Past projects 3
Supporting Students' Mental Health Through Relaxation and Nourishment
Funded Aug 12, 2024When the new snacks, comfy chairs, and large bean bag arrived, our classroom atmosphere changed instantly! My students were genuinely excited; It's amazing how a few changes can make the environment much more welcoming, and it's truly helped create a more comfortable and engaging learning space.
One specific project where these resources made a difference was during our recent Algebra 2 unit on quadratic functions. I divided the students into small groups, each working on designing and solving real-world problems involving quadratic equations. Having a comfortable space to spread out and collaborate—whether in a bean bag corner or around a small snack station—made the group work more dynamic and interactive. Students who might have been hesitant to participate before were suddenly eager to share their ideas.
As we move forward, we're gearing up for our next lesson on polynomial functions. The plan is to continue using our new cozy spaces for peer tutoring sessions. Students will take turns teaching each other concepts using whiteboards and examples, with snacks to keep energy up during our longer problem-solving sessions. The environment you've helped us create makes a big difference—it turns our Algebra 2 lessons into moments that feel more like community problem-solving events than traditional math classes.
Thank you so much for your generous support!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Goldsman
This classroom project was brought to life by United Airlines and 3 other donors.Bringing Math Closer than Ever Before Part 2
Funded Jun 3, 2020My students and I cannot thank you enough for your generous support during these uneasy, stressful times. The accessories funded and obtained through this project has assisted me in meeting the needs of all my students by providing extra tools to use during distanced learning with my Surface book 2. The pen and mouse will help me to create instructional videos, easily run zoom sessions, annotate my students' zoom screens, easily shift back and forth between screens/ tabs, and so much more. Distanced learning is already hard enough for my students that these tools make it run more smoothly, decreasing time lost by little glitches from lack of access to proper tools. The adapter is also very helpful. It allows me to hook up the computer to a projector. This I can use when we go back to the classroom but also through distanced learning. I can hook up a document camera to my computer if needed and project images/ videos onto a blank wall for different viewing options.
My students have already benefited from these tools by having access to short, detailed videos with diagrams and other images that they can go back and watch at any time. The use of these tools has increased student engagement and student learning by providing further options of what I can do on my surface laptop. My students are most excited by the fact that I have the ability to annotate their screens easily and clearly, transitions during zoom sessions are much smoother, and I will also be able to easily use this computer when we go back to the classroom with the USB chords.
My students who struggle during distanced learning are the ones most excited, I think, and the ones who are/ will be benefiting the most from this project. Being able to reexplain, engage students, draw images clearly for my visual learners, and much more increases the success of all. Although I do miss my students and my classroom, I feel more prepared to do distanced learning in the Fall, now having access to these tools.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Goldsman
Bringing Math Closer Than Ever Before
Funded May 28, 2020Thank you so much for helping me truly bring math closer to my students than ever before. Although the school year hasn't quite started yet, I have been busy this summer already holding zoom sessions with colleagues, creating welcome videos, creating instructional videos, and coming up with all kinds of lessons that utilize technology now that I have access to the best technology out there for optimizing math learning while physically away from the classroom. My students and I have been worrying about what the school year is going to look like and how learning will take place. Being able to use the Surface Book 2 has increased my optimism in distanced learning this school year as it has already been useful in helping me prep this summer. I can only imagine all of the fun and engaging activities/ lessons I can do this school year with my students having access to this computer- tablet. I will be able to annotate their screens easily, create videos for them to access at any time, and much more.
I was speaking with my students about this computer at the end of last school year and they were excited for me to get it to try it out with them. I will be teaching some of those students again this year so I know they will be excited that their learning will be enhanced through this technology. They were especially intrigued to know that this computer allows me to easily annotate their screens, making it easier for me to explain concepts and also be able to make quick videos when they have questions/ longer videos that they can go back and watch at later times to assist with their learning.
When we eventually get back to the classroom, I will be able to share the computer with them and allow them to try it out for themselves. I can already tell this computer will be very beneficial to my English Language Learners and students with special needs as it allows me the capability to draw on screen, providing more visuals, easily highlight notes, draw professional- looking diagrams on the spot, and record myself with my screen showing them step- by- step whatever I need them to understand. We cannot thank you enough for your generosity! It has been an amazing piece of technology so far and I can't wait for it to enhance my students' education much more than they have ever had in a math class this coming year.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Goldsman
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 14 other donors.