Setting Up a 7th Grade Science Classroom

Funded Jan 14, 2025

Thank you so much for your contributions to my new science classroom. We've been using the resources that you so generously provided quite often in the classroom. First of all, I have enough handheld whiteboards for each student in each period to use. This has helped immensely with the engagement of my students and helped me to judge their understanding of different topics. I think that the temporary nature of the whiteboards has increased student engagement because I often feel that my students are afraid to be wrong and the use of whiteboards makes students feel more comfortable with being wrong since it isn't necessarily an activity that they need to turn in. We've been using the whiteboards and their accessories for bell work and as exit slips. This is an effective way for me to judge my students' understanding of topics on the fly. In my class, I now also have enough headphones for each student in each class. This has been very helpful when my students have independent videos that they need to watch as it minimizes the chances of outside distraction and helps them to focus on their own videos. The headphones have also been a helpful tool in applications that have the ability to read passages aloud to my students.

When my students first saw the materials, I think that they were excited based on their reactions and questions such as "Are we going to start using these?". Up until the middle of the school year, my students had been with different substitutes as I didn't start until December and we had minimal supplies. I think that when my students saw the new supplies that were so generously provided by the donors for this project that my students realized that they were going to be doing more than just busywork and would be more involved in their learning. I plan on using these materials through the end of the year and into next school year. This project to set up my classroom has been a great success. Thank you for your contribution to my class and my students.”

With gratitude,

Mr. Stewart