Past projects 8
Artsy Supplies for Classroom Engagement
Funded Nov 21, 2023Thank you so much for your donation for these classroom materials. Students regularly used the art supplies for in-class projects and assignments. When studying Edgar Allen Poe, they drew a storyboard outlining the events of the TELL-TALE HEART. They divided paper into 8 boxes and drew symbols to represent the imagery used. When we needed to practice argumentative writing, students used the scissors to cut colored pieces of paper they had written on to glue together the proper format.
When they saw the resources arrive, they were instantly curious about all the boxes and their eyes went wide as they saw each box open with more and more colors and other art supplies. Most of them did not have any markers or colored pencils or scissors prior to these arriving, so they were excited to be able to color and participate fully in classroom art projects.
Thank you again for your generosity!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Wolting
Bookshelves for Bookish Students
Funded Sep 16, 2023Thank you so much for your donation for these bookshelves. We stacked the classroom library books on the shelves and throughout the school year students frequently visited them to find a new book to read through during our daily sustained silent reading time. One fun activity we did in class involved students randomly choosing a book from the shelf and using dice to determine a page number and sentence. They wrote that sentence down and worked with a partner to complete grammar practice.
When the students saw the bookshelves, they thought they were so cool-- I especially have received many compliments on the magazine rack that holds the comic books. Students sit on the bench to read and relax, and the topsy turvy design of the tall bookshelf attracts even students visiting the classroom.
Thank you again for your generosity and support!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Wolting
Reading for Fun Isn't Lame!
Funded Aug 15, 2023Thank you so much for your support of reading in the classroom. These bookshelves have helped keep our books accessible and organized so that students can easily find what they are looking for. The reading corner of the room draws a lot of attention and kids often choose this area to relax and read while they wait to be picked up at the end of the school day, or to work in groups during class.
The books that were purchased have been so popular I can hardly keep them on the shelves! As soon as a book is checked back in with me, another student almost immediately comes to me asking if he/she can check it out to bring home and read. While the graphic novels are always popular with middle school students, many of the short chapter books have been the most requested by students to borrow.
Students have been so much more engaged and excited about reading since our classroom has received these materials. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Wolting
This classroom project was brought to life by The SONIC Foundation and 2 other donors.Mucho Motivation
Funded Aug 9, 2022Thank you for these motivating materials for my students this year! The wheel of prizes became a fan favorite as we played various Kahoot games and kids competed for first place. The pens and other school supplies were added to the prize box in my room for students to win raffles for being kind, trying their best, helping others, or overcoming personal obstacles.
When my students saw all the materials in the prize box, their eyes went wide and they were so excited. Other students would stand up so they could look inside the box at all the unique pens and the students digging through the box had such a hard time choosing which prize they wanted.
When I set up the wheel of prizes the first time, the students couldn't keep their hands off it. They loved spinning it even if class was over and they weren't going to earn a prize. When it was time to win, they became even more excited and the whole class would fall silent as they watched the spinner and would cheer loudly for whatever prize it landed on.
These materials definitely helped motivate the kids to try their best, be kind, and help their peers. I can't wait to keep using them!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Wolting
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 4 other donors.Bop Bop Bop to the Top
Funded Aug 2, 2022Thank you for the Bop-Its for my students to use in the classroom. On days when I felt the class was losing steam or struggling to get to the next break, we would break out the bop its and do a tournament to help build community and excitement. The class would instantly transform as the competition started and some would even ask to use them when we had free time to see if they could get a higher score in the solo game. Their phones and Airpods miraculously disappeared as all their focus centered on the Bop-It and speedily following instructions.
When my students first saw the Bop-Its, about half of them hadn't heard of the game before-- which surprised me. But with its simple rules and design, they were able to quickly start playing. For some, they became obsessed as they honed their skill to listen and stay focused on the game. It definitely brought each of the classes together in a fun way that didn't feel like a learning experience.
I can't wait to continue to use these games to improve the class culture in my room and to engage students who are feeling disconnected from school and from their peers.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Wolting
Light It Up... So Our Shows Are on Fire!
