Past projects 9
No One Left Behind: Class and Virtual Lessons
Funded Dec 2, 2020First of all I want to thank you for donating to my project. My students are using the iPad to connect and interact with my lessons. I use the app Microsoft Teams to connect with my students. I use Google Slides to present my lessons that I share with them. My students listen and respond to my questions, then they interact during the guided lesson and independent activities using the app Peardeck.
My students always get excited when it's their turn to use the iPad to perform the interactive activities in Peardeck. After a long lesson, they are ready to draw and write with the iPad. Even just selecting answers from multiple choice questions gets them excited. The iPad definitely brings them joy in doing the most minimal activities.
There is no particular student that gets more excited to use the iPad. One can always see a spark of joy in their eyes when I mention it's time for iPad activities. And although not all of them can use the iPad at the same time, the students who need it always get a chance. I do, however, try to give them all a chance at least once a week. It always lightens up their day, so thank you again for your contribution.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Gracia
This classroom project was brought to life by FamilyAlbum and one other donor.Amazing Lessons, Amazing iPad
Funded May 7, 2020I can not find the words to express your generosity. Thank you for what you do, and for helping my class to overcome some of the difficulties that we are facing during this pandemic.
I often use the iPad and Magic keyboard to deliver my virtual classes, using the Microsoft TEAMS application. I was able to provide awesome lessons using the TEAMS app and the Notability app at the same time. The Notability app allowed me to make annotations and explain lessons using pages in PDF.
It was exciting for my students to observe me implementing lessons just almost like we were in our classroom. Most of my students were engaged and ready to learn.
However, right now I am just using my iPad Pro and the Magic keyboard to create Google Slide presentations. Instead this school year, I've decided to use my school laptop to provide my virtual lessons because I am using the Peardeck application where the students can give me feedback and share their ideas, which it's an application not available for the iPad. Another inconvenience is that the iPad limits the use of sound from videos and read aloud books.
Even with these inconveniences, the benefits of the iPad and keyboard have been obvious, and they both play a part in virtual learning for my whole class.
Thank you again.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Gracia
This classroom project was brought to life by The PwC Charitable Foundation.Printing From Every Device
Funded Nov 28, 2018I really appreciate your generosity to get the Brother copy machine. My students do not know the troubles I had everyday to provide them with the daily resources I need for my classroom, such as long lines to get copies or going back to my classroom with no worksheets on hand because the sound of the school bell abruptly ended the waiting in line. This is why I am particularly excited about this project. Now I am avoiding the long lines to get the copies I need everyday for my students.
So thank you again for being so kind and helpful by getting my project fully funded.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Gracia
This classroom project was brought to life by Verizon and 2 other donors.A Surface Laptop for Kindergarten
Funded Oct 10, 2018We really appreciate your thoughtful contribution to our project. Now, thanks to your generosity I am now able to input, analyze and make data driven decisions using the Surface laptop. I actually can show my students their progress when I print the results and project them to a big screen. We analyze the data and show them what we can do to improve.
However the most exciting time for them is when I allow them to use the laptop to learn concepts for different subjects, such as Reading, Math, and Science, using the website BrainPop Jr or Reading A-Z. They are always excited and happy.
I have two students who have really poor attention span when I teach them in a whole group setting, but when they use the laptop they're able to really concentrate. The use of the laptop have help them to better grasp the name and sounds of the alphabet.
So, thank you again. This donation has been amazing for my class.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Gracia
This classroom project was brought to life by Chevron Fuel Your School.Hurricane Harvey's Aftermath
Funded Jan 17, 2018My students have been playing soccer, kickball, jumping rope, and dancing almost every school day during our recess time. They are having a lot of fun because they can choose the game they like the most. When the weather does not allow us to play outside then we use our iPad Pro and our speaker to play music and dance using the website GoNoodle. We do it inside our classroom or under any space with a roof.
The most exciting part is that my students can choose the sport or game they like the most. They are always anxious and enthusiastic to go and play the game of their choose.
I have a student who only likes to play soccer and he is really good playing this sport. I already talked to his parents and told them that it will be really good for him if they register him in a soccer team outside of our school. Probably one day he will be a professional soccer player.
