Past projects 147
All A-Board! Science Fair Presenters Need Boards!
Funded Feb 9, 2018It happened again. In the last few weeks, I felt like a man on a tightrope, navigating 25 different research questions with 75 students. At every turn, I was being asked questions - what kind of graph to I put here? How do I write my conclusion? What's error again? To be honest, I was nervous that we weren't going to pull off our science fair as planned. Just 4 days before, only 3 groups had begin their posters. Then, as if a light went off, 2 days before the science fair, kids were taking boards and doing their best to organize their sections of the scientific method. I had students after school, in the early morning, and at lunch up until the last minute, all using the canvas you so generously provided for us. I've said it before and I maintain it, the tri-fold poster board has some kind of magical influence that makes students step up and talk about their work. I'm grateful for your donation, and my students were as well. They were grateful because it gave them a place to organize the complexities of their thinking, and a tool to help them communicate and be proud of their hard work. Thank you for making science happen!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wolf
This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Drive-In.Organ System Fashion Designers Part II - An Electronic Upgrade
Funded Nov 2, 2017This past month, students have been learning about their bodies, how they respond to changes like exercise and their environment, and the diseases that can affect us. To supplement their research on the respiratory and circulatory systems, they used t-shirts and circuitry you donated to create informative works of art. Researching different aspects of diseases such as hypertension, asthma, and emphysema, they then worked collaboratively to create clothing that was both beautiful and informative. They added electronics that blink, shine, and react to touch, deepening their understanding of a basic, essential technology. They struggled with building circuits at first, but soon learned how persistence can pay off when the lights turned on! These clothes were the centerpieces of presentations they did in multiple languages to students and staff throughout school during the day and families at our spring parent night. While learning about science, they were creating fashion, art, electronics, and scientific teaching tools. Thank you for providing the tools to make this possible!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wolf
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Donor and 2 other donors.Organ System Fashion Designers - Part I
Funded Nov 2, 2017This past month, students have been learning about their bodies, how they respond to changes like exercise and their environment, and the diseases that can affect us. To supplement their research on the respiratory and circulatory systems, they used the t-shirts and other supplies you donated to create informative works of art. Researching different aspects of diseases such as hypertension, asthma, and emphysema, they then worked collaboratively to create clothing that was both beautiful and informative. These were the centerpieces of presentations they did in multiple languages to students and staff throughout school during the day and families at our spring parent night. While learning about science, they were creating fashion, art, and scientific teaching tools. Thank you for providing the tools to make this possible!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wolf
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Donor and 3 other donors.Binoculars For Birding The Concrete Jungle
Funded Dec 31, 2017Walking outside with a class of students to view birds will never be the same. Your donation, along with other Donorschoose projects and a grant from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, helped us get a complete class set of binoculars. Before, there was haggling and some hurt feelings among students who didn't get to be the spotters and hold binocs during our outings. Moving them from one student to the next meant lots of lost opportunities to spot the birds zooming by, or flitting just a little too fast for everyone to get a look. No longer. You've helped all of my students feel they have the tool they need to see farther. Thank you.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wolf
One Laptop, Many Portfolios
Funded Mar 27, 2018This week my students had a great surprise when we opened our laptop cart. There were 5 new Chromebooks to supplement those we already had! Almost everyone was able to get their work done on a fast, reliable computer, and it was all thanks to you. This is the kind of impact that will happen every time we open up the cart for checking up on grades, Internet research, and portfolio writing. These laptops will be in service for several years to come, impacting more and more students every year they are used. Your donation made a huge splash across the country, but I want you to know how meaningful it is for me and my students that its impact will continue to be felt in my classroom. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wolf
This classroom project was brought to life by Ripple and one other donor.A Camera Is Worth A Thousand Birds.
Funded Aug 22, 2017Thank you for making today possible. This morning and this afternoon, your cameras came outside as part of our attempt to survey the birds of our neighborhood. Birds often move fast, and memories of details can fade just as quickly. As you can see from the photos of students using the camera, they were doing precisely what I had hoped, and were discussing with one another about their photos of the birds they were observing. These were conversations just as professional scientists or birders would have: "what color was that bird?" " Is the beak thick or thin?" "I didn't notice that it had yellow on the wings." The student-taken photos of the Red-Tailed Hawk and Rock Pigeons you see, as well as many others, were the nucleus of these conversations, and will continue to be as students learn how to identify and catalog the species of birds that live alongside them in their neighborhood. Thank you for putting this essential tool into the hands of curious young scientists. The cameras have made an immediate difference in our activities, and I am positive they will continue to do so in the days, weeks, and months ahead.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wolf
This classroom project was brought to life by Sergey Brin Family Foundation and 2 other donors.Snack Time!
Funded Sep 30, 2017After school activities and Thursday morning mentoring began this week. As if on cue, as the first clubs were getting together on Tuesday, box after box of snacks arrived in our office. The students were flabbergasted at your generosity. It's such an easy sell to get students in early and to keep students around at the end of the day to continue their learning when there's something to munch on. It's so important that students are around for this less structured time - it is a chance for us to really deepen our relationships with them and deepen the learning that happens during the day. This donation helped us overcome a big obstacle and brought us closer to our goals. You've set us up for a great year with your generosity, and are truly blessed to have you in our corner. Thank you.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wolf
Binoculars To See A More Beautiful City.
Funded Sep 4, 2017As you can see from the photos, students couldn't wait to get their hands on these new binoculars. As a birder, I cherish the ability to bring a distant bird up close. My students quickly realized the same thing during our first trips out to bird in the neighborhood this week. Having this tool available for even a few students to use was transformative, both for them and for my teaching. I'm looking forward now to the possibilities for exploring their scientific questions about birds by walking out the door and literally putting binoculars up to their eyes to see the answers. Now that they've gotten a taste for looking for birds, next week we'll be using the books and cards to become familiar with the species they'll see outside. You've opened a new world of possibilities for us with this donation. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wolf
This classroom project was brought to life by Tom's of Maine and 6 other donors.Chromebooks Are A Modern-Day Swiss Army Knife
Funded Aug 1, 2017Thank you for your incredible generosity. The new laptops arrived, were prepped for students, and are now being used almost daily. The last several years, it was a struggle to get enough working computers for each child to use one. When they are writing lab reports, editing one another's work, or doing Internet research, it's a real headache for students to have to stop what they are doing so they can share the computer with another student who has been sitting idle. Compounding the problem of a small number of computers, every year a few more laptops meet the end of their usable life.
With this donation of chromebooks, we are a step closer to every student having a laptop available to them. Thank you for bringing us closer to equity, when each student has access to the technology they need, when they need it. This school year is shaping up to be a great one, in no small part thanks to you.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wolf
A Welcome Way to Say Welcome
Funded Aug 2, 2017The start of the school year has come and gone, and now students are getting into the routines of the year. The first day this year felt extra special, because I was able to give every student a pencil bag full of supplies they will need. Some students come in with very little, and have trouble gathering the necessary supplies. This time around, everyone was ready work from the start. Now, several weeks in, I continue to see lasting evidence of the impact of your donation. Every student has their pencil bag with them at their table, and is ready to go at the start of class. You've made a real difference in the tenor of the classroom and how my new students perceive our school. They see the teachers and the school as allies, ready to provide the tools for success. This is a positive attitude that goes far beyond having a pencil - it opens students up to learning. Thank you.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Wolf