Mr. Houck's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 4

• Book Our Students A Couple New Titles!

  Funded Nov 8, 2024

  Thank you so much for your thoughtful contribution to this fundraiser! We used the money to purchase three new titles for our Books and Donuts (B.A.D. Readers) club.

  In December/January we read A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula K. LeGuin, which was a new experience for may of the students who had never explored the fantasy genre. We are currently working through the Multnomah County Library 'Everybody Reads' book, in order to attend the author talk in March.

  Everyone's excited by the new books, and we thank you again for your help with this project!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Houck

  This classroom project was brought to life by Cheez-it, Albertsons, and CFP Foundation and one other donor.

• Let's Get Outside! P.E. For Climbers & Ninjas

  Funded May 1, 2024

  Thank you so much for donating to this project! The students were so surprised and excited to see the materials. We immediately set up the slacklines, and they've bveen using them at break ever since. The farthest anyone has gotten on the 100-foot line is about halfway. It's harder than they thought!

  We had a setback this summer when a nasty windstorm knocked over most of our apple tree, but we were able to use the remaining trunk to set up the slacklines again, and the new students this year have also been having a blast trying them out.

  Unfortunately we've had to wait to get approval for the bouldering wall, but as soon as we get the word, we'll get the holds up and get going. We have the perfect wall picked out already!

  So thanks again for your generous donations!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Houck

  This classroom project was brought to life by Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation and 2 other donors.

• Let's Get This Garden Started!

  Funded Apr 24, 2024

  Thanks so much for donating to this project! The students were very excited to get the garden boxes and gear. It took almost a month to get them built, but they learned some tool skills along the way. Once completed, we filled the boxes with fallen apples from the apple tree behind the school, making a nice base layer of compost. They had a lot of fun chucking apples into the boxes from a ridiculous distance. :)

  After that, we filled the boxes with 5-way garden soil, and each class chose which veggies to grow. Since it was almost fall, we chose lettuce, kale, chard, beets and cabbage. It's been about three weeks since the planting, and all but one of the boxes is showing signs of life! Hopefully in a few more weeks we'll have our first annual salad party.

  So thanks again for the help. It's making an impact in our science curriculum and helping students enjoy some yummy veggies!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Houck

  This classroom project was brought to life by Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation and 14 other donors.

• Let's Turn Food Scraps Into Fresh Veggies!

  Funded Apr 14, 2024

  Thanks so much for donating to this project! The students were super excited to get the worm bins, and it took about a week to get all four of them built. Then we did a school-wide webquest on worm bin composting, so everyone became a master of the art, and then we got outside and starting gathering materials! Students scoured the campus for browns and greens, applied them in the correct ratio, and got dirty digging through buckets of my own compost from home for their worms. Then we just had to wait and watch as the material slowly began changing form.

  When we returned to school this year, kids immediately began checking on the process, and lo and behold; there was some fine brown compost at the bottom of the bins!

  So thanks again for the help. It's making an impact in our science curriculum and reducing food waste!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Houck