Past projects 12
There is No Skeleton In Our Closet...
Funded Apr 29, 2011Thank you for your generosity and support of our project! Because of your donation, my science scholars are now able to enjoy hands-on science instruction rather than simply talking about it or looking at pictures that do their best to portray science concepts. "Bob", the name we have given our skeleton, has become an important part of our classroom. Almost every day students stop by Bob to shake his hand or give him a hug. Bob has so far only been used once for official instruction. During a Forensic Science skit, a group of three young men decided to use Bob as a victim of a violent crime. There was quite a bit of excitement from the other students who were concerned about Bob and his situation. The young men were able to describe various imaginary injuries to Bob's bones caused by knife wounds. This required them to conduct research on the human skeleton and on knife wound evidence. Although we have not yet used the resources you've helped fund to the fullest extent possible, I am confident that they will enjoy learning about the human body using the item you've so graciously donated to our classroom. My scholars and I thank you for supporting our classroom. Without generous donors such as yourself we would not be able to have such a lively, hands-on, interactive classroom environment.
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With gratitude,
Ms. Estilette
SimplyPut...We Wish We Had Simple Machines!
Funded Apr 30, 2011Thank you for your generosity and support of our simple machines project! Because of your donation, my science scholars are now able to enjoy hands-on science instruction rather than simply talking about it or looking at pictures that do their best to portray science concepts. Every day the students scurry into the classroom and begin playing with the simple machines that are always on display. Often, when students complete assignments before others in the class, they walk to the counter to continue their learning with the simple machines. It is really nice to be able to stand back and watch their expressions as they learn about the science embedded within the machines. We have not yet used all of the resources you've helped fund, but I am confident that they will enjoy every item you've so graciously donated to our classroom. My scholars and I thank you for supporting our classroom. Without generous donors such as yourself we would not be able to have such a lively, hands-on, interactive classroom environment. ”
With gratitude,
Ms. Estilette
Help! We Need Classroom Supplies
Funded Jan 1, 2012Please accept my deepest gratitude to each of you for supporting this project. Due to your generosity my students will now have the supplies necessary for them to be successful. These supplies you have helped fund will allow my students to focus on their studies without wworrying about having the necessary materials. Your kindness has helped me get one step closer to accomplishing my goal of providing every one of my students with an opportunity to excel academically. Thank you so much for believing in my students and valuing education! ”
With gratitude,
Ms. Estilette
It's Science Fair Time...but I Don't Have a Board for Mine!
Funded Dec 20, 2011A huge thank you to each of you for your generosity! My science scholars and I greatly appreciate your support of their education. Because of your selflessness, each of my students will have his/her own project board on which to display the results of his/her science experiment. I cannot wait to share the good news with them that their project boards have been provided by such wonderful people as yourselves. Their parents and guardians will be able to rest assured that regardless of their financial circumstances, their child's academic endeavors will not be jeopardized. Thanks again for your support and kind spirit!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Estilette
This classroom project was brought to life by NEA Foundation and 11 other donors.Let's See Our Anatomy
Funded Oct 4, 2011Please accept my deepest gratitude for your donation. Because of your generosity, my science scholars will now be able to enjoy hands-on science instruction rather than simply talking about the human anatomy or looking at pictures that do their best to portray these science concepts. With these anatomical models and flip charts, my students will have the opportunity to touch and manipulate models of the brain, heart, and body or use models as an aid while they draw diagrams of the organs! Your donation to this project will make a difference in my science scholars' lives by engaging them in the content, exciting their curiosity about science, and bringing the wonders of science into our classroom. Your support is greatly appreciated!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Estilette
This classroom project was brought to life by CenturyLink and 4 other donors.Research, Games, And Activities Using HP Technologies
Funded Mar 16, 2011Your kindness and generosity have completely improved our learning environment. The HP computer and printer has become quite the staple in our classroom. Students are free to research questions and topics that are of interest to them. It is not uncommon for a question to come up during discussion. Now, I have the tools with which the inquiring student can research it. The laptop is also a great tool for independent- and partner-center work. Students enjoy rotating around the various centers in the room. Without fail, the laptop is always the most popular stop on the tour! The interactive web pages available on the Internet allow for differentiated learning for every student in the classroom.
