Past projects 6
Designing With 3d Pens!
Funded Nov 19, 2022These engaging pens have helped us put our math skills to fun use! Kids are building 3-D structures using area and a perimeter as a foundation to start conversations about shapes! The more we use the pens the more we find ways to incorporate other math skills!
When the classroom kit arrived, the kids were beyond eager to get started! At first we started with just getting to know the pens and how to care for them. As we did, the kids kept coming up with fun shapes including 3-D. Based on those experiences, we jumped to incorporating area and perimeter. This led to student's ability to comprehend parallel and more surprisingly shapes in a more complex way. The difference between drawing and creating shapes has opened my eyes as a teacher in how conceptually I have been with teaching shapes rather than concrete. Having to make a shape with a certain number of sides certainly helps students grasp the deeper conceptual understanding of shapes.
Now the students are looking forward to creating things to sell at our student store! The kids and I are so very thankful for this opportunity to learn in a new way! Thank you for funding this fantastic tool that has helped so many kids learn and use math in a concrete way!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Williamson
Force and Motion!
Funded Dec 1, 2021While I apologize for such a late acknowledgement and appreciation for your donation, I am beyond amazed at the learning and fun my students experienced this year. My students and I are forever grateful for the most engaging learning experiences we have shared!
While it took some time for them to learn to master the controls of drones, students quickly adapted their understanding of lift, pull, thrust and air pressure! They started in the classroom and then moved outdoors where unexpected forces and a need to know the daily windspeed swept through their conversations. The kids experimented with adding a tail to some drones and quickly understood the importance of weight and weight distribution and drag. They certainly learned the nature of balancing forces!
For Dash and Dot, the kids were quickly adapted to new and unexpected leaders in the class as the needed for coding language. The kids immediately started practicing their STEM skills and learned the value of notetaking in order to improve their coding and operation of Dash and Dot.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Williamson
This classroom project was brought to life by Infosys Foundation USA and 5 other donors.Constructing Math!
Funded Jul 23, 2021After a week of delightful play with the math manipulatives, the kids are off and developing their math skills with ease! Every child has has been given a set of math manipulatives, such as cubes, legos, lego boards, and a variety of pattern blocks.
Every day, we start with a math problem and they choose their tools for use to support themselves as they develop new math concepts. Every child was able to choose their favorite colors. Each day, they demonstrate great care in keeping them safe and cared for as they pull them out to use every time they are in need. As we learn multiplication and division, they are using these tools in a concrete way. They are already making huge strides in the understanding of these concepts and faster than other years of third grade students.
Our class says, "Thank you for our math tools! I wouldn't understand multiplication and division without them." As a teacher, I am thrilled to see the students so competent in their knowledge of math especially after a year of online learning without these tools. They make a difference!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Williamson
This classroom project was brought to life by T-Mobile.Fine Motor Fun for STEM!
Funded Aug 13, 2021So many students are already benefitting from my ability to meet their fine motor needs from the start of school! They have expressed relief, appreciation, and already made improvements in their printing!
As I completed writing assessments with the students I was quickly able to assess who needed what supports. The gel pens have created ease and comfort with several students who expressed sensory frustrations with pencils early on. Their writing capabilities have increased their fluency with writing. For students whose printing was labored and fingers were easily tired, they were given putty. They used the putties to strengthen their fine motor muscles and already they and their parents have expressed fascination with how their penmanship has improved.
My students' needs have been met and they are thrilled. They said to say, "Thank you so much for helping me."”
With gratitude,
Ms. Williamson
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 2 other donors.Art and Music for the Senses!
Funded Jul 23, 2021Sheer delight and awe was seen on each of my student's face when they saw the abundant opportunities for art! The most common phrase was, "You mean we get to use THESE brushes...for painting?"
My students are diving deep into art and specifically into watercolors! As they study Kandinsky and Calder they are developing their art vocabulary as well as their best artistic selves. Using the paint brushes they have been able to add details as they were unable to before. They have been able to mix colors on their paint pallets and not have to share brushes!
The X-axto knives and cutting mats have been introduced! These amazing third graders are slowly developing their competence in safely using the knife for detail cutting and design work with paper for building and creating dioramas.
We truly have a maker space in our room thanks to your donation! The kids and I look forward to using more of the tools and resources that your generosity has provided!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Williamson
This classroom project was brought to life by T-Mobile.Strengthening PBL & Spatial Awareness through Art!
Funded Dec 19, 2014This valuable opportunity to provide art materials (biographies, brushes, pastels, etc...) and blocks to build three dimensional shapes has been so appreciated and helpful! The artist biography studies have been incredible successful! Not only have the artists studies built and created relationships between my 2nd graders and kindergarteners, but it also built leadership skills. My students were able to share their knowledge of an artist, and the artist's artistic style and medium. Furthermore, many parents contacted me about how they were able to share a fondness for a favorite artist with their child! That was very unexpected!
Here are some quotes from students about the art resources we have received! "Now that I have learned to use the tools, I have gotten a lot better at doing art." "At the beginning of the year, I was a really bad drawer, but now I draw really good!" "The paint brushes and pastels were perfect size and now I know how to use them to make different kinds of lines." I can make 3D things better than I used to." "My three dimensional artwork has improved." The most important of these is from a student whose printing has improved tremendously. He says, "I can write better now that I know how to look at lines better. When I take my time I pay attention to the line shapes that I see my writing looks good." This student has a very difficult time writing, but now when he pays careful attention to line shapes and how to recreate them, their writing has improved. This was the main reason for this grant.
Having the gift of sight, or a strategy for seeing lines, colors, and shapes makes all the difference in a child's ability to be successful with various math concepts, art, and writing. I can't tell you how thankful I am for these materials. The students art has improved many of their skills. On behalf of my students, "We are thankful! We think your donation was awesome!"”
With gratitude,
Ms. Williamson