Funded Jun 6, 2018I am overwhelmed by your generosity in supporting my students and classroom. My students have enjoyed using the new lighting materials to physically interact with the concept of light versus shadow. In a dark classroom, one might normally find some students distracted on their phones or falling asleep. In my dark classroom, my students are fully engaged with the new LED lights using student models to create a variety of atmospheres using lighting techniques.
When my students first saw the materials, they instantly became excited and their eyes widened. Last year, many of our lights were broken and they were all outdated incandescent lights which were dangerous to work with. Now, everyone is able to participate in a tangible learning experience with safe, modern, working lights.
Currently, we are planning to use the lights to create our first ever haunted house maze inside the theatre. The students will use the new lighting instruments to create creepy lighting effects to heighten the scary atmosphere. They are so excited!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Wolting
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Arts Funder and 4 other donors.Fighting for the Stage
Funded Nov 3, 2017Thank you so much for your generous donations. Because of you, my students learned proper safety techniques in stage combat and elevated their ability to create a dynamic performance. Each time a new combat move was demonstrated the students would wince and cry out in shock because of how believable it was. This excited them even more because they knew this was a skill they were about to learn so the audience would feel the same way they did. Every class began with a proper warm-up and then moved into a review of one specific move at a time. After a move was demonstrated, students were paired up and the move was broken down into smaller steps. First, the instructors ran through the move slowly. Then, as the students became more accustomed to it, they sped up until they were able to perform it at full speed. The workshop culminated in a group, choreographed scene from ROMEO AND JULIET. The performance was powerful and we walked away feeling inspired.
One obvious highlight for my students was their culminating ROMEO AND JULIET scene. They rehearsed on their own outside of class so they would already have their lines memorized when it came time to learn the fight choreography. When they performed it for the last time, they gave a rousing, passionate performance which helped to bond them all closer together.
Because of this workshop, my students have implemented fight choreography into a variety of scenes. Some of them have also mentioned an interest in learning even more about stage combat to add to their performance repertoire. My students now emphasize safety and are less reckless in rehearsal when trying more daring blocking, such as falling to the floor. Many of them expressed to me that this was a "once in a lifetime" experience they will never forget!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Wolting
A Graphic Retelling of a Tragic Love Affair
Funded May 31, 2017First, I have to thank you for providing these materials to my students. One of the skills I have been able to help develop in my students with these texts is literacy. Because I have a large population of English Language Learners in a continuation school setting, complicated texts such as "Romeo and Juliet" become impossible to teach effectively in a forty-five day period. The graphic novels provided include versions in the original text, plain text, and quick text. One lesson students have been able to enjoy involves a whole class analysis of a scene using detective work and their graphic novels. Students work together in small groups to pose in a tableau of a scene in the play. The rest of the class, also in small groups, analyzes the tableau and works together using their texts to find that moment in the play and describe to the class how they "solved" the mystery and found the scene. The students are fully engaged as they collaborate with peers and use the text to inform their analysis.
Reading in my classroom has been significantly impacted by these graphic novels. I am now able to group students and use class time more effectively to improve their literacy by grouping quick text students all together with me for a read-aloud. This allows them to practice reading and listening to English without skipping out on the content their peers are experiencing. Other days, I group students of varying levels together to read aloud so students can share their different text versions and benefit from the varying levels of complexity in the English language. Some days, I ask students to read a section independently and answer some guided questions as they read. This helps me to assess their reading skills as individuals without singling students out or giving them less complex texts to read.
My level one and two CELDT students (low-level English Language Learners), in particular, are enjoying these texts. These students are used to either: being extracted from the general education classroom for tutoring in English, or being confused while dealing with a text far too advanced for them. These students are thriving now that they are able to experience the same lessons and same text as their peers. They no longer feel embarrassed because they are no longer singled out. I have seen their self-esteem rise as they find they are able to understand such a complex story and actively participate in the classroom.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Wolting