Ms. Cronin's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 2

• Community Gardens Promote Community Growth

  Funded Oct 26, 2024

  We are excited to share our progress with you since our project has been funded!

  At Edison High School, we are an entry point school for many immigrant families and students. Many of our classrooms have students who were born from all over the world; each student speaking multiple languages, while representing their home language, also. Our classrooms are incredibly diverse spaces. Along with that diversity, comes some home-sickness. Many students were uprooted from their homes, leaving behind a life full of love and hope.

  This project is helping bring back some of that hope by giving our students the equipment to begin growing fruits and vegetables from their home countries. As a physics classroom, we are working on tying together the concepts of Biology and Physics in an energy production unit that focuses around the natural biological processes for energy production.

  With the Urban Worm Bag and watering can, we are able to propagate, and grow the fruits and vegetables students miss the most. The worm bag provides us with a couple things within the classroom. It provides us a place to compost biological waste, paper towels, and any fruits or vegetables students have left over from their lunch. The worms then compost and digest the food waste leaving nutrient-rich "worm castings." AKA, worm waste which the plants absolutely love!!!

  The students have been having a lot of fun feeding the worms, and then also holding the worms. Most of the time we leave the worms alone and allow them to do their things, however, sometimes our curiosity gets the best of us and we go searching for the worms, similar to in the picture.

  Thank you for your generous donation. This equipment will benefit students not just this year, but for many years to come providing us with amazing fruits and vegetables to eat while learning.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Cronin

  This classroom project was brought to life by National Corn Growers Association and one other donor.

• Growing in Science: Helping English Language Learners Improve Mental Health

  Funded Oct 2, 2024

  We are using the new resources to create a welcoming environment for our immigrant students. The resources have created the indoor portion of a Community Garden. The materials will house the garden until spring. The resources have supported conversations that build vocabulary as well as community in the classroom. Students in this classroom are immigrant students who are learning English as an additional language. The materials and building vocabulary of plants, materials and resources for the project supports nature-based learning and engagement in the classroom. In addition to being resources for a classroom garden,the materials have offered a place for students to gather and to talk and to be with each other. For example, the resources have given students the opportunity to make connections with their lived experiences in their home countries. The resources have also provided a catalyst for conversations with students about life and problem solving. With your support, immigrant high school students are beginning to see the process of food production and growth. Overall, our students are using the new resources for engagement with each other, connecting with shared experiences and enjoying good, whole food.

  Students were surprised and had a lot of questions! With your support, the materials transformed a traditional science classroom into a unique learning space where students are engaged in project-based learning, in addition to the daily content of the class. Students' curiosity of the materials has provided opportunities for vocabulary development as well as engagement with nature-based learning in terms of creating questions and engagement with nature-based learning.

  Our classrooms are incredibly diverse spaces. Along with that diversity, comes some home-sickness. Many students were uprooted from their homes, leaving behind a life full of love and hope.

  This project is helping bring back some of that hope by giving our students the equipment to begin growing fruits and vegetables from their home countries. As a physics classroom, we are working on tying together the concepts of Biology and Physics in an energy production unit, that focuses around the natural biological processes for energy production.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Cronin

  This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Supporter and one other donor.