Past projects 6
Lit is Lit: Hot Independent Reading Books Needed!
Funded Nov 11, 2018I can’t wait to introduce all of these amazing new books into our classroom library! Nothing makes my students’ faces light up as much as when they see new releases waiting for them on the shelves. Thank you for helping inspire and build the reading lives of some amazing young women!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Patejdl
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 15 other donors.The Power of Sound
Funded Feb 2, 2017The Bose SoundLink bluetooth speaker that you funded improved our learning environment in so many ways this year. Just like apartments in New York City, schools have very limited space so I don't have my own classroom. This means I have to be flexible and portable and because of this, I often have to sacrifice the use of teaching tools that don't travel well. In the past, I would lug around awkward speaker equipment. But no more! The Bose speaker is small, powerful, and wireless and has allowed me to keep using some of my favorite teaching strategies that require sound.
This year, we used the speaker nearly every day to do the following:
-- Watch video. Some of these included movie clips to identify "turning points" and subsequent character development, student-made videos for our satire unit, the 2016 presidential debates, and audiobooks on YouTube that included text so that struggling readers and English Language Learners could have an extra level of support.
-- Listen to various sources of audio. Some of these included podcast clips of "This American Life", audiobooks for Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God and James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time, and various kinds of instrumental music for independent work time (in the same way that music might be used in a yoga class to help the group focus and be calm).
Incorporating video and sound into an English class makes the class exciting. I'm always finding short audio or video clips or interviews with authors that when paired with the text we're reading helps students make a real-world connection. They live in a world where video and all other types of content are available all the time through the Internet and social media. Because of this speaker, I'm able to tap into that content as well and help students see overlaps and connections that make the ideas relevant and familiar to them.
Honestly, all students have really enjoyed our new Bose speaker. This might seem like a small detail, but it's difficult to find speakers that are loud and clear enough for a whole class to hear. Our Bose speaker did this wonderfully and it always impressed the students, as well as help them learn something more clearly.
Thank you so much for helping my classroom become a more technology-forward place. It's been crucial to my students' engagement and understanding.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Patejdl
Fund Student Filmmakers!
Funded Feb 18, 2016Dear Donors,
You might be wondering what exactly a 10th grade English class might do with an iPad and more likely, a set of selfie sticks. Well, I can assure you it was not all about taking selfies. Both of these tools helped make this year's short film project a huge success! After reading The Crucible in April, the students wrote, shot, and edited short films about an issue that mattered to them. I've been doing this project for five years and overall, these were the strongest batch of short films that my classes have ever produced.
During the project last year, one group brought in its own selfie stick and was able to film with more stability and at better angles using the selfie stick. It was such a smart and simple thing that I hadn't even thought of! I made a mental note to somehow acquire a bunch of selfie sticks for the following year. Thanks to your generosity with this project, ALL groups this year were able to get even more creative while filming and the selfie sticks were a huge hit.
The iPad enabled many groups to use video editing apps including iMovie, WeVideo, Animation Express, and many others. We had our first-ever animated short film thanks to the upgrade in technology! Additionally, the iPad served as another tool available for them to use for filming and other research during the course of the project. And thanks to the tough OtterBox case, I could send kids away with the iPad with little worry that it might get damaged!
I love doing the short film project year after year because it never fails to engage and bring out the talents of several students from whom you don't expect it. Usually, it's because of the technology aspect. This project gives those students who love technology the opportunity to blossom because they get to explore new apps and tools or to direct and capture moments on video in a creative and purposeful way. One student, Darlin, took particular joy and interest in this project. He became the class expert in finding apps on the iPad that could help other groups make their films look more professional. As his group's director, he was constantly experimenting with different camera angles and shots thanks to the selfie sticks. Another student, Deeshawn, figured out how to add CGI special effects (!!!) to his group's film because of the iPad.
Donors, thank you for your generosity. My students were able to create short film projects that they were excited to share with others at the 10th Grade Film Festival and that they will have to look back on with pride. You have lifted the joy and learning experience of over 90 10th graders this year (and for years to come).”
With gratitude,
Ms. Patejdl
This classroom project was brought to life by an anonymous donor and 4 other donors.Update Our Classroom Laptop Cart with Chromebooks!
