Mrs. Bowling's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 23

• A New Speaker for My Music Students

  Funded Aug 9, 2022

  Have you ever had a room full of kids trying to play percussion instruments to accompany music played on tiny, tinny computer speakers? If not, you could imagine that the instruments easily overpowered those inadequate speakers! Well, thanks to your donations, we now have the speakers we need to make our music and hear it too!

  We've used our new speakers for a wide variety of activities: playalong songs, classical music analysis, and watching videos of gospel choirs to name a few. For our playalong songs, in which all students are playing instruments to accompany a video or recording, we finally have the amplified sound we need to stay on beat. When listening to classical music, we can hear nuances from the highest descant to the richest bass. Watching gospel choirs and other musical groups, we can get the full experience of their sound and actually feel the goosebumps from powerful performances.

  These speakers have been invaluable in advancing my students' skills, interest, and participation. Thank you so much for improving my classroom!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Bowling

  This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 6 other donors.

• Snug as a Bug on a Rug

  Funded May 7, 2022

  "It's so fuzzy!" "Look at the stars!" "It's so clean!" "Everybody's a star in music class!"

  These are just a few of the exclamations I heard the first time my students saw their brand new rug spread over the music room floor. A rug really does tie the classroom together!

  You can't imagine what a difference it makes going from individual plastic sit-upons to a brightly-colored, communal rug for all to enjoy. It feels like a "normal" classroom (read: "pre-pandemic") again. Thanks to your generosity, my students can enjoy the feeling of making music together on one rug. We can move easily from individual seats to partner work to circle games without needing to change around everybody's plastic spot.

  We are so grateful for this wonderful gift you've given us! Thank you for beautifying our music room!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Bowling

  This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Drive-In and 8 other donors.

• Send My Student to the Virtual Winner's Circle

  Funded Nov 30, 2021

  I can't tell you how ecstatic we were when we got the news that this project was funded! In our state, the only way to participate in the statewide music education convention is to pay a participation fee. That's the only thing that was holding us back, and you all helped us overcome that obstacle! My student had submitted her work, she had won the prize, and we just needed that help to get her work showcased at the concert.

  We had thought she would "Zoom in" to the concert, which was held in-person at the other side of our state. Unfortunately, they changed plans last minute, and there was no Zoom-in option, so she wasn't able to see her song performed. However, we do know that she was recognized for her excellence, her name was printed in the program, and her song was shared with all in attendance.

  This experience has taught us that we CAN and SHOULD encourage our students to reach for the stars! I know I will continue to look out for contests and opportunities like this to highlight my amazing students. Thanks again for your support in getting her hard work recognized!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Bowling

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 3 other donors.

• Best Tool to Maximize Student Success? An iPad, of Course!

  Funded Sep 23, 2021

  Thank you again for your generosity! This new iPad has helped my students learn in several ways: it empowers them to manage daily classroom procedures like attendance and incentives; it allows me to assess, track, and differentiate instruction; and it provides a way to document my students' work and maintain a portfolio of what they've achieved.

  First of all, I have trained my students to use the iPad as part of the Student Helper job. If they are chosen as helpers for the day, they input the attendance using the iDoceo app. They also use the app to see who has received the Bravo award (an incentive given at the end of every lesson), and choose that day's Bravo award recipient, marking the new name so they don't get it the next time.

  Secondly, I use a different section of the iDoceo app to track my students' grades. Throughout the class period, I can reference the seating chart on the app and enter students' grades as they are singing, playing instruments, chanting rhythms, or any other activity. The gradebook feature automatically averages the grades so I don't have to calculate what to put on the report card. It also shows me a spreadsheet of grades, so I know which students are above grade level and should be given more challenging musical parts, and which students need extra help.

  Lastly, the iDoceo app has a photograph section that allows me to maintain evidence of student work. I can take pictures of their compositions, video of their dancing, and even record their singing, which is precious evidence of their musical development.

  Thanks again for this wonderful tool you've given us! My students are learning and growing, and loving what they can do!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Bowling

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 9 other donors.

• A Portable Music Player for My Portable Classroom

  Funded Jan 24, 2021

  With your generosity, I was able to bring a world of music to my portable classroom! I successfully uploaded all of the music I currently have, I can connect to Spotify or Apple Music, and sometimes I even use YouTube when I can't find a song anywhere else.

  Having the iPod Touch really helps the flow of my lessons. I can quickly scroll through the playlist I made especially for my class and access the song I need. The playlist is arranged to match the chronological flow of my curriculum, so I always know where I need to go within the playlist. When I was using my phone during classes, I always had to go through the trouble of unlocking it, choosing the right app, and making sure I had it on silent or "Do Not Disturb" mode. How embarrassing when I got a phone call and the phone rang right through my Bluetooth-connected speaker!

  Well, those days are no more. Thanks to you, I have a device that is literally only a music player. Next year, when we have more students in-person, I think it will also be a really fun incentive to be the "DJ" for any given lesson, and scroll to the songs we need for the day. Definitely not something I would have considered on my personal phone!

