and earth's processes in a hands on, concrete way. They were then able to start thinking abstractly and make connections between how humans impact the environment and vis versa.

  The owl pellet dissection was one of the highlights of the school year. I saw looks of amazement on students' faces when they unwrapped and examined their pellets. They were so surprised to find that each pellet was different. Some were soft and felt like fur. Others were rough. One had a feather in it. All of the pellets had bones from animals that the owls had eaten. Every student was engaged and actively participating in the lesson. Every new discovery was announced, "I found teeth". "This is a vole." I hope to repeat this lesson next year in conjunction with a field trip to the Audubon Center.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. O'Dell

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 4 other donors.

• They Deserve the Best Teacher

  Funded Dec 12, 2018

  Thank you for supporting my goal of attaining National Board Certification. This process has been very demanding and has inspired me to reflect deeply on my teaching practices. I have learned a lot about myself as an educator and a lot about my community and the students that I teach. They inspire me every day to be the best teacher that I can be for them.

  I continue to work with research based practices to find the most effective and engaging ways to support all of my students with learning. I work hard to reach all of my students by designing learning experiences that are accessible to all of them.

  At the end of the school year I asked students if there was anything that stood out to them that helped them learn. Almost all of them talked about the hands on activities that I designed to help students make real life connections and build background knowledge. I couldn't have done this without the DonorsChoose community.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. O'Dell

• Analyzing Real News through Current Events

  Funded Nov 28, 2017

  Before this project most of my students got their news through Social Media without any thought to whether what they were seeing was authentic. The second largest student news source was from friends and family. Not one student got their news from print.

  Using the materials that you provided, students learned to evaluate news sources. They learned to fact check and look for evidence to support the story. Through discussion and debate they developed their own criteria for assessing whether something was real or fake. They then used that criteria to evaluate the validity of "news" from various sources. Finally, they wrote a research paper using valid sources and the Just Write material that you purchased for them.

  I was astounded by the conversations that we had in class. Many students thought that if something was being shared through social media that it was true. They had never thought about the source of those snaps, chats and tweets or thought about the importance of fact checking. I will continue to work with students on thinking critically about news. At least now, 100% of my students are getting news from a valid written source, the Scholastic Magazines that you donated.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. O'Dell

  This classroom project was brought to life by Anonymous Donor and 10 other donors.