Past projects 2
1619 Project and Mahogany Books
Funded Dec 3, 2021We have a personalized learning time at school, which is our mentor--advisee time. I had 14 students in grade 7 this year. These were my pandemic virtual class that connected with when then transitioned from elementary to middle school. We met in person this past year. We read aloud and shared about "When we were born on the Water." The picture book and drew our experiences--multiple times in the library. We met and read once a week if not more from the 1619 project. Everyone received a 1619 project book. We also learned about our students Filipino Heritage, Salvadoran Heritage and our Indigenous heritage along with our African/ Black heritage and legacy. Students like Isaiah shared how certain passages or stories made him feel. Dixon would speak up about others and defend others in their comments with examples.
Your donation offered students windows into contexts about race, belonging, how writing is important, how your voice and experience is unique and how you contribute to community and learn from each other together. We had the picture book, "Born on the Water" that offered images to jump off conversations, writing prompts and build community. The 1619 Project allowed students to select sections of interest and read aloud, listeners would build or comment on the selected sections. The "NEW KID ON THE BLOCK" was helpful for our non native English speakers and could follow along with the visuals as well as build their vocabulary.
The Book "NEW KID on the BLOCK" is the book kids gravitated towards the most and read the graphic novel format. We did not get to finish this book as we commenced the ASSESSMENT / Testing cycles. The kids were grateful and appreciative of the books, especially Genesis, Christian, Jeremiah, and Angie. The 1619 Project book was read the MOST outloud in our group huddles.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Vialpando
This classroom project was brought to life by Clark Foundation & Marriott Foundation.UNISEX Creative Coding
Funded Dec 31, 2020Thank you for the technology gift of the IPAd and the pencil tool with the protective covering and warranty repair. I have been able to be more reliable, quicker and mobile to address my students concerns virtually and in person.
Virtually, I was able to interact with students more quickly about how to use the SCRATCH application that helps students understand how to code with simple blocks and gradually manipulate images and add sound. Many of my students want to be gamers, so I use their enthusiasm to coax them into the software engineering field. As they are unfamiliar with the college process, I have used this project on learning how to code to learn how to get the college and what are the requirements. Virtually, I could also have my phone free to talk to students or parents one on one, while using the IPAD to teach and chat with students as a backchannel and use my laptop as the way to teach all the students at once or vice versa.
In person, the students and I can build on how to use the different tools on scratch and create short videos or images using the templates on SCRATCH. In addition, I am definitely more mobile to move about with a lighter IPAD. The pictures demonstrate me walking about in our makeshift Cafeteria Space as we had to spread students out to different non traditional spaces to mitigate the spread of the COVID 19 virus and maintain social distancing.
The products donated help my students learn 21st century skills as typing, sharing screen with me via the IPAD and using touch screen capabilities with the pencil tool. Moreover, the students are excited to use the technology to teach me as I don't know how to maneuver in the use of the Apple products; Dixon gets a kick out of showing me what to do and Za'niyah laughs virtually or in person which is music to my ears. They are learning how to manipulate technology and demonstrate to others. I teach the digital safety and Common Sense curriculum (how to use technology safely and be responsible digital citizen with reliable virtual sources).
The quietest students and the students who do not possess fluency in English have bloomed with this technology. The students do not have to be perfect speakers or writers can learn and demonstrate their learning through code actions. To name a few Christian, the quietest, demonstrates his ability to write code and draw, Natalie, the shy girl, likes to create images and banners, while Ezrah, who is a fluent readers, knows how to create the funny videos and make the blocks do actions. Dixon and Steven, both ESL students, love to show me how to do code or make corrections to my code, while Blas, Steven, Angie, Genesis, Takiya are self motivated to do their work independently on the applications Scratch, Summit learning, and the CLEVER platform that provides typing apps and many others.
Thank for partnering with DonorsChoose.org and with my class of 14 rambunctious and funny students to be technology learners.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Vialpando
This classroom project was brought to life by FamilyAlbum and 8 other donors.