  Thanks again to all of you!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Bowling

• A Trip to Rochester for the All-Eastern Honor Choir

  Funded Dec 16, 2019

  This was the trip of a lifetime for my fourth graders! I'm writing this letter in September 2020, six months into the COVID pandemic, and our trip to Rochester was one of the very last things that happened pre-quarantine. The students will definitely remember this trip for all the excitement, but also as a last hurrah before we all had to hunker down and stay safe.

  The students had a wonderful, educational time. They sang for hours at a time in rehearsals with a highly-respected choral director. They learned about different types of music and ways to use your voice in choir. One of the girls had her 10th birthday during the trip, and we celebrated in the hotel room. And we had an awesome group dinner with their families at Dinosaur BBQ!

  When we got back to school, the girls were practically celebrities. They had missed three whole days of school, and they had stories to tell of the journey to Rochester, the hours-long rehearsals, the interesting conductor, and the new friends they met. I even got to perform with them at the concert, as one of the pieces had a flute part!

  Thank you so much for your generosity in getting us to Rochester. I know this trip meant so much to my students, and it will encourage them to keep singing and keep making music as they grow older.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Bowling

  This classroom project was brought to life by An anonymous classroom supporter and 51 other donors.

• Send My Students to Carnegie Hall

  Funded Nov 17, 2019

  I am so happy that my students got to visit Carnegie Hall! It was a magical experience for us all. The Carnegie Hall Musical Explorers concerts are something my students will talk about for years to come. When they saw the musicians take the stage, it was like they were meeting celebrities: jumping up and down, shrieking, cheering. They had formed connections with them because they had learned about each one's music and cultural background.

  One highlight of the concert was the performance of the hip hop duo. They performed several songs, including an old school hip hop song from the '90s, which we all really enjoyed! We loved it when the DJ (scratch player) jammed with the flute player and guitarist from the other groups. Throughout the performance, my students were entranced. They sang along and got excited about each song. It was such a joyful time!

  Back in the classroom, we reflected on our experience. Carnegie Hall is lauded the world over for programming great music and hosting some of the finest acts. My students have an appreciation for just how special this opportunity was. Thank you so much for sending us to Carnegie Hall!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Bowling

• A Robot Vacuum for the Music Room

  Funded Sep 4, 2019

  I am so thankful that we have a clean classroom rug and floor thanks to your generosity! In the past, many of my students have gotten sidetracked by the little bits of detritus that end up on the rug. But now, we can avoid that source of distraction by having our rug cleaned daily by our little robot friend.

  There were many different reactions when my students first saw the robot vacuum in the classroom. Some students gasped with recognition ("A Roomba!"), some students did a double-take ("That's new!"), and some students were even a little frightened ("Yikes!")! I explained to them how the robot vacuum would improve our classroom and how we have to to take care of it.

  Most notably, my choir has really taken ownership of this new addition. They love taking turns controlling it by using the remote to pick up every last bit of trash. Although the vacuum has an "auto" mode, which I was most excited about, the choir students have gotten into a routine of vacuuming while we eat our snack before rehearsal. Then they started asking about other clean-up jobs they can do, so I love that they have become more thoughtful about cleanliness. We have turned clean-up into a regular part of our day.

  Thank you again, wonderful donors, for helping to clean up my classroom!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Bowling

• Send My Second-Graders to Carnegie Hall

  Funded Oct 22, 2018

  You helped fund a magical experience for my students! The Carnegie Hall Musical Explorers concerts are something my students will talk about for years to come. When they saw the musicians take the stage, it was like they were meeting celebrities; jumping up and down, shrieking, cheering for these people they felt like they knew. They had formed connections with them because they had learned about each one's music and cultural background.

  One highlight of the concert was the performance of bomba and plena music from Puerto Rico. It was a father-daughter duo, and my students loved watching the young woman twirl her dress and the drummer make musical responses. Throughout the performance, though, my students were entranced. They sang along and got excited about each song. It was such a joyful time!

  Back in the classroom, we reflected on our experience. Carnegie Hall is lauded the world over for programming great music and hosting some of the finest acts. My students have an appreciation for just how special this opportunity was. Thank you so much for sending us to Carnegie Hall!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Bowling

• Send Our Singers to Pittsburgh for the All-Eastern Honor Choir

  Funded Dec 17, 2017

  You have changed the lives of my students! Your outpouring of generosity allowed us to travel safely to Pittsburgh and stay in the conference hotel with the rest of the students. It was a long bus ride- nearly 7 hours!- but our bus comfortably fit all of us and our luggage, so no one felt squished. The girls even practiced the music during the drive. (Talk about melting a music teacher's heart!) In Pittsburgh, they rehearsed for about 8 hours a day, learned advanced singing concepts, and made new friends.

  The highlight of the trip was performing at Heinz Hall, home of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. It is a beautiful space, with red carpeting and chandeliers. The excellent acoustics enhanced the sounds of the choir, and the audience gave them a standing ovation. It was surely an experience they will never forget.

  Each one of them has said they learned more about their voice and about music, and they loved working with the conductor. This chance to go to a new city also inspired them to think about visiting other places in our country and the world. I love that they are thinking beyond the limits of their school and community, and that music can bring them there.

  Thank you again for your generous donations. I still marvel at the level of support that you all provided. You helped bring my students to a new place and a new experience, and that means the world to me.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Bowling