Past projects 2
Future Scientists Need Graphic Novels
Funded Dec 4, 2023Thank you so much for your support on this project. These Science Comics have been the most read books in our library since we received them. Students in other classes have noticed and started to borrow them as well, which was exactly what we wanted. A good book is contagious and we love to share good ones with one another.
We spend a significant amount of time on nonfiction texts throughout the year because many future careers require the same type of thinking students use when reading about factual information. In our Reader's Workshop we have spent time talking about the importance of authors are looking into their credibility. Science Comics provides a short introduction from a real scientist in every book. The introduction from Coral Reefs is actually a scientist from New England Aquarium in Boston, MA. We also practice using text features such as captions, diagrams, and headings to better understand an author's main idea and sometimes even their perspective on a topic. These graphic novels have been wonderful tools for us.
All of my students as well as many from other classes enjoy these books and will continue to do so for years to come. They have really been energized to read about topics they might have otherwise never considered - like the Science Comic about Trees. Who knew they were so interesting? Well, now my students do, and it is because of you.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Wallace
This classroom project was brought to life by Townsend Press and 2 other donors.Seeing the World While Staying in Lowell
Funded Jul 4, 2021First, let me begin by saying thank you for funding my project. It means the world to my students to have the opportunity to use technology that is so exciting to them in school. I know that many of my students have seen commercials for virtual reality headsets and that a few have used them before. Having a set of VR headsets in our school has been fantastic for engagement. My class is always asking to go on trips to see the real world, and the best part is we never have to leave our classroom!
The VR headsets we use are very simple. They are a combination of a smartphone and a Google Cardboard holder. Unfortunately, Google has since discontinued their app Google Expeditions, which is the original platform that supported educational virtual field trips. Thankfully though Expeditions Pro has picked up these trips and they provide an app that supports them. Our class uses these VR headsets to make real word connections to sometimes abstract topics. We also go on trips to launch units we are studying and to spark discussions. For example, one of the things we are learning about is the planet we live on. Students also had questions about the other planets in our solar system and space in general. With the VR headsets, I was able to take them on a tour of the international space station so we could talk about what we know about space and what questions we want to explore. The VR provides an excellent jumping off point to discussions because it is engaging and gives students the experience of being able to see immersive pictures.
My students would say the most exciting part of this new technology is being able to go almost anywhere in the world. Many of them do not have the resources to take trips, and because of the global pandemic even those few students who were able to travel now cannot do so safely. Giving my students the opportunity to see and experience new places has been a fantastic way to build their knowledge of the world around them. Students have seen pictures of space before, but being able to surround themselves in the vastness of space really gives them a concrete idea of how large the universe is. They are excited to learn new things because they know they will have the opportunity to experience them in other ways that are not just pictures in a book. The VR headsets have made all the difference.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Wallace