Past projects 3
Brain Breaks for a Phone Free Classroom
Funded Sep 13, 2024The changing rules around devices has been hard for students. As they have grown to depend on their phones for everything. Because our school is implementing a no phone bell-to-bell policy, students have struggled to adapt to any moment of downtime.
These games have been wonderful to have in class. Even students from other classes have come to borrow them. Rather than sitting around scrolling on their phones, the students engage with each other and work through the puzzles.
Although, this has not been a perfect transition, it has been an invaluable tool. When students are done with their work I have a clear answer to the age old questions "what do I do now?"
I am still working to get them to take care of them and keep track of them, but they are well loved.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Kuzara
This classroom project was brought to life by .Birdwatching to Connect with Nature Part 2
Funded Mar 14, 2024This year, with your help, I was able to get all of my students outside to enjoy all of the bird species we have on our campus. We watched the Osprey build a new nest. We also saw various feeding and foraging behaviors. Students were able to identify some by song alone. The pictures submitted were taken by students using my camera, as I designated a class photographer each time we went out. Some of my students even downloaded Merlin, the bird ID app, and started sharing with me birds they heard or saw outside of class time.
Before we started, many of my students told me they hardly ever saw birds. Now they bring in pictures asking for help to identify species they don't recognize. It is always so rewarding when students really figure out how to use the binoculars and get that first bird in view. Every time I heard them say "wow, I really see it!" or "It looks so close!" I know they're getting the skills and connecting to these birds.
Students constantly asked when we were going again, and checking to see if the binoculars were out as a sign that we would be heading outside. Rain or shine, my students followed close listening and watching.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Kuzara
This classroom project was brought to life by Cox Enterprises and 3 other donors.Birdwatching - Connecting with and Learning About Nature
Funded Apr 21, 2023Over the weeks since my class has received the field guides and binoculars, we have been able to explore our campus almost weekly. We've observed over 20 species of birds just by walking around our school campus. Students have asked almost every day if we are going to go birdwatching. Students have been able to observe nesting, feeding, begging, calls, and songs. Our school is home to a nesting pair of Ospreys, who currently have nestlings that we saw for the first time on June 7th. One fuzzy head was sticking up between the nesting pair of adults.
On our walks we discuss behavior, habitat usage, and physical characteristics of all of these birds. Indirectly we have also been able to observe Blue-tailed Skinks, Spiny Orb Weaver spiders, and of course, a lot of squirrels.
Students bring me pictures of birds they have seen outside of school, audio recordings of calls, and give me descriptions of birds they have seen to see if we can investigate and discover what species they have seen. One of my students immediately went and bought a pair of binoculars and has had them with her every day since our first birdwalk.
What has made this experience special, is that on these walks, students share stories with me. They talk about places they have lived and wildlife they have seen.
I cannot wait to continue this tradition with my ecology classes every spring, and it is thanks to the generosity of those who donated to this project that we have been able to share these moments together.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Kuzara
This classroom project was brought to life by General Motors and 9 other donors.