Past projects 7
Dirt Club Makes Smiles Grow
Funded Nov 13, 2024Our gardening students are left wide open. They can grow anything they want and they can be any year and still in the club. We've really focused on things that can be grown and shared and students really love that. Last year, our focus with fig trees this year, we have grown a bunch of plumeria and their favorite Potatoes. The potatoes are of different types and colors and we've grown them in four different ways so far. They keep on going in different directions that's the way that I love. They see things in social media and online and they also hear things from their grandparents. We test them all and figure out which one works best for them.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Littig
This classroom project was brought to life by Young Sheldon and one other donor.Roller Coaster Physics
Funded Nov 13, 2024The students love this lab so much because it combines a bunch of there physics skills, math skills, advertising skills and creativity. As they build the coasters so many failures happen and then are solved and turned into success. You need a bit of gritty behavior to make an A for sure.
The kids really get into themes like, Willy wonka, lunch ladies, or creepy haunted mansions. It is really fun to see what they can create. Sometimes they find balance between making a coconut tree base and the functionality that a paper tree can bring.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Littig
This classroom project was brought to life by Young Sheldon and one other donor.Growing Figs For Our Community
Funded Feb 15, 2024Students gained so much from this project. We grew figs, plumeria, corn, tomatoes and pumpkins. They got to try all different styles and dirt along with 1,000 other things. This was really about being able to develop a great experiment and some love of gardening.
This turned out to be one of the most popular clubs and your donations will help us for years to come. The green houses worked great. There were some side lessons about the types of lights that plants use and how to make them grow more fruit or more leaves. I learned a ton about potatoes growing with side views cut out of the buckets. They really want to know if we could grow them on Mars like that.
My favorite part of the experience was the community building. Kids were so proud to bring home not only a beautiful plant, but a ton of knowledge that helps the plant grow. Thank you so much for your donation.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Littig
Roller Coasters Physics Fun!
Funded Oct 23, 2023For over two weeks students have been problem solving and learning important life skills while taking on real life science. These roller coasters never go the way you think they will which I love. It means that students get to experience real issues and come up with solutions to their problems.
It is dealing with adversity that student so seldom get a chance to do in a safe space. I wish you could be here when they figure out a problem and then their solutions work. It is the classic light in the attic turning on situation. They been with pride when it all works.
Another thing I love is helping them learn to write and express themselves about non fiction. Technical writing and reading is a classic struggle in middle school and is generally their weakest category. This project game them a reason to write and a subject that they care to write about.
The last thing is the math. Math is hard and even harder to put into real life. In roller coasters, they can use math to be predictive and flex their skills. Some students are trying to figure out friction while others are doing more straight forward algebra. They don't seem to mind the work either which is rare in math.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Littig
This classroom project was brought to life by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and one other donor.Build Your Own Theme Park Roller Coaster
Funded Nov 3, 2021We loved using these cars to show what we have learned. It really helps get a grip on what speed is. Normally, we are using ramps to produce speed so that we can measure it but that is not how the real world gennerally works. We make speed by providing FORCE. We used this lab to calculate positive acceleration, Speed and how to make data tables and graphs to represent those concepts. We also calculated the force created by having differing levels of potential energy converted to Kinetic!
I just want to thank you one more time for putting science in their hands. We write and calculate all of the time but when we get hands on, they learn more. It also just provides an oppertunity for students to get outside and work with other people to build relationships. It is this aspect that I feel is the most important. The kids are learning how to learn and communicate with other people. How to be a partner or leader. How to enjoy hard tasks. Thank you thank you thank you.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Littig
This classroom project was brought to life by San Diego Gas & Electric and one other donor.Crash Education "Crash cars to Learn to save Lives"
Funded Nov 2, 2021We have used the impact cars to determine speed and the affect that height has on speed. To start, we use the cars to make data. When a student makes their own data, it means more to them. Then the students are required to make a data table and graph with their findings. The students developed the lab themselves, created and filled in their own data and made the graph themselves. I don't think you'll find many 8th graders that can do all of those things but ours can. We are done with the first two labs we have used them in and we have at least one more to go. The students will now take the cars and figure out how to save "Freggie Mercury". We take an egg and put it on a car. It rolls down the ramp and smashes into a brick wall. The students must prevent the egg from being hurt using Newton's laws of motion.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Littig
This classroom project was brought to life by San Diego Gas & Electric and one other donor.Feel The Good Vibes!
Funded Nov 3, 2021Man o man did we enjoy our time with the Generator. The students drew models showing how the electrons and protons were affected by the machine. I feel like they truly know about the transfer of electrons and it helped to solidify their understanding of magnetism and how magnets work. There are only a few experiences that you remember from 8th grade science 20 years down the road and this will assuredly be one of them. They will be moving on from here to learn a little more about electricity and then more about forces in total. If something moves, there is an explanation for it and they will discover how movement works. This lab capped off our non contact forces section. I can't tell you how thankful I am. Hands on equals minds on and everyone had their hands on this week. We will use it for years to come and have also shared it with another partner school so it will help not only our 350 but 350 more students down the street.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Littig
This classroom project was brought to life by San Diego Gas & Electric and one other donor.