Mrs. Bond's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 16

• Dreams Become Reality Using 3D Imaging

  Funded Sep 13, 2017

  Thank you so much for donating to our 3D printer project. The students are learning how to use technology to choose, download, and print items on the 3D printer. They find this challenging, but they persevere and are very excited to see the objects come to life in a matter of minutes. All of the students will get a chance to make and take a 3D object home before the end of the year.

  Our new 3D printer is amazing. The students are so excited to choose and make a new item on the printer. Each day new groups get to find and work on the item that they want to print. The groups are writing proposals about why they want to print something. I am so happy to see how engaged and excited the students are. It is wonderful to see struggling students get excited about school. The 3D printer is a creative hands-on project that the most reluctant students are becoming experts in. I see the confidence carry over to reading and research across the curriculum.

  I believe this generation will be using 3D printers at home and at work. This classroom experience allows students' access to the future. This exposure will give them a head-start in using technology in different ways. They are also collaborating and using teamwork to solve everyday problems when using the 3D printer.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Bond

  This classroom project was brought to life by Tom's of Maine and 3 other donors.

• Animals Here, Animals There - Are We Alike?

  Funded Oct 7, 2016

  My students are extremely excited and eager to come to class to see all of our animals. We are learning about the animals different habitats, stages of growth, and life cycles. The students are researching the animals adaptations and experiencing first-hand how these animals feed, sleep, and interact. This project is also teaching them responsibility, and they are learning how to become animal caregivers. I think it is important to teach children how to care for others and treat them with kindness, and this project helps them interact with each other and the animals.

  When the boxes started to arrive the energy level and excitement burst out of the classroom. (Word spread quickly---now students from all grade levels are stopping in to see our class pets.) We carefully unpacked the items and took an inventory. They learned quickly, that animals should not be sent in the mail, as some of our new friends didn't arrive safely. Now, my students are trying to invent new ways to ship fragile items through the mail. This was an unexpected learning experience.

  The students are working on ongoing projects to explore the numerous habitats that our new animal buddies live in. Groups of 3 to 4 students are researching and collaborating to find out how to save other animals that are threatened or endangered. Each week the students are in charge of training new groups to care for the animals in our class. This gives them first-hand experience and it allows them to feed, clean, and care for our class pets. I tell them they are "zoologists in training." This project has also led to the students wanting to research different careers that work with animals. Thank you so much for supporting this project! My classroom has truly come to LIFE!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Bond

• Forces in Action---Get Students Attracted to LEARN!

  Funded Oct 6, 2015

  First and foremost, thank you all for your generous donations. Our classroom is buzzing with learning and hands-on activities. My class is so lucky to have the needed materials to conduct experiments. They get to see firsthand, how force works using numerous objects and magnets. The kits included new science materials that encourage the students to be more curious and think about the world around them.

  The students are conducting experiments by working in small groups. One experiment that they totally loved was, "The Floating Paperclip." All of the students got to observe and touch the paperclip, while it was floating. Then, they got to assemble their own floating magnet to explore. Needless to say, the energy level was very high, yet very focused on the task at hand. Many students began to think of other places where things magically float. The students decided that magicians use magnets to make things levitate. Others talked about junkyards, and how the cars are picked up with big magnets and then put in the crusher. I am so happy to see them collaborating and enjoying science in hands-on ways.

  This year, I am teaching 2 sections of science and it is so rewarding to see the students get so excited to learn. Many ask on the way into class, "What experiment do we get to do today?" I hope that by bringing science to life, more students will want to find a career in the field of science. Thank you so much for your support!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Bond

• Reach for the SKY- Give Programming a TRY!

  Funded Jan 17, 2015

  Thank you all so much for supporting our class. The students are so excited about getting "cubelets" in our classroom. They were eager to get started. The students were able to make robots and remake them quickly and easily. As they worked in small groups, they discussed why the robot didn't work and gave each other guidance to rebuild it and test it.

  Cubelets are easy to use and every student is engaged and ready when it is their turn. They also like to help their classmates come up with new ideas to get their robots to move, spin, and stop by using the built-in sensors. These magnetic hands-on cubes give my students the opportunity to discover how programming works in a non-threatening way.

  Through your generous donations the students are able to use technology in a new way. It is so amazing to see the students working together to invent different robots. I love to hear them say to each other, "I wonder what will happen if we switch these two cubes?" They will also say, "Hey, look at this we made a spinning flashlight." Their curiosity is contagious and "cubelets" are a great extension to our classroom because they create group discussions and develop problem-solving skills. Thank you for enriching my class through your generous donations.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Bond

• See It! Touch It! Live It!

  Funded Nov 2, 2014

  Thank you so much for your generous donations. The mini-IPads are a big hit and the students are learning to use them in a variety of ways. When I first opened the box, all of the students were pointing and smiling. They were excited to touch them and turn them on. For some, it was a new piece of technology that they had never seen before. They were all smiles, and they started chanting Donors Choose...Donors Choose! The moment was so touching and cute, I wish you all could have seen and heard them. The excitement was bursting out of our room.

  The students were very eager to use the IPads for math, reading, and research. Many students have already created presentations to share with the class. It is so nice to have something so small and powerful in the classroom. The students are helping each other learn how to use new apps and testing out some apps to see if we should use them in class. Our next step is to use the IPads to make video clips of the students working in small science groups to include in their presentations.

  Thank you all for helping put these mini-IPads in the hands of my students to help them learn and become comfortable using technology in a variety of ways. We all thank you for this amazing opportunity.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Bond

• Real World Hands-on Math and Literature for the Classroom

  Funded Oct 11, 2013

  You are amazing and wonderful. Thank you so much for the math manipulatives, math stories, and activity cans. My students love reading the stories to each other. They also ask when they can use activity cans and which manipulatives they can learn about today. I have found that their energy level has gone up and their interest in math has soared. These manipulatives keep them active and engaged. Many students have commented that now math is really fun. They really enjoy seeing how others are solving problems and sharing their ideas.

  My students are viewing math in new ways because of your generous donation. I love watching them explore and collaborate with each other to solve problems. They work in small groups of 2 to 4. This group work allows them the freedom to collaborate and try new strategies to solve real world problems.

  These hands-on resources are keeping every child engaged. They are experimenting with new ways to solve problems and creating exciting discoveries. Some students are using money to solve problems, while others are using base-ten blocks. These new tools are giving them the freedom to explore and learn, while completing the given task successfully.

  Thank you so much for your generous donation. These math items will be used for many years to come. My students are mastering math concepts quickly thanks to your donation.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Bond