Most of it my students are forgetting all the anxiety caused by the hurricane Harvey and I am really happy for them.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Gracia
This classroom project was brought to life by The Rebuild Texas Fund and one other donor.Learning Is in the Air
Funded Oct 2, 2017Thank you for the new and beautiful Apple MacBook Air laptop. It is helping my students to improve their fluency and comprehension in Reading and to understand Mathematics concepts. My Kindergarten students are using software such as MyOn, Tumblebooks, and Starfall for Reading and Dreambox for Mathematics. They are always really excited when it is they turn to use the computer.
My students have a different look when they know they are going to use the shiny new MacBook Air. Sometimes I have to tell them that they need to calm down because they get too excited and the environment turns noisy that even some of them yell.
I have been using the computer with a student who has not been able to learn the alphabet. I have been using different approaches such as magnetic plastic letters, foam letters with alphabet puzzles but nothing has worked. Lately, I have been using the MacBook Air with the software Starfall to motivate him to concentrate but it has been impossible. I will continue looking for new programs that could make him more interested and finally able to learn the name and sounds of the alphabet.
Thank you again for your generosity.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Gracia
The Tablet Revolution
Funded Oct 6, 2015I am writing this letter to express my deepest thanks for your generous contribution towards my classroom project "The Tablet Revolution".
My students use the tablets mainly with the software myON where they get excited about Reading. There are tons of books that make the students thrilled about reading them. Many enjoy reading about dinosaurs, others about scary books, some about fairy tales and everyone easily find what they like. The pleasure for reading has increased. They have much better fluency and comprehension. Students who were not able to read before now can and the best thing is that now they have a delight for reading. They also use the interactive Math software DreamBox Learning that they enjoy and where they learn different Math objectives.
If it is about technology, my students are always excited. Now that they know they can read the books they like and want, they are desperately waiting to go to the workstations to use the tablets and read their favorite books. They are always asking me if it is time to go to workstations. When time does not allow us to use these tablets most of them get sad and disappointed.
All of them have warmed to learning using the tablets and it has helped most of the students who were reluctant to read and were not interested in our limited selection of paper books. Like I said before, now they are anxiously waiting to use our new technology.
I thank you once again for the support we have received from you.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Gracia
Sparkling Tech Students!
Funded Oct 3, 2014My students were surprised and amazed when they saw the different tablets that we got. They were clapping, jumping and singing.They were truly delighted.
I am using the tablets in two different workstations mainly with reading. I have 12 workstations and no more than 2 students in each, with rotations every 20 minutes. The apps that I previously installed in the tablets are Read Me Stories and Istation for Reading, and Dreambox for Math. I also use the surface tablet to write lesson plans, post grades for my students, check e-mail, input and analyze data, between others.
The results have been outstanding. My students that were struggling to learn to read are now able to do it, and all my other students have increased their fluency and comprehension. These apps keep individual tracks of each student, and provide them with a lot of practice if they have problems to master any concept. The animations of the software keep my students motivated, and they are always eager to learn mainly with these tablets. Your generous support has made this project possible, and my students are now sparkling and enjoying the benefits.
Thank you again for your support!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Gracia
Achieving High With Apps!
Funded Oct 25, 2013I want to thank you for all you did for my students. My students and I were excited about the Chromebook and the iPad since the first time we got them. They said that the iPad and Chromebook have helped them to grab the concept of letter names and sounds, read with fluency and improve their comprehension. In addition, the students indicate that the activities are engaging, fun, and entertaining. My students told me that the book stories they have read are appealing, interesting and motivate them to read.
My students use the Chromebook and the iPad during Reading and Math workstations. Everyone has the opportunity to use the resources because my students rotate every 15 minutes from one station to the other. They use the Chromebook and iPad mainly with Read Me Stories, IStory Time, Starfall and Istation for Reading; for Mathematics they use the Dreambox app. My students are always excited when they notice that it will be the time for them to use these resources in the workstation.
This technology has helped my students to improve their reading fluency and comprehension. I had two students who were struggling to learn to read and I think that the IStation and the Read Me Stories applications boosted this ability and now they are able to read. My students and I are very excited to know that when we choose the right software, then technology can really accelerate their learning. Actually, right now all my students know how to read and have passed the High Frequency Word assessment that is required to pass first grade. I am happy with the results and I just want to thank you for all you did to help me to get this project funded. Thank you again.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Gracia