The printer has been a life saver for me and my science scholars. It was not uncommon for handouts and assignments to arrive long after the lesson had been taught and the concept had been mastered. No longer do we have to wait days upon days for copies to come back from the school district's copy center. Now we have the ability to make copies as necessary. The printer is also helpful to students who do not have access to printers and/or ink at home. Many of their assignments require at-home research and/or typing. Needless to say, it was discouraging for students who lacked the important resources necessary to submit their assignments in a timely manner.
We can't thank you enough for your donation. Your selflessness will forever have a positive impact on my science scholars' future! ”
With gratitude,
Ms. Estilette
This classroom project was brought to life by HP and 4 other donors.Reading in Science
Funded Dec 11, 2010Thank you again for supporting my science scholars. The class set of Current Science magazines have helped to change our classroom for the better. My students love reading the articles, looking at the glossy pictures, and working on the "What Is It?" challenges on the back cover of the magazines. Through the articles they are learning so much that isn't included in our curriculum.
I love watching and hearing their reactions to some of the wacky stuff that goes on in science laboratories. For instance, one recent Current Science issue had an article about using civet dung to make kopi luwak, a very expensive coffee. It's an awesome feeling to have the opportunity to discuss current research and science news with my scholars.
Again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you! ”
With gratitude,
Ms. Estilette
Help! All These Scientific Formulas, We Need Calculators.
Funded Feb 25, 2011Your thoughtfulness and generosity have helped to change our classroom for the better! By donating and helping to fund our new Texas Instrument calculators you have given my students hope and a higher level of confidence in their scientific and mathematical abilities. We've recently completed an inquiry project about how certain factors (i.e., friction, air resistance, and mass) affect the speed of a moving object. My science scholars had to build a K'nex car which would move over different surface areas, travel in a direct path against various amounts of air pressure, or carry different amounts of mass. First, they had to run five trials to test the operationalization of each independent variable. Then, they had to average out the speeds in order to draw conclusions. Data analysis has always been a challenge when we conduct scientific investigations. Students would quickly shut down and tune out because they did not have confidence in their mathematical abilities. Having access to the calculators made the students more receptive to the math embedded within the science and more willing to confront and master the math. I can't thank you enough for donating to our project and giving my students confidence in their scientific abilities. ”
With gratitude,
Ms. Estilette
Hands-on Learning Is Best! We Have Hands. We Need Materials.
Funded Jan 1, 2011Please accept my deepest gratitude for your donations. Because of your generosity, my science scholars are now able to enjoy hands-on science instruction rather than simply talking about it or looking at pictures that do their best to portray science concepts. Every day the students scurry into the classroom anxious to see what we'll be doing during the lesson. They love playing with the magnet set that was part of this project. During one recent lesson, my students built K'nex cars and tested the effects of magnetism on the car's speed. They had a blast! It is really nice to be able to stand back and watch their creative and competitive juices flow as they learn about the science embedded within toys. We have not yet used all of the resources you've helped fund, but I am confident that they will enjoy every item you've so graciously donated to our classroom. Your generosity has been and continues to be a blessing and I can't thank you enough. ”
With gratitude,
Ms. Estilette
Science Scholars On A Space Mission
Funded Dec 14, 2010Thank you for your generosity and support of our solar system project! My science scholars are really enjoying themselves as they have been working to help assemble the solar system puzzles, inflatables, bulletin boards, and motorized solar system. The assembly turned out to be more than just a "let's put everything together" situation. Each group was assigned a planet or some aspect of the solar system (i.e., star constellations, planet arrangement, orbital paths, etc.) about which they were responsible for sharing information with their fellow science scholars. This was by far our most enjoyable and interactive lesson this year. Almost daily, regardless of the lesson topic, the solar system makes its way into our conversation. It is nice to be able to point up or around to some type of visual that helps make the concept clearer for students.
My scholars and I thank you for supporting our classroom. Without generous donors such as yourself we would not be able to have such a lively, hands-on, interactive classroom environment. ”
With gratitude,
Ms. Estilette