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Ms. Szymonik's Classroom

  • Youngker High School
  • Buckeye, AZ
  • Half of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

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Support Ms. Szymonik's classroom with a gift that fosters learning.

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We'll charge your card today and send Ms. Szymonik a DonorsChoose gift card she can use on her classroom projects. Starting next month, we'll charge your card and send her a DonorsChoose gift card on the 17th of every month.

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Make a donation Ms. Szymonik can use on her next classroom project.

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Past projects 3

  • Where Are We in History? Geography and Mapping Historical Eras

    Funded Sep 6, 2024

    The pull down maps that your donations funded are being used to teach students the importance of geography in history. For example, we labelled the transatlantic trade routes of the Triangle of Trade and the Middle Passage to show the movement of people, food, and finished products between Africa, the Americas, and Europe.

    We conducted a class activity called "Our Interconnected World" with a ball of yarn and a description of the connections between all parts of the world during the First World War and then identified those places on the map.

    Currently, I am teaching the Cold War and the impact of the spheres of influence between the United States and the Soviet Union on decolonization by circling areas of conflict in Asia, Africa, and Latin America on the world map.

    The maps not only provide a spatial context for the topics of history, they also include topography, climate zones, and ocean currents that enhance our discussions about the role of the environment in history, particularly in networks of trade and the migration of people. These maps have become a valuable resource for my lessons. Thank you all and a special thank you to The Gates Foundation!”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Szymonik

    This classroom project was brought to life by The Gates Foundation and 4 other donors.
  • Earth Day Fair: Economics of the Environment

    Funded Nov 28, 2023

    Every year, I assign a culminating activity for the government and economics students. It is a research project and display that informs and educates the public about a particular topic. This year, the topic was the economic and environmental costs of plastic waste.

    The students selected from a variety of issues related to plastic: recycling, health and environmental effects, plastic alternatives, and plastic packaging. Each team created a trifold display with pictures, diagrams, informational text, a 3-D element, and an interactive element for the audience, such as a mini activity or flaps with questions and answers. They used all of the supplies from your generous donations to construct their projects: trifold displays, scissors, Sharpie markers, construction paper, glue, and index cards.

    We were able to display the projects at the Buckeye Earth Day Main Street clean-up event for Earth Day. They provided two tables for our displays. The students came out, answered questions, and spoke with people who came by for the event. The goal of the project beyond the classroom assignment was to put into practice citizenship and community outreach by raising awareness of an issue that the students feel is important. By participating in the city event, they also saw the importance of community action and being involved in making their town a better place to live in.”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Szymonik

    This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 4 other donors.
  • Words Matter: Increasing Vocabulary and Literacy

    Funded Sep 18, 2023

    When the easel pads and dictionaries arrived, we got to work and began using them immediately. The students have been creating presentations and displays to share with their classmates in gallery walks. This has been the most popular activity, because it incorporates student choice, creativity, and movement into the learning. We are fortunate to have an outdoor space to spread out the posters for better collaborative discussions.

    I use the easel pads to create anchor charts that I can reuse throughout the year. I also hang directions on the front white board for students to reference during inquiry activities.

    Our campus places a high priority on literacy. My students are increasing their academic vocabulary by looking up key terms and writing down the definitions at the start of every lesson. As they have grown accustomed to using them, I have noticed students using the dictionaries on their own whenever they encounter a word they do not know. I have even seen students reading the dictionary in spare moments.

    Thank you for your generous donations to my classroom. I have seen significant improvements in the students' communication and collaboration with these supplies, and the impact has been meaningful.”

    With gratitude,

    Ms. Szymonik

    This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 5 other donors.

About my class

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