Funded Sep 2, 2015Dear Donors,
It made a huge difference to have 10 beautiful new Chromebooks in our classroom this year. All laptops are not created equal and in the past, our classroom laptop cart was littered with computers that were outdated and relied on software that was discontinued. Several other computers were missing keys or had other structural damage that comes with years of use. To have 10 reliable computers fully equipped with the best internet capabilities, speed, and Google programs lowered student frustration and helped them improve the level of their work. And because Chromebooks run exclusively through internet-based Google programs like Chrome, Gmail, and Drive that our school uses anyway, the students were better able to explore and use the tools all of these have to offer.
So, what kind of work did my 10th graders do with these Chromebooks? Aside from the usual everyday tasks like typing up writing assignments or checking e-mail, there were two major projects where students were reliant on the power of the Chromebooks. In January during our college and career unit, they researched and used various web sites like Powtoon, Prezi, and WeVideo to create an informational video on the college/career inquiry topic of their choice. I then gathered the links to their projects and shared them in a Google Doc so that they could watch each others' videos and learn about different schools and careers. After reading The Crucible in April, the students wrote, shot, and edited short films about an issue that mattered to them. They used the Chromebooks to upload and edit their video and the whole process went far more smoothly than in previous years when computers were not compatible enough. I've been doing this short film project for five years and this year, we had our first animated short film ever thanks to the upgrade in technology! Overall, these were the strongest batch of short films that my classes have ever produced.
All of this work (and more) was possible because of your donation. I can't tell you how many times students said things like "I wish all our classes had these computers." One student, Brianna, would come in every day during lunch to work on a Chromebook. She's an aspiring author and would work on her short stories, some of which she has published to the online reading app platform, Wattpad. One day she told me, "I don't know what I would do if we didn't have these Chromebooks. Look at all the work I've done!"
Again, thank you for your generosity. You have lifted the joy and learning experience of over 90 10th graders this year and for years to come!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Patejdl
Student Incentive Prize: A New Laptop!
Funded Oct 14, 2013I want to say thank you for making the Chromebook incentive project a reality for my 10th graders at East Bronx Academy for the Future. Over the course of the first semester, I saw many students persevere through hard work and stay motivated in my English class because they knew they had a shot at winning a Google Chromebook. Several students asked me over and over how many "raffle points" they had earned (students could earn points through having high Weekly Work Ethic grades and maintaining a "B" average or higher). As I distributed tickets on the day of the raffle, students proudly wore the "evidence" of their hard work (strands of raffle tickets) around their necks all day. Three very deserving star students - Jeneen, Nashaly, and Leslie - were thrilled to win the Chromebooks at our spring recognition ceremony. Even students who didn't win expressed awe and gratitude that strangers would donate money specifically to their cause.
At East Bronx Academy, every student has a Gmail account. Majority of teachers ask students to submit essays and other writing assignments through Google Docs. By donating to this project, you helped several students have greater access to these tools even when they aren't at school. Additionally, this spring my students did a short film project that required them to use the web-based video editing site WeVideo.com. The winners and their groups used their Chromebooks to upload and edit video and to ultimately produce short films that they were excited to show others. Again, without the Chromebook, these groups would have struggled to produce a project they were proud of. Furthermore, I've seen unprecedented student growth this year in reading, writing, and discussion skills because so many students put effort into learning so consistently.
The success of this project has inspired me to do something similar in the future so that even more of my classes have access to technology. Thank you again for so generously supporting my students' futures!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Patejdl
The Power Of Sound
Funded Mar 2, 2011This is just a small token of my gratitude for your generous donation to my classroom. The speakers you donated have become a classroom tool that my students benefit from every day. We've used them to listen to audio books, share student-made playlists for our American Dream unit, view film and video clips, and listen to interviews with authors.
From you, we also received audio book copies of Arthur Miller's play "The Crucible" and Ernest J. Gaines' novel, A Lesson Before Dying. My 11th grade English classes read both of these texts this year, but what really hooked them into the stories, characters, and conflicts were the audio books and films. Many of my students have decoding issues, so they benefited greatly from multisensory learning such as this.
Our school is currently facing the budget constraints that are affecting all urban public schools, yet my students and I strive to face bigger academic challenges every year. For my students, literacy is at the heart of meeting these challenges and the key to achieving the goals and dreams they have for themselves.
Without donors like you, my students would not have these learning tools that many take for granted. ”
With gratitude,
Ms. Patejdl