Past projects 4
Selma
Funded Feb 24, 2015"Can we make 'Glory' our 8th grade song?" "When Jimmy Lee Jackson was killed in the cafe, I'll admit, I did shed a tear." "While watching 'Selma,' I learned to not take my rights for granted." These are just some of the comments I heard and read after our the field trip your generous donation made possible.
Before our class went on the trip, I will admit I was a bit dismayed at the limited background knowledge my students had about the Civil Rights Movement. Other than naming Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks, most could tell little else about this important time in history. One group had read a memoir by Melba Patillo Beals, one of the Little Rock Nine, but even they struggled to articulate what themes from this book still remain relevant today. This was especially concerning, given that we are an urban school in which the majority of our students are minorities, and that TV screens, newspapers, and magazines have been filled with stories of racial tension, unrest in Ferguson after the Darren Wilson verdict, and Supreme Court rulings significantly limiting the very same Voting Rights Act being fought for in the movie Selma.
We took our 8th graders and crossed our fingers that the experience of seeing history come alive on the big screen would wake them up to the importance of this time period and its relevance to their lives and current events 50 years later. I am happy to say that I am confident that the experience left a lasting impression on them, beyond the roomy reclining seats and movie theater snacks. After the trip, we had a number of thought-provoking discussions in several classes. In math, our students looked at statistics of our nation's criminal justice system to determine whether there is a mathematical evidence suggesting racism still exists. In reading, students' interest in the topic has led the teachers to plan an upcoming extension of our graphic novel unit using John Lewis' graphic memoir "March: Book One." In Humanities, the students wrote essays describing what impact the movie had on them and their understanding of history and current events. Some chose to write letters to your company to thank you, and although I was not asked to submit them to you, I would like to end with a few excerpts:
"I thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving us the chance to see how America became what it is today."
"The movie 'Selma' made me understand how brutal Blood Sunday was. I never understood how horrific this day was and the pain these people went through."
"They had nothing but their pride, they fought without using violence, they were beaten and killed, and still came out the winners."
"...Literally seeing it really made me think on how it was worse back then but yet there are similar things going on now. Now I will take better advantage of my rights and if I see anything similar happening to anyone, I will stand up for them because it needs to change."
"I know this has been said many times, but we need to change. However, we changing starts by me changing."
Reading their words and listening to their insightful comments, I have renewed hope in my students and our nation's future. While I hope they will have many more experiences and learning opportunities which help them grow as learners and young adults, I do believe that this has been truly meaningful and impactful. For making this possible for our students, I sincerely and wholeheartedly thank you.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gerhardt
Learning in Motion- Physics Day at Six Flags!
Funded Feb 8, 2010Well, we've had quite a rollercoaster of emotions and events as we prepared for our big day at Six Flags Great America. We were truly touched to watch the outpouring of generosity from all of you who worked to make the trip possible. Meanwhile, our students were diligently learning about motion and forces, eager to see all these concepts come to life the day of the trip. It was truly rewarding to see their excited faces as they discovered the physics behind amusement parks' thrills, and to overhear their conversations at lunch (egg., "Hey check out the potential energy changing to kinetic energy!" as an orange drops to the floor. Ah, well, physics is not always neat!).
Things were going great, until the rug was pulled out from under us at the eleventh hour. We were informed that our district's law department would not approve the trip due to liability issues. Despite numerous appeals and phone calls by parents, teachers, and administrators, we had to cancel the trip. The news was, of course, devastating. We were heartbroken for the students, and distraught that all of your donations could not go towards their intended purpose.
In an effort to ensure that the students' hard work and your generous donations would not be squandered, we took several steps. First, we organized a Physics Day at our school consisting of numerous stations, including an egg drop contest, balloon rockets, and, of course, a marble rollercoaster design center. Perhaps my happiest moment was when two of our students, after constructing their rollercoaster and watching it in action, came to tell me they are now considering jobs as engineers. Although it couldn't match a trip to an amusement park, it was a fun and educational day filled with laughter and learning.
Second, although the buses were non-refundable, we were able to put them toward our students' upcoming 8th grade trip, which is a lunch cruise on Lake Michigan. This enabled us to fund several students who would otherwise not have had the money to go.
Finally, we are giving our students the (also non-refundable) tickets, which they can use on any day this season. It is our hope that, even though they may not have quite the same experience as they would have if we were able to go together, they will still think about the concepts we learned during the physics unit. Some students will now have the opportunity to go to Six Flags for the first time, and I have no doubt they will see physics in motion!
I would like to personally apologize that we were not able to use your donation in the way you originally intended. I hope you can take some pleasure in knowing that our students still developed an appreciation and deeper understanding of physics as a result of this unit, and that the resources you helped purchase will still be put to good use. Please enjoy the pictures, which were taken at our school Physics Day, and, again, thank you for your generous donation.
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With gratitude,
Mrs. Gerhardt
Walkmans For My Students To Use With Books On Tape
Funded Jun 10, 2007On behalf of all the students at my school who use audiobooks, thank you SO very much for your generous donation. Thankfully, the demand is always high for Walkmans- students are eager to access books they would otherwise shy away from when they are provided with books on tape. It always pains me when I have to make a student wait until a player is returned to me, or when a tape player breaks and I have one fewer to lend out. Thanks to you, this problem is solved! So, once again, thank you”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gerhardt
Help All Kids Access Great Literature!!
Funded May 22, 2007Thank you so very much for providing my students with these valuable classroom resources. You are helping to instill a love of reading and a sense of self-confidence in my students, most of whom have a history of seeing reading as frustrating and discouraging. For all of them, I thank you in advance”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Gerhardt