Past projects 200
The Beat Goes On: Empowering Students Through Art
Funded Mar 13, 2016I am sitting alone in my library classroom and I have a huge grin on my face. I am preparing my "music appreciation" lessons for my classes and I am listening to the most marvelous music that your donation purchased for my third graders. Right now, I am listening to De Colores and Other Latin American Folk Songs but I have listened to The Essential George Gershwin and other Cd's. There are so many works to choose from on the 31 Cd's that it is difficult to choose which to use next with my class.
We have read and explored the illustrations in The Carnival of the Animals and we have listened to the music on the CD. We also studied The Jazz Fly (book and really enjoyed the accompanying audio CD. Each week, my students come rushing into the library to find out what we are going to learn about this time. It is a joy to greet the kids and try to get them settled down. They have been so excited and thankful for the opportunity to learn and listen to the music.
Thank you for making such a difference in their lives. Thank you for making music and library come alive.”
With gratitude,
Ms. H.
This classroom project was brought to life by #BestSchoolDay and 4 other donors.Lorax Kids Need a Captain Planet ecoSTEM Water Kit
Funded Mar 3, 2016Thank you so much for providing the funding for the purchase the Captain Planet ecoSTEM Water Kit. It arrived and my students were overwhelmed when they saw all the resources in the kit.
My third and fourth grade lunch-in-the-library Lorax group is off the ground. We meet on Wednesdays and are engaged and studying all about water. We have read some basic books about water, our planet and the problems. We have talked about droughts particularly the one in California. On Earth Day, my students worked with kids at a nearby high school to learn about becoming responsible citizens. They made posters to call attention to the problem of wasting water and pollution.
Right now, club members are collecting data using the Water Cycle Model. We are planning a field trip so we can use the Algalita's Ocean Debris Investigation Kit to explore pollution. They are also collecting samples of water so they can test water quality.
This has been an awesome experience for my Lorax Club kids. I intend to continue the club next school year and add the students who are currently second graders. My kids have been so interested in learning and doing more. Thank you for making it possible for my students to learn things that are not ordinarily contained in our curriculum.”
With gratitude,
Ms. H.
This classroom project was brought to life by Captain Planet Foundation and 8 other donors.Empowering Students Through Art to Learn About Asia
Funded Mar 9, 2016Dear Donors,
Through your generosity, you have helped my first and second grade students become passionate about learning about the culture and history of Asia. Your donation to our project allowed more than 120 students to learn the art and music of China, Japan, and Korea. I wanted to expand and infuse art into our study but I needed thirty-seven books, six traditional music Cd's, batik fabric, two costumes and art supplies. Your donation funded all these wonderful resources so that my students could make masks, fish banners, and learn to do simple Chinese characters on rice paper this year! My students were so excited when they saw all of our new materials .They could not wait to begin their study of Asia. They no longer had to share books and materials and were able to save the projects they were working on from week to week.
I saw so many great things happen this year. Not only did I see interests and skills being developed, I also witnessed collaboration between students when some kids grasped a drawing or painting skill more quickly than others. I saw creativity and problem solving come alive. I saw confidence being built in kids who lacked it. I saw pride in students' eyes when their work was complimented. I saw kids taking risks and learning through failure. Lastly, I saw kids make new friends through art!
I just can't thank you enough for your confidence in me to use your donation to help empower students through art.”
With gratitude,
Ms. H.
This classroom project was brought to life by an anonymous donor and 4 other donors.Empowering Students Through Art: China and the Silk Road
Funded Mar 10, 2016Oh my goodness! What a treasure trove of resources! The fifty-one awesome books, the DVD, five traditional music Cd's, the batik fabric, brushes, rice paper, costume and art supplies have all arrived and my fourth graders are busy learning about the Spice Road, Marco Polo and the history and contributions of China.
The books have been a real hit. My students love the Ming books especially Ming's Kung Fu Adventure in the Shaolin Temple, Ming's Adventure with Confucius in Qufu and Ming's Adventure with the Terracotta Army. My favorites include When Asia Was the World and In the Footsteps of Marco Polo.
We have been listening to the Cds and love the Playing in the Rain: Chinese Folk Songs Cd. The music teacher is working with students to teach them a little bit about fingering the Chinese flutes.
Soon we will be leaning about batik fabric as we prepare to make a simple quilt. We are also learning to do some simple Chinese characters on rice paper.
This project has certainly helped to empower my students through art. They are using music and art projects to develop their knowledge of Chinese history, culture, and tradition.
Thank you for making this adventure possible.”
With gratitude,
Ms. H.
This classroom project was brought to life by #BestSchoolDay and one other donor.STEAM and The Popcorn Book
Funded Dec 11, 2015The copies of The Popcorn Book, and all the other wonderful nonfiction books about corn as well as the 22 books about cooking, seeds & plants, the science notebooks, various kinds of popcorn, storage, sharpener and art supplies have arrived and my students are so excited.
All my kids were familiar with Tomie DePaola books and loved the pictures and topics. This project helped them to look deeper and to question the accuracy of science behind the book.
Second grade is a great time for this type of project because students are learning about science, research and are just starting to get interested in the science fair. The library may seem like a strange place to actually do experiments but it was perfect.
Students read the Popcorn Book and critically examined it. Next, they compared the text to the nonfiction books. Then, they looked at the popcorn seeds, made popcorn and studied the size, shape, health and nutrition facts and observed and graphed the un popped kernels while making notations in their science notebooks. Right now, they are in the process of using the crayons and paper to make an accurate, updated popcorn book.
