Past projects 58
Active Body=Active Brain
Funded Oct 10, 2016Dear Sonic,
Thank you for funding our class project called Active Body=Active Brain. My second-grade students were excited to help me open the boxes and unroll the area rug as soon as they were delivered to our room. They absolutely love the new comfortable area rug that was added to our Reading Hut. This area of the room also showcases student work, our classroom library books and a couch. It has now become one of the most popular learning areas in our room.
The wobble stools and cushion have provided much needed alternative seating options for my students, especially for students who are hyperactive and need to move while working. By allowing kids to select seating options, I've noticed improvements in their learning and willingness to work harder. We placed the wobble stools around a table so students can work and move while learning independently or in collaborative learning groups. Many students like to carry the wobble stools to our U-shaped table so they can use them during small guided reading group instruction.
Since my students love the wobble stools so much, I decided to write another Donorschoose project to request more of these amazing seating options. I love the results I'm witnessing while providing alternative seating choices!
With your generous donation to funding our project, I'll be able to use these items for many years to come. I appreciate your support in improving education for my second grade students.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Webster
Perpetual Motion
Funded Oct 3, 2016Dear Sonic,
Thank you for funding our class project called Perpetual Motion. My second-grade students were excited to help me open the boxes and unroll the area rug as soon as they were delivered to our room. They absolutely LOVE the comfortable, plush shag rug to sit on during whole group instruction. The area rug has also become a popular spot to drop and read or work on activities in collaborative learning groups.
The wobble stool and cushion have provided much needed alternative seating options for my students, especially for students who are hyperactive and need to move while working. By allowing kids to select seating options, I've noticed improvements in their learning and willingness to work harder. They are able to move the wobble stool to a table or desk if needed. Many students take turns using the wobble cushion in their desk chair as well.
Since my students love the area rug, stool and cushion so much, I quickly created more Donorschoose projects to request more wobble stools and area rugs. I love the results I'm witnessing while providing alternative seating choices!
With your generous donation to funding our project, I'll be able to use these items for many years to come. I appreciate your support in improving education for my precious second graders.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Webster
Writing and Reading Island Station
Funded Mar 16, 2016My second-grade students were excited to help me open the gigantic box that was delivered to our room. The Writing and Reading Island Station has provided various ways to improve my instruction and teaching in our classroom, and I'm able to use it for multiple purposes. I create and display anchor charts to hang on the hooks, place quality student work samples on the board with magnets, and use the dry erase boards for modeling challenging concepts. I added baskets to the bottom of the station to organize my math, reading, spelling and writing charts & reading group materials.
Since the station has wheels, it is easy to roll to my reading and math group table to use for small group lessons, and students can use the opposite side at the same time. I not only use the station for instructional purposes, but the students have used it for various independent and small group reading, spelling, writing and math activities. They love practicing spelling with the old-fashioned magnetic letters as well.
With your generous donations to fund our Writing and Reading Island Station, I'll be able to use this station for many years to come. I appreciate your support to improve education for my second graders.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Webster
This classroom project was brought to life by #BestSchoolDay and 2 other donors.Magical Adventures Through Reading
Funded Jan 15, 2016My second-grade students were thrilled when I told them we received the funding to purchase multiple copies of books for our classroom library. Last month, we completed a Civil Rights Movement unit, and the kids used the books to buddy read. They were able to use the information learned to create a biography lap book and video about the influential leader. The math books have been read to introduce and motivate them when beginning a math unit. They enjoy reading these books after I read them aloud. With the social studies topic books, the students read them and wrote in reflection journals from the perspective of the person in the books.
With these books, I model reading during our whole group reading time and teach many different strategies to help kids learn ways to improve in their own reading. We then split up into small guided reading groups, which is when the students practice reading the purchased books according to their reading level. During this time, they are able to practice various strategies they learned with guidance and questioning from me. The kids also have independent reading time, which we call SURF (Sustained Uninterrupted Reading Fun). These books are available for students to read during this time, and they can relax in our Beach-themed Reading Hut to enjoy them.
