Past projects 11
Classroom Forensics Lab
Funded Feb 19, 2025I am beyond grateful for the support you continue to provide my students and me. This is a project that I am so excited to begin later this year. Exposing students to as many different STEM fields as possible is one of the goals I strive for as an educator, and you have helped me take another large step towards that goal. Thank you so very much for the support.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Matysik
Videography Equipment for STEM
Funded Aug 21, 2024My students cannot stop asking when we will get to use the cameras next. They are so excited to add a new element to their data collecting skills. And it is thanks to you that they are excited to learn.
Your kindness and generosity has continued to make my classroom a place where students can explore new skills that are not usually found in the general classroom. You have helped me not just in providing new supplies, but bringing more joy to my job as I watch these future engineers and scientists grow.
Once again, I cannot thank you all enough for your belief in my students. You have made a huge impact in their education, and for that, I could not be more thankful.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Matysik
This classroom project was brought to life by The Gates Foundation and 9 other donors.Bird Observation Project
Funded May 5, 2023One of the things I love most about my job is collecting data. I can collect data on so many things as a STEM teacher, favorite candy bars, test scores, and so much more. But I am so excited to share my love of data collection with my students. And thanks to your support, you have helped me bring my classroom outside with the use of technology.
Later this year, our outdoor facilities will be put into place. This is where our bird feeder cameras will be set. Our students will be able to track the types of birds that live in our area, and see their migration patterns year after year through data collection projects. It is my most sincere hope that the supplies you have gifted to our school help to inspire curiosity and excitement in our students. Thank you all so much for helping to make STEM an integral part of my students' lives.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Matysik
This classroom project was brought to life by General Motors and 4 other donors.Creative STEM Lab
Funded Apr 15, 2023The beginning of the school year is always an exciting time. We have greeted our students back into our classrooms, and my students are eager to see what they can do in STEM this year. One thing that all of the students are looking forward to is our Creative STEM Lab days.
The students last year could not wait to see all of the new supplies they had access to on their exploration days. They would wait patiently during my reveal to see anything new that had been added. They loved all of the supplies that you provided for us. And I am incredibly grateful to continue receiving support from this amazing community.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for believing in my students and helping them explore STEM in new and unique ways.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Matysik
STEM Supplies for Projects
Funded Nov 30, 2022Your support has helped me in insurmountable ways this school year. All of the crafting supplies that your kind donations have provided have brought the ideas of my students to fruition. Their designs have been tested , redesigned, and retested again, all while supporting their understanding of 21st century skills. As we look forward to the last few weeks of school, I am so grateful that I still have enough supplies to continue fostering my students' imaginations and learning. You have made a huge difference in my classroom this year, and have made this my most successful year as a STEM teacher yet. Thank you all so much for your continued support!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Matysik
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 4 other donors.STEM Theme Park Project
Funded Nov 29, 2022Thanks to you, we have completed our Theme Park unit. Our students have spent countless hours working on their park, from the planning and development stage, to construction, and setting up the park in the way they felt was best. As a STEM teacher, I could not be more proud to see the hard work and perseverance of these students. They have come away with more than just the idea of how to make a theme park, but the physics behind the rides, the crucial elements that enhance a theme park, and how to work together as a team and collaborate. This has been one of my favorite projects to date, and I cannot wait to see how these students continue to use the skills they learned from this unit. Our learning could not have happened without you, and I humbly thank you again.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Matysik
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and 4 other donors.Digital Cameras for STEM
Funded Sep 21, 2022In the pursuit of providing real world opportunities to our students, I cannot thank you all enough for your donations to my STEM lab. You have once again provided a group of students with experiences that they cannot receive in another classroom. Our seventh grade students are looking forward to warmer weather so that they can begin their environmental studies. They know that the cameras you have provided will be instrumental to their understanding of the world around them, as well as an important resource for learning and documentation. I cannot thank you enough for your support.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Matysik
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 7 other donors.Animal Book Collection
Funded Feb 16, 2022Thanks to you, I have made the first step in a goal that I have set for myself, having a science-based classroom library. The addition of these animal books have enhanced my classroom in more ways than I could have imagined. My students are eager to read and learn about new animals (or their favorites) when they come into my classroom. They are learning to use nonfiction texts for information, and they are enhancing their reading skills in a meaningful way. While I am teaching STEM & 21st century skills to my students, I always make it a priority to let my younger students explore the many different fields of interest through books. It makes a world of difference to them, and to me, and you all have my thanks.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Matysik
Microscope Supplies
Funded Jan 6, 2022As always, I am humbled by your support. Our small school has benefited so much from your kindness and generosity. One of the explorations my sixth grade students enjoyed the most was using the microscopes. They are so fascinated by the microscopic universe, and you have provided them with new ways to observe the world. The plethora of slides that we are able to use has greatly enhanced their learning experience. I cannot thank you all enough for the donations to make this beloved investigation possible. Our students are learning and becoming more interested in STEM because of you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Matysik
Miniature Hydroponic Garden
Funded Dec 20, 2021Each and every student that walks into my classroom gravitates towards our hydroponic planter. The planter itself is doing a marvelous job not only growing plants, but inspiring questions and higher-order thinking. Students at all ages are asking questions about how to grow things hydroponically, and if they can grow things at home in the same way. They want to know how to build their own planters and start their own gardens, and as a STEM teacher I am thrilled.
Our current plants are thriving. The flower seeds we have grown are full of leaves and growing taller everyday. We will be using this first batch of hydroponically grown plants to help fill our outdoor garden with the gardening club. We will then start to grow vegetable plants, which we plan to use not only as a life cycle lesson with younger students, but also a healthy eating lesson.
This little hydroponic planter has not only grown plants for our school, but has grown the curiosity and interest of all of our students. And it is thanks to you and your support that we are able to continue teaching them in non-traditional ways. Thank you all again so much.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Matysik
This classroom project was brought to life by UPS Foundation and 4 other donors.