Thank you so very much for supporting this project. My kids learned a lot. I think it was the highlight of their year---forget testing, this was actual learning! I plan to share idea for this project with my fellow librarians.”
With gratitude,
Ms. H.
This classroom project was brought to life by EMP Museum + Paul G. Allen Family Foundation and 4 other donors.ESPN: My Kids Want to Be Pedal Pushers
Funded Mar 9, 2016AWESOME!
Having the requested sitting stepper, bike pedal exerciser, and elliptical trainer available for students to use anytime they visit the library is priceless. Having the ability to create a reading/exercise space stocked with books and exercise equipment is so very important for all my students who need more opportunities to increase movement.
The equipment has arrived and it received an enthusiastic welcome by my students. Together, we created a space that is getting a real workout. Actually, I was surprised how popular it is with my students who are often forced to stay inside for recess due to the extreme weather in our area. Other teachers have come to the library during their prep time to see how the equipment is being used and they are thinking about creating projects for their classrooms. They see what a difference this can make.
On behalf of my students, thank you so very much for choosing to support this project.”
With gratitude,
Ms. H.
Out of Africa: Empowering Students Through Art
Funded Feb 19, 2016Wow! You should see our room! The sixty-eight wonderful books about African animals, folktales, customs and geography; six African instruments; and eleven music CDs; the CD player and headphones; and the DVD arrived right before our spring break and my third and fourth graders were awe struck. They were so very grateful for your donation to our project.
When they get back we will be packing our suitcases, grabbing our passports and preparing to go to Africa. This means that very soon, we will be learning about the ancient sites, geographical wonders, animals and history of the countries of Africa. For very country we "visit", my students will have a stamp in their passport. They will listen to music and then create their own using the egg shakers, boomwhackers, Ghanaian Woven Rattles, and rainsticks. They will make talking drums. They will also study and make Adinkra fabric and Mali Mud cloth. They will make Masai adornments and Yorba necklaces. They will study animals and make Dogon animal masks.
Africa is one of the largest continents and home to hundreds of ethnic people, exotic animals and different ecosystems. My students are so very excited to have the opportunity to learn all about Africa. Thank you for making this adventure possible for them.”
With gratitude,
Ms. H.
This classroom project was brought to life by an anonymous donor and 12 other donors.Creative Solutions & Computer Programming = INFY Makers
Funded Jan 29, 2016The three OSMO systems have arrived but apparently when I took the workshop which talked about the OSMO system and how it could be a way for my students to learn to problem solve and create with the tools and materials that we already have in the library, I spaced out how to actually load the system on a district managed iPad. So after struggling for two afternoons, I gave up. I asked the kids in my 4th and 5th lunch bunch what do to.
They wanted to know why I didn't I ask them before? In a short period of time, they had solved the problem and loaded the program and were ready to roll.
They were right—why hadn't I asked them sooner. Now, they feel a real investment in the system--it is their system! They rush in and sign up to use it at odd times during the day.
Thank you so much for supporting this little project. My students are using OSMO to develop their computer and technology skills and now they even want to teach other kids in the primary grades to use it.”
With gratitude,
Ms. H.
This classroom project was brought to life by Infosys Foundation USA and 4 other donors.Military Kids Need to Learn the Science of Cooking
Funded Dec 23, 2015The 27 slow cookers and 24 different books about the science of cooking and recipes including Everybody Serves Soup have arrived. My third graders are learning about nutrition and safe food handling. They are learning how to wash their hands and how to clean and care for vegetables/produce.
They have learned about slow cookers and we have started to cook in the library on Friday. Our first culinary masterpiece was potato soup. Everyone agreed that it was fantastic and the best soup they had ever tasted. They all took the recipe home to share with their families.
This Wednesday, they are going to bring in a recipe from home and we will see if we can change it to make it in the slow cooker. My 3rd grade foodies are so excited and thrilled to be learning about food preparation, nutrition and healthy snacks. My military kids enjoy sharing recipes that they have sampled in their travels. My kids are becoming a classroom family of cooks and they are very grateful to you for your support of this project.”
With gratitude,
Ms. H.
This classroom project was brought to life by craigconnects and 2 other donors.1st Graders Need to STEAM Ahead
Funded Dec 9, 2015Oh my goodness, the materials have arrived and my first graders had so much fun helping me open the boxes. As you can see from the pictures, the bugnoculars were an instant hit. The kids kept looking all around the room with them until I put a worm in their containers and then they were so amazed to see it magnified!
We have started looking critically at the books by Eric Carle. We started with The Very Lonely Firefly and The Very Busy Spider. We will soon be looking at the Tiny Seed, The Grouchy Lady Bug and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. My students are familiar with these books but they never looked at the science in them. No they are reading the books, taking notes in their science notebooks and then comparing the information in the nonfiction books. They are also looking at specimens. We will soon be sprouting seeds and looking at hermit crabs.
The materials from this multi-layered project were essential for our study. The kids are learning so much. It is wonderful to have enough copies of the books for students to share.
Soon we will begin making the art for our quilt and I can hardly wait to see the finished project!
Thank you for making this dream a reality.”
With gratitude,
Ms. H.
This classroom project was brought to life by EMP Museum + Paul G. Allen Family Foundation and 5 other donors.