With your generous donations to fund our Magical Adventures Through Reading, we were able to implement our reading projects with much needed copies of quality literature. I'll be able to use these books for many years to come. I appreciate your support to improve education for my second graders. ”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Webster
Let's Boogie to Learn!
Funded Dec 14, 2015My second-grade students were thrilled when I told them we received the grant to purchase twenty-two eWriter Boogie Boards and a digital camera. Many of the kids had never used an eWriter, so they were thrilled to finally try them out. So far, the kids have used the Boogie Boards to practice math problems, sort spelling words according to the spelling patterns of the week, brainstorm ideas, play spelling games and draw pictures to show equivalent fractions. I've also used the boards during small group math intervention and reading instruction. We are able to use the digital camera not only to capture what is written on the boards, but to also photograph student-made projects and presentations. Students have also been documenting the life cycle of a mealworm using the digital camera.
Anytime I tell our group leaders to pass out the Boogie Boards, you can hear the kids excitedly whisper, "YESSS!!!" I love having the eWriters instead of using the small dry erase boards or chalk boards. The Boogie Boards eliminate that horrible dry erase marker scent or dusty chalk powder which causes many kids to sneeze. Within thirty seconds, the table leaders have them distributed to their group members, and the kids are ready to learn.
Thank you for funding our Let's Boogie to Learn project! Creativity, imagination, problem solving and collaboration are key components to authentic learning in our classroom, and your generosity in funding our project supports our learning environment.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Webster
iPads Cultivating Kre-8-iv-eye-t
Funded Oct 19, 2015I would like to express my sincere gratitude for funding our classroom project called iPads Cultivating Kre-8-iv-eye-t. I appreciate Sonic-Limeades for Learning for your dedication to continuously improve schools by providing grants. The kids were thrilled to learn that our project was funded!
Since receiving the two iPads, I have used them to engage students in multiple opportunities to meet their various levels of learning. I have organized an iPad Island Station for kids to work on independent projects using a variety of apps such as Show Me, Telligami, Ticket to Read, iMovie, Mental Math, Math Problems and Spelling City, Chess, Q.R. Codes, and Weather Bug, You Tube Kids (just to name a few). Through using Air Server software, we are able to connect both iPads to our Activboard to play review games, present research simultaneously, and compare and contrast ideas side-by-side. Another favorite app I use is called Plickers. I create tests online and the students hold up answer cards. Using the iPad, I quickly scan their answers on the cards. I gain immediate feedback on the Activboard, and only I can see the answers students selected. I am able to know right away which students need additional instruction on a specific skill. Another app that has helped me improve instruction and motivate my students is called Morfo. I am able to take a picture of book characters with the iPad and use the Morfo App to animate the them. I then record voices for the characters to introduce a reading lesson to the students. The kids were amazed that the book characters talk and even personalize their message to them!
The kids love using the iPads to practice skills, challenge their thinking and create amazing projects. Now that I see how iPads can greatly improve student learning, I am planning to write more grants with a goal to have one iPad for every student by 2017. Thank you for providing the two iPads for our second-grade classroom. Creativity, imagination, problem solving and collaboration are key components to authentic learning in our classroom, and your generosity in funding our project support our learning environment. By providing the funding for the iPADs for our classroom, I am able to engage the students with creative lessons and activities so they will improve in all academic areas. They will gain confidence and develop much needed 21st century skills through technology integration.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
–Margaret Mead quote located at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Webster
Detective Q.R. Cody: Solving the World's Mysteries in 1 Scan
Funded Oct 7, 2015I would like to express my sincere gratitude for funding our classroom project called Detective Q.R. Cody: Solving the World's Mysteries in One Scan. I appreciate Sonic-Limeades for Learning for your dedication to continuously improve schools by providing grants, and I am grateful to David and our anonymous donor for contributing your personal money to fund our project. The kids were excited to learn that our project was funded!
