Past projects 4
Unlocking the Mysteries of Ancient History
Funded Oct 9, 2019Thank you so much for your generous donation - my class absolutely LOVES the Breakout EDU kits! I have been able to run three breakout activities so far, with each and every one being as resounding success. Here is a brief description of each breakout:
1. On a walk beside the River Nile, you and some friends suddenly feel the group shift, sending you all tumbling down a stony shaft. Recovering from the fall, you find yourself trapped in an ancient tomb. The think layer of just makes it clear that the chamber has rested undisturbed for thousands of years. the only doorway is sealed shut by an ancient stone lock. You must find your way out with only your grandfather's (Howard Carter) trusted diary to guide you with hints and tips. If you don't, this chamber may become your tomb as well .... (Students used their knowledge of ancient Egypt to solve 3 challenges related to the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian gods, and the mummification process).
2. Your Challenge: It is Valentine's Day and our school has been taken over by candy sneaking critters who have been taken all the candy and locked it into four boxes! You must figure out the codes to unlock the four candy boxes. (Students solved math problems in order to crack the codes - percents, solving equations, and exponents.)
3. After school yesterday, I was helping my neighbor fix the gate on her fence. I brought over my new tool box. It's right here! I love it so much I put several locks on it just to keep it safe. Unfortunately, we were so excited when the gate was fixed that I didn't notice she had set her glasses inside of it. What's the matter you ask? Well.... I love my toolbox so much that I change the lock combinations often and leave myself clues. She needs her glasses, so she can drive to her appointment. She will be here in 30 minutes to pick them up. Can you help me? Can you solve....What's the Matter??? (Students had to solve 6 different challenges relating to matter and states of matter.)
As you can see in the photos (Valentine's Day breakout), ALL of my students are completely engaged - who knew doing lots of math for your Valentine's Day party would so much fun. I wish I could do a breakout every day, but they do take quite a bit of time to put together. My students absolutely love the breakouts and the kits purchased with this grant allow the breakout to be "official" with all the different boxes and locks.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Walton
Creativity + Robotics = Awesome!
Funded Sep 25, 2019I realize that it has been quite a while since this grant was funded, but I wanted to write and thank you for your very generous donation that led to my class receiving 4 Hummingbird robot kits. I day the kits arrived, my students were thrilled to see a new "toy". Our curriculum and schedule has changed quite a bit this year and there has been less time for extension projects, but things are starting to loosen up a bit now as we enter the end of the school year. I have had a few students start to experiment with coding the Hummingbird kits and they have enjoyed doing so.
Students have had to stretch their previous coding skills as they have had to learn a new way to code (not block coding). Students especially love that they get to literally build their designs - attaching sensors, LED lights, wheel/axes etc. in creating their design. They are truly going through not only the computer design process but the engineering design process as well.
We are looking forward to the weeks after our end of year testing, so we can continue to play and learn together with the kits. Again, thank you for helping to supply the tools necessary to help my students with the 21st century skills of engineering and computer coding.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Walton
This classroom project was brought to life by Young Sheldon on CBS and 11 other donors.Kudos for Commendable Conduct
Funded Oct 21, 2019As a sixth grade team we are so grateful for the support we received through your generous donation to our "Kudos for Commendable Conduct" project. We have loved being able to reward those students showing behaviors above and beyond what is expected. For the past couple of months we have had our "store" up and going. It is so fun to see the excitement on our students faces as they make their purchases with the 6th grade cash they have earned.
Near Christmas we saw students purchasing items for gifts; a yo-yo for a brother, a pair of earring for a sister etc. This was an unexpected outcome and gratifying to witness! But, with good kids not unexpected.
We have also witnessed an increase in those commendable behaviors that some times are hard to find. This project has motivated some of our "hard" kids, as they wish to earn funds as well. Again, without your donation we would not have been able to set up and run our store.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Walton
Nice and Toasty or Displeasingly Drafty
Funded Aug 23, 2018I realize that it has been quite awhile since my grant was funded, but I wanted to write about all the multiple ways that I have been able to use the FLIR Thermal Imaging Camera in my class this past year. Two of our new 6th Grade Utah SEEd Science Standards require that students plan and carry out an investigation that shows heat transfer and design an object that minimizes or maximizes the transfer of thermal energy.
In the past we have been able to do simple experiments with water and ice, but with this new tool I have been able to design lessons and investigations that can model more "real-world" situations. Here are a few of the ways we have used the camera:
1. Students slammed 2 large marbles together and simultaneously took an image. We could see the shift of energy and heating effect.
2. We took an image of the tile floor, then students walked on the tile with their bare feet (heat transferred from their feet to the floor), and then we took another photo of the same location and could see their thermal footprints - showing that heat transferred from their feet to the floor.
3. Using a density tank, we took images of hot and cold water rising and falling respectively - simulating ocean currents.
4. Designed an insulated transportation tank that will protect a model woolly mammoth (ice cube) from melting under a heat lamp.
5. We made ice cream in a Ziploc bag, took images of the before and after and could see that the thermal energy had transferred from the "warmer" cream to the "colder" ice resulting in two phase changes. Cream (liquid) to Ice Cream (solid ) and Ice (Solid) to Melted Ice (liquid).
6. Engineering challenge in which students construct a simple home and then place it over a heat source (light bulb). Students then took thermal images of the outside of the home and could see exactly where the greatest area of heat loss (transfer of thermal energy from the inside of the home) was occurring. Students then insulated their homes and took more thermal images. Data was collected and redesign and re-engineering took place.
The final project mentioned above was especially effective. Energy transfer is a difficult concept. It is a very abstract line of thinking and this activity provided a hands on experience for students to actually SEE how thermal energy moves. Putting it within the concept of a home made the investigation relevant to the student's own life experience as well.
Science can be a tough subject because it is very abstract and conceptual. The FLIR Thermal Imaging Camera brings the abstract and conceptual into a tangible format and the science naturally blossoms! I have a class of inquisitive and very bright students, they absolutely love the fact that they are using an industry tool and doing real science! Thank you for your generous donation that has allowed us to have this tool in our hands.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Walton
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 2 other donors.