Mr. Wolf's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 147

• Help Our Garden Make the Cut With a Portable Saw

  Funded Sep 21, 2022

  Thank you so much for the donation you made. We recently put the saw to very good use, cutting lumber for benches and tables in our schoolyard. Students had the opportunity to try a skill they hadn't before, or as some students did, show others a skill they had practiced in their home countries and at jobs.

  It was an amazing time, seeing students in a new setting outside the classroom. Many students were cautious to use a saw, but with safety tips and guidance, by the end, they were asking to be able to use it more. Best of all, the saw made it possible for us to utilize our bench building kits, and create furniture that will remain in our schoolyard and be used by our community for years to come. Thank you so much for your generosity and the learning experience you gave us.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Wolf

  This classroom project was brought to life by Con Edison and 5 other donors.

• Drills To Build Skills, Memories & Spaces That Last.

  Funded Jan 25, 2022

  This past week, the drills you donated were in heavy demand. We embarked on a bench-building project to add seating and tables to our schoolyard. Students cut, painted and assembled the benches and tables on their own, decorating them with inspirational quotes, symbols and drawings that represent who they are. Along the way, students learned how to deal with mistakes how to persist during difficult work, and how to work with others. One student remarked, "I made two mistakes, I give up!" to which her classmate responded, "It's OK to make mistakes, we learn how to do it better when we make a mistake." It was such a clear lesson in how students can be teachers, and how tools like these drills can lead not only to skills, but bigger life-lessons, as well. Thank you for making this possible, and for the years of building to come that these tools will provide us!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Wolf

• Growing Green Spaces, Growing Voices, Growing Love

  Funded Sep 29, 2022

  Thank you for the plants that we have be caring for the past several weeks. Today was a big day, as my students took their plants to others - gifting them around our school and to their families and friends. It was a wonderful opportunity for us to share in caring for our green friends, and to share with one another about the people in our lives we appreciate.

  We still have plenty more plants to care for after today's gifting. My advisory class is taking care of them and using them as their guides when learning how to plant and grow others. Thank you so much for making this possible!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Wolf

  This classroom project was brought to life by Con Edison and one other donor.

• Debunking Race & Creating Multicultural Unity Through DNA Sequencing

  Funded Jan 20, 2022

  This past spring was one of my favorites in recent memory. For over a month, students studied the history of race and tried to define it using the science of genes and most importantly, their own DNA. They were truly doing science, extracting their own DNA, and learning how to use online tools to isolate a sequence they can compare.

  It was exciting to see the changes happen. When we first started, over half of students said they thought we would find evidence of race in their DNA, that theirs would be similar to other students with the same race, and different from those with different races. As they went through the process of comparing sequences and drawing out diagrams to show relatedness, the tune changed quickly. One of my most hard to impress students watched as we went through some of our comparisons, and I saw her visibly jump a bit in her seat as her eyes went wide. She is Mexican, but discovered she shared the most similar sequence with an Afghani student. After class I asked her what happened, and she said "you know, I'm starting to think that race isn't real." It was an "A-Ha!" moment, and it was largely thanks to you.

  Thanks to you we were able to send their DNA samples for sequencing at an outside lab, and do far more than just look at examples or talk about how race is not part of our biology. Students were able to look at this question in the most personal way, using their own DNA to test their ideas. When I first started doing this lab in 2008, I had a student who had similar reactions. When I saw him many years later, unprompted he reminded me about "that time we tested our DNA and I found I was more related to Chinese students than other Mexicans." There's nothing like leaving an impression as a teacher, and thanks to you, I've continued that tradition, and built up our database of sequences that can be used by future generations of students. Many students proudly presented these projects for their graduation portfolios, satisfying an important requirement. All of my students presented to other students and teachers, and got to experience the thrill of sharing their discoveries with others.

  Thank you for leaving a lasting positive impact on my students, helping them become critical thinkers, questioners, and pursuers of truth. You've inspired them, and me as well.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Wolf

• Filter Replacement To Help Clear The Air

  Funded May 17, 2022

  Thank you for clearing up the air and giving us a recharged air filtration system. As you could see, the old and new filters looked quite different! With new filters to keep us stocked for the coming year, learning in my classroom can now take place with more confidence that we are removing pollutants and circulating air.

  I feel so fortunate for wonderful people like you who have continued to prioritize students and public schools. Without your help our budgets, which even now our mayor is trying to cut, do not allow for things like air filters. Thank you for filling the gaps that our leadership leaves, and for valuing children when our elected officials do not. Please continue supporting great public education. We cannot do it without you!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Wolf

  This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Drive-In and 3 other donors.

• Filter Replacement Needed To Help Clear The Air!