Since receiving the two iPads, my intern and I have created many Detective Q.R. Cody (Q.R. Code) activities for the kids to use the Q.R. Scanner App on the iPad in a variety of ways. One of my teacher-created activities gave the students a chance to scan Q.R. Codes which led them to various websites to read or watch educational videos. They would read or listen for clues to questions about animal adaptations. Another way we incorporated Q.R. Codes was through interactive and self-checking math games and leveled reading activities. Our classroom theme is centered around the Magic Tree House book series and the main characters, Jack and Annie. These characters often "visit" our school to drop off a treasure box with clues to what we will study next. I created Q.R. Codes and attached them to the notes "written" by Jack and Annie. The students scanned these codes to reveal answers from these two characters.
I have organized an iPad Island Station for kids to work on independent projects using a variety of apps such as Show Me, Telligami, Ticket to Read, iMovie, Mental Math, Math Problems and Spelling City (just to name a few). Through using Air Server software, we are able to connect both iPads to our Activboard to play review games, present research simultaneously, and compare and contrast ideas side-by-side. Another favorite app I use is called Plickers. I create tests online and the students hold up answer cards. Using the iPad, I quickly scan their answers on the cards. I gain immediate feedback on the Activboard, and only I can see the answers students selected. I am able to know right away which students need additional instruction on a specific skill. Another app that has helped me improve instruction and motivate my students is called Morfo. I am able to take a picture of book characters with the iPad and use the Morfo App to animate the them. I then record voices for the characters to introduce a reading lesson to the students. The kids were amazed that the book characters talk and even personalize their message to them!
The kids love using the iPads to practice skills, challenge their thinking and create amazing projects. Now that I see how iPads can greatly improve student learning, I am planning to write more grants with a goal to have one iPad for every student by 2017. Thank you for providing the two iPads for our second-grade classroom. Creativity, imagination, problem solving and collaboration are key components to authentic learning in our classroom, and your generosity in funding our project support our learning environment. By providing the funding for the iPADs for our classroom, I am able to engage the students with creative lessons and activities so they will improve in all academic areas. They will gain confidence and develop much needed 21st century skills through technology integration.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
–Margaret Mead quote located at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Webster
iPAD Island: An "Appy" Place for Kids to Visit
Funded Oct 4, 2014My second-grade students were thrilled when I told them I received the U.S. Cellular-Calling All Teachers Grant 2014 for two classroom iPads. Since receiving the iPads, I have researched hundreds of educational apps for the students to use to enhance their learning, challenge their thinking, and meet all of the learning levels of students in my classroom. Last month, I attended a workshop to learn innovative ways to integrate iPads with our required curriculum.
Through using Air Server software, we are able to connect both iPads to our Active-board to play review games, present research simultaneously, and compare and contrast stories side-by-side. One of my favorite assessment apps is called Plickers. I can create tests online and the students hold up answer cards. Using the iPad, I quickly scan their answers. I have immediate feedback on the Active-board, and only I can see the answers students selected. I am able to know right away which students need additional instruction on a specific skill. Another app that has helped me improve instruction and motivate my students is called Morfo. I was able to take a picture of book characters from our story with the iPad and use this app to animate the characters. I then recorded voices for the characters to introduce a reading lesson. The kids were amazed that the book characters could talk and even personalize their message to them! Students have enjoyed creating books using various apps and photos. They love reviewing math skills at their level and watching short educational videos to supplement their learning. In the next few weeks, I'll teach them how to create videos, take photos and use their pictures to create books and even have Face time with our pen pals in South Carolina. I plan to continue learning creative ways to use our iPads to improve learning & instruction and motivate students.
The kids love using the iPad to practice skills, challenge their thinking and create amazing projects. Now that I see how iPads can greatly improve student learning, I am planning to write more grants with a goal to have one iPad for every student. Thank you for providing the two iPads for our second-grade classroom. Creativity, imagination, problem solving and collaboration are key components to authentic learning in our classroom, and your generosity in funding our project supports our learning environment.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Webster