Past projects 2
Cool Calculators and Wicked Whiteboards!
Funded Aug 2, 2023Thank you so much for donating to my students. Many of the pieces that come to class we basic classroom supplies that our budget doesn't cover! Things like calculators for math - it is hard to learn trigonometry without them. After Covid many students had lost their fluency skills and need time to rebuild those skills, the calculators helped them gain confidence as they moved into higher level material.
The new whiteboards are used EVERY day in all of my classes. Student have the opportunity to stay engaged in a safe way. They can write, erase and try again. Persistence was lost while students were at home, it is hard to keep working without some one to give you a little push in the right direction and confidence was lost, these board help rebuild that while practicing skills.
The last big component to my DonorsChoose project was card-stock. We have been using this to engineer marble runs (using parallel and perpendicular lines) and to build 3D roller coasters. While studying parallel lines, perpendicular lines and transversals students work to build marble slides that incorporate each of these elements. These are the central math concepts, but the students get so much more out of it. The project is anticipated and students go above and beyond in their creations, learning extra material from Algebra 2 and Pre-Calc to make their projects what they want them to be. The project is used as the unit assessment, but allows students to build professional skills in teamwork, communication, compromise, and creativity. Technology (desmos) is used to create the scale model, but then students need to use their engineering skills to construct the physical model and make sure that it is functional, which allows many different students to shine and be recognized for different strengths.
Thank you for supplying all of these materials so my students have these opportunities.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Atkins
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 3 other donors.Games to Engage in Geometry
Funded Apr 23, 2023These games arrived in my room within days of the project being funded and were being played by students immediately.
At the end of the year it can be difficult to engage students in activities and group work, these games have been a great catalyst for reminding students how fun their classmates are and improve communication at a time of year where everyone is feeling burnt out.
Visual connections are being made and motivation has increased. I have been referencing and using the figures to help students understand 2D and 3D images on assignments. With manipulatives in their hands visuals make so much more sense!
Many students are coming in their free time to play and bringing friends from other classes.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Atkins