Past projects 5
My Lobotomy - A Captivating Memoir for Psychology Students
Funded Aug 20, 2024Thank you so so much for your support of this project. My 11th & 12th grade Psychology students absoltely loved this memoir! We did a few minutes of SSR (silent sustained reading) each day, but kids were so engrossed that we finished the book within 6 class periods! It was a great transition reading between our units on brain function and the history of psychology. The latter includes lobotomy - and Dr. Freeman, who is featured in this book, as well.
Even my less enthusiastic readers enjoyed the book. Teenagers almost always get into memoirs anyway, but this was an especially compelling read as most of the book takes place in the author's childhood - which they can relate to!
Thank you again for making this possible. Your generosity is much appreciated.”
With gratitude,
Ms. D
A Captivating Read for Psychology Students
Funded Nov 29, 2023As I suspected they would, my students LOVED this book! Every last one of them finished it (which is rare) and even said they would recommend it to a friend!
Never have I had students jump so eagerly into SSR (silent, sustained reading) time and groan when when the timer rang! An Admin came in to hand something to me one morning during SSR and about fell over in shock that every single kid was actively reading. You could have heard a pin drop in that room, they were so engrossed.
Because this reading was for Psychology class, students also had to complete journal entries (min 12) as they read, noting situations or behavior that indicated dysfunction or possible mental illness. Most students completed at least twice that number - and were eager to discuss the book in our Socratic Seminar at the end. Even students who are usually reticent to speak in class had something to add to the conversation, as the book resonated differently with each of them.
Once again, thank you for contributing to this project and providing this amazing opportunity for my students! All the best to you ~”
With gratitude,
Ms. D
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 9 other donors.Ap Gov't Students Dive Deeper on Civic Engagement Capstone Projects
Funded Mar 25, 2023A new school year is already under way and once again the books you helped purchase last spring are being used by my latest AP Government & Politics classes. They were a big hit with last year's students and this year I vowed to get them into their hands much earlier in the school year for their Civic Engagement Project research.
There is nothing like a deep dive into the issue you are interested in, and with these books students have a chance to do just that. In college, students are often asked to do "outside reading" (beyond the textbook) and I wanted to be able to familiarize my students with that concept and teach them some strategies for journaling their reading - and setting reading goals to get through the books in a timely fashion.
This fall, three students from last year have reached out to tell me what they are reading for their college classes, and one of them was assigned a title she read last year (Invisible Women) in her Sociology class. Just imagine what a great confidence booster that was for her!
Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping make this happen! :)”
With gratitude,
Ms. D
AP Gov't & Politics Study Groups Come Alive!
Funded Sep 4, 2022THANK YOU SO MUCH for funding my project, and so quickly! My AP Government & Politics students are seniors now, but were sophomores when the pandemic forced them into distance learning. We have heard a lot of "learning loss", but the place it is most evident to me is in students' ability to interact verbally - both with each other and with their teachers. I am always contriving ways to have my students interact and work collaboratively - and these boards really helped me put together a great activity wherein they had to work together to answer each others' questions as they reviewed for a big exam.
Each student has to put forth a concept (in the form of a question) that they are struggling with - and then take notes on the white board as tablemates chime in with information. They are forced to verbalize what they know, helping solidify knowledge, and think more deeply about connected information. As one student said after, "It made all of us actively try to help each other and answer the question, and it did help info stick in my brain." #SUCCESS!”
With gratitude,
Ms. D
Interactive Notebooks Keep Kids Reading About the Holocaust
Funded Jan 7, 2022We had a rough Covid winter with kids in and out of the classroom, and trying to make up missed work. Enthusiasm for school was in steep decline by Spring Break and it was obvious that students' academic stamina was waning. After Break, my 10th graders started their Holocaust Journals and things have turned around dramatically! Even students with spotty attendance are making an effort to get to class so they don't miss the latest entries!
I've included a picture of the supplies you bought us, as well as a couple of students actually working in their journals. The rest should tell the story of how Interactive Notebook work through my master copy (sans dates): Students receive 3-4 handouts per day and paste them in before leaving class. Par usual, I never get such thorough homework completion as with this unit! I believe it is the combination of bite-sized, focused chunks of information combined with the compelling topic.
Thank you again for your support!”
With gratitude,
Ms. D