Mrs. Hudson's Classroom Edit display name

Current requests

Past projects 7

• Transect Data Collection

  Funded Mar 21, 2023

  Thank you for allowing my 6th graders to manipulate data-collecting interfaces to learn about biotic and abiotic factors in our schoolyard!

  We spent 2 days collecting data on air temperature, soil temperature, light intensity, oxygen levels, relative humidity, and UVB rays intensity. We collected class data, graphed, and interpreted the data based on position in the yard (in the shade, in full sun, near the building, near the sidewalk, or out in the middle of an area). Students were amazed at the similarities and differences in these abiotic factors.

  Students also collected information about the biotic factors in their transect (hula hoop) and reasoned why there were differences in a number of weeds, types of plants, bugs, and other items.

  These students cannot wait to use them again next year!!! Thank you SOOOO much for giving my students access to these types of technology they would not otherwise have.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Hudson

• Invention Convention Revival

  Funded Dec 31, 2021

  What a magnificent day! Today was the revival of the CMS Invention Convention in our Auxiliary Gym. 71 students participated. Because some partnered, we had a total of 48 projects slotted in 5 different categories (earth and environment, health and medical, education, wearables, and public safety and transportation. 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students participated. Each student received a participation certificate (purchased with the grant).

  With this grant, we ordered display boards for those who could not afford them, and we had 5 students/groups take advantage of this offer.

  We had 7 outside judges who spent the day talking to students about their masterpieces creations. The morning session allowed judges to evaluate each category. First, second, and third place projects received ribbons (purchased with the grant). In the afternoon, the top 2 projects from each category competed for overall winner status. A local organization purchased those and they will be handed out at our annual Honors Night in May.

  We will be doing this every year from now on. My judges helped me brainstorm new categories, and had great suggestions for changes in the rubric.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Hudson

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 10 other donors.

• Kindle Fires Plus Spheros Equal Coding Excellence

  Funded Jan 22, 2021

  At Crawfordsville Middle School, getting technology to all students has been a huge problem over time as we have such a wide diversity in socioeconomic backgrounds. Technology is a tool to learn a concept, and the more we teach our students to learn using different modes of information transmission, the better they will do in high school and beyond. Since middle school students are inundated with technology, we can teach them to create using types of technology.

  This project is so exciting because students want to learn how to code using the Kindles and Spheros! They continually ask to work with them, and they love teaching me how they work. The Kindles allow for portability so they can increase the complexity of their obstacle courses.

  What has fascinated me is that students of all levels have taken to this technology. I teach low, middle and high level students, and students from all classes have enjoyed working with these systems.

  We did have glitches at first with the technology department. They were reluctant to allow the Kindles to run through our school filter. That has been resoved”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Hudson

• Timely Timers

  Funded Dec 1, 2020

  I would like to again thank you for our new timers! We are still face to face learning, but the number of quarantined students is growing exponentially each day and it is certain we will be returning to virtual learning very soon. So, to make sure I completed this portion of the project, I pulled students from my 6th grade classes and had them recreate the pendulum lab and taught them one of the calculating speed labs they will learn next year. They were very excited they got a sneak peek into next year's curriculum.

  The first thing they got to do was open the packages. It was like they were opening Christmas presents a bit early :-) They lamented that they wished they had been able to use these when we did the lab because their data would have been so much better. I was so pleased they were able to remember the procedures exactly as we had done in class. A couple students still had their lab data colletion sheets with them and compared the old data to the new data with the new timers. The data was so much more accurate- and I was so excited they recognized that.

  When learning the cart/ramp/track speed lab, the 6th graders were thrilled how easy the data calcuation was.

  Truly my favorite moment was when one of my students figured out the timer could be propped up using the metal bar at the back of the timer. (I included a picture of her discovery). She actually squealed :-) Of course, all her classmates had to watch how she did it, and all tried this with their timers.

  Thank you again! Your generosity truly has made our lives- and data collection- so much easier! I cannot wait until classes return to normal and we can use these more often!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Hudson

  This classroom project was brought to life by FamilyAlbum and one other donor.

• Travelling Tinker Trays

  Funded Jan 17, 2019

  I completed assembling the Traveling Tinker Trays on Friday, February 1. On Monday, February 4, five of the sets had already been checked out but other teachers! My students will be working with them near the end of the month, but already the effect has been noticed. One of the teachers who checked out kits works with students who need extra help getting organized- and need a bit more motivation to get assignments done. When this teacher showed her students the kits, and offered them as a reward for completing everything done with an 80% rate, the students took this as a challenge. When talking with her today, only one of her students had outstanding work. So far, the students' behavior has dramatically improved, and the students are completing work at home so they have time to work with the trays in school. Another teacher who check out a kit works with students who have learning disabilities and she struggles to incorporate science and engineering with the classes. These kits are allowing her students to build, create, and work with materials to which they would otherwise not have access.

  Over time, man more students will have opportunities to create, build, rethink and incorporate STEM. I will continue to monitor the progress of the students who are exposed to the materials! I cannot thank you all enough for giving these Crawfordsville Middle School students chances to work with STEM principles!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Hudson

• Digital Scale Experiment Expertise

  Funded Aug 17, 2018

  I cannot begin to thank you for the 5 digital scales. Over the years, I have watched my students struggle with weighing items properly. In some cases, materials were wasted; in others, students did not get the results they needed because their initial measurements were off through no fault of their own. We have been using very old triple beam balances for so long, yesterday seemed like a leap into the future. And while I am grateful for the triple beam balances, I cannot calibrate them with precision any longer.

  I had one group of young ladies in particular that really enjoyed working with the scales (even though they were goofy for the camera). I made all students predict the weights of the objects they placed on the scales. By the end of the day, their predictions were remarkably close to the actual weight of the object after they had practiced so much. I even had some students ask to drag out triple beams and compare values.

  I went home smiling yesterday :-) It seemed like such a simple task- weighing objects. But I now know that from now on that my students results will be much improved with these brand new digital scales :-)”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Hudson

• Watch Nature Turn Chaos Into Harmony with Pendulum Wave Generators!

  Funded Mar 27, 2018

  What an amazing day my students had watching the Pendulum Wave Generator work! I wish I could have uploaded the photos with sound- their giggles and "whoa" and "how does that happen" was infectious as I found myself smiling as they interacted with the pendulum wave generators. They proceeded through the lab with precision (see photo), and then they made the patterns turn into chaos and then back to patterns again.

  Next year, we will have more time and they will investigate their generated questions.

  Thank you SO much for providing these tools that we would not have been able to afford otherwise- and helping me teach an otherwise complicated concept.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Hudson

  This classroom project was brought to life by Ripple.