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Mr. Distel's Classroom

  • Goethe Elementary School
  • Chicago, IL
  • Half of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

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show projects from all time

Past projects 5

  • Mics and Cables for Student Voices

    Funded Aug 25, 2023

    Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

    The microphones have been a huge help in many different settings—from live sound to student projects in music class.

    The USB mics were used with great success in our middle school peer interview project! More mics meant smaller group sizes and more hands on experience with this new technology. The interview project was a big hit at the end of this quarter and I can't wait to introduce it to a new group of students in the spring!

    The SHURE microphones and cables have been used in every assembly and community event we've had this year! From an outdoor movie party to our winter assemblies, these mics have been a great addition to our school and the music program!”

    With gratitude,

    Mr. Distel

    This classroom project was brought to life by United Airlines and 8 other donors.
  • Barred Instrument and Folk Dance Resources!

    Funded Mar 20, 2023

    Thank you so much for contributing to the fundraiser for folk dance resources and barred instruments in my classroom! So far this year, I've been able to teach new songs and dances thanks to these new books.

    The Orff resource book, Music for Children, has been a big part of my curriculum this fall and winter. We have learned new songs and arrangements by Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman. The book on folk dance, Teaching Movement and Dance, is necessary reading for most elementary general music teachers and I have found it to be incredibly helpful in teaching not just the folk dances in the book, but the ones I have taught for the past few years.

    Thank you again for your contribution!! Your support means so much to me, the students and our wonderful school!!!”

    With gratitude,

    Mr. Distel

  • Kids Don’t Like to Sit On Top of Each Other

    Funded Aug 22, 2022

    Thank you so much for contributing to the fundraiser for carpet squares in my classroom! I've been able to have kids spread out in the room much easier since I received these. It has aided in having designated spots for kids to play instruments--especially when we need to spread out to play our xylophones and percussion instruments.

    These carpet squares have also made some fun follow the leader games for my kindergarten classes. The kids will jump from carpet square to carpet square as we sing a song and follow each other around the room.

    Thank you again for your contribution!! Your support means so much to me, the students and our wonderful school!!!”

    With gratitude,

    Mr. Distel

    This classroom project was brought to life by The Tullman Family and 6 other donors.
  • Sharing Is Caring (but More Drums Are Really Awesome!)

    Funded May 4, 2022

    I can't begin to tell you how wonderful these drums have been for our music classroom, but let me say that these drums really get kids moving! They love playing them, marching to the beat and exploring the different sounds they can get out of these awesome instruments! The drums we got through this fundraiser added to the drums we got earlier in the year and it enabled more kids to play together and experience the joy of drumming as a group. This year, I'll be doing several units where these tubanos are the primary instruments including lessons on steady beat, reading rhythmic notation and movement exploration. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help in making this project come to fruition!”

    With gratitude,

    Mr. Distel

    This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Drive-In and 9 other donors.
  • Awesome Drums Make for an Awesome Music Room

    Funded Sep 23, 2021

    I am writing to give you a short update on the project you helped to fund for the music room at Goethe Elementary. After many supply chain delays, we finally received our brand new Remo tubano drums at the end of February. There was a change that had to be made as the drums we had planned on purchasing were no longer available. The plus side of this is that we now have two of the best drums in the Remo line of tubanos!! These drums have transformed our music classes!!

    Our older students are practicing drumming techniques and patterns that are used in musical styles from all over the world. Our younger students LOVE seeing and playing a drum that is almost as big as they are! They really sound amazing from the very first time they are played and it gives each kid a sense of accomplishment as they are creating music with and for their classmates.

    In 4th and 5th grade classes, we are currently using the drums for a unit on the music of Zimbabwe and South Africa. The drums are decorated with a kente cloth design, so I can even reference the drumming history of Ghana into the unit!

    In Kindergarten and 1st grade classes, these drums are used to reinforce keeping a steady beat as we do movement activities and songs.

    These drums have been so wonderful, my next goal is to raise funds to purchase 4 more of these drums in the two remaining sizes (12" and 14") to complete our set. Thank you so much for your support of the music program at our school! You have helped make a difference in their musical experience!”

    With gratitude,

    Mr. Distel

    This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 13 other donors.
I teach at an AMAZING school filled with dedicated teachers who really give their all to classrooms of students who are highly motivated to learn! I have been trying to amass high quality instruments that sound great, but can also stand up to rigorous use in the classroom. Any donation will help toward buying musical instruments and materials for these young musicians. Our students expect the best from us, so I want to provide them with the best instruments to create high quality musical sounds! Thank you for your support!!!

About my class

I teach at an AMAZING school filled with dedicated teachers who really give their all to classrooms of students who are highly motivated to learn! I have been trying to amass high quality instruments that sound great, but can also stand up to rigorous use in the classroom. Any donation will help toward buying musical instruments and materials for these young musicians. Our students expect the best from us, so I want to provide them with the best instruments to create high quality musical sounds! Thank you for your support!!!

About my class

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