  Funded Dec 11, 2021

  Thank you for clearing up the air and giving us a recharged air filtration system. As you could see, the old and new filters looked quite different! With new filters to keep us stocked for the coming year, learning in my classroom can now take place with more confidence that we are removing pollutants and circulating air.

  I feel so fortunate for wonderful people like you who have continued to prioritize students and public schools. Without your help our budgets, which even now our mayor is trying to cut, do not allow for things like air filters. Thank you for filling the gaps that our leadership leaves, and for valuing children when our elected officials do not. Please continue supporting great public education. We cannot do it without you!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Wolf

  This classroom project was brought to life by Panda Cares and 4 other donors.

• Debunking Race & Creating Multicultural Unity Through DNA Sequencing

  Funded Nov 11, 2021

  This past week has been my favorite of the year. For about a month now, students have been writing about their ideas of what is race, extracting their own DNA, and learning how to use the procedure to isolate a sequence they can compare. It has been exciting to see the changes happen. When we first started, over half of students said they though we would find evidence of race in their DNA, that theirs would be similar to others students with the same race, and different from those with different races. As they have gone through the process of comparing sequences and drawing out diagrams to show relatedness, the tune has changed. One of my most hard to impress students watched as we went through some of our comparisons, and I saw her visibly jump a bit in her seat as her eyes went wide. After class I asked her what happened, and she said "you know, I'm starting to think that race isn't real." It was an "A-Ha!" moment, and it was largely thanks to you.

  Thanks to you we were able to send sequences for sequencing at an outside lab, and do far more than just look at other examples or talk about how race is not part of our biology. Students were able to look at this question in the most personal way, using their own DNA to test their ideas. When I first started doing this lab in 2008, I had a student who had similar reactions. When I saw him many years later, unprompted he reminded me about "that time we tested our DNA and I found I was more related to Chinese students than other Mexicans." There's nothing like leaving an impression as a teacher, and thanks to you, I've continued that tradition. Thank you for leaving a lasting positive impact on my students, helping them become critical thinkers, questioners, and pursuers of truth. You've inspired them, and me as well.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Wolf

  This classroom project was brought to life by General Motors and 2 other donors.

• Here's a Bright Idea: Better Bulbs For Healthier Plants

  Funded May 7, 2021

  It is spring, and it is time again for planting outdoors! Here in NY, it is still too cold to directly sow lots of crops like tomatoes, or herbs like cilantro. Our plant cart is now upgraded with the lights you generously donated, and they are installed and ready. We began with seeds of plants students chose - sunflowers, herbs, cilantro, squash, and we are hopeful that as the weather warms, we can move more and more of them out into our planter boxes in the school yard, and even students' homes. Thank you for this upgrade which is going to keep paying dividends and growing green thumbs for years to come!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Wolf

• "Say Cheese?" How About, "Say 茄子 (Qiézi)!"

  Funded Jan 25, 2022

  A picture speaks a thousand words, so I will let the uploaded photos do some of the talking for me. Your generous camera donation has been put to immediate use in our class, and has been met with much excitement from the students. Already, we are getting fantastic professional-looking images of our DNA extraction activity. As you can see from the images, they are sharp, able to foreground the subject and blur the background, and just overall beautiful. The ability to take beautiful pictures has inspired LOTS of photos to get taken in just one day. This camera is going to be a regularly available tool when we do labs. Students are capturing memories, but also learning. They will be able to visit and revisit these photos as students make sense of the activities they are doing and begin writing their graduation-level projects. Thank you for giving us this amazing tool for capturing the content, but most importantly the joy of our school days.”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Wolf

• Hardworking Students Deserve a Snack, Part 1

  Funded Dec 31, 2021

  Our weekly snack-time tradition has continued strong these past weeks because of your generosity. This past Wednesday, the week before a vacation when focus can be at a low point, it was clear that just an hour before lunch, our students needed something to fuel them through that last morning class. It was then that we reached for the snacks you donated.

  It's easy to chalk students not focusing or being silly up to them not liking a lesson, or being sassy. In reality though, students want to do well, and they also want to be loved and respected. A bag of potato chips or a granola bar go a long way towards both. Like we've been doing and hope to continue doing for many weeks to come, the solution can often be as simple as sating an appetite and showing you care. It's a lesson I learned from my grandma Dotty a long time ago that sometimes you just need a knosh, and it's just as true today. Thank you for making it possible for us to serve our students in a way they need most. Please spread the word about our snack projects - we go through them quickly, and there's a lot more of the school year to go. Stay well and thank you!”

  With gratitude,

  Mr. Wolf

  This classroom project was brought to life by #TeachHealthy with Nature Made and 7 other donors.