Past projects 14
Lego Me Build!
Funded Mar 21, 2019My students and I hope you truly understand how thankful we are for the amazing gift of Legos that you gave us. Almost every single student who creates in my art studio has used them to express their creativity. The excitement Legos bring to the architecture station creates a storm of creativity, where even the most impatient of students dig determinedly through buckets of Legos, patiently trying to find the perfect piece for the automobile, or house or person they are building. They're sharing the resources, even when it is difficult and someone has a piece they really, REALLY need, and assist each other when time is running short. Entire cities are gleefully constructed, and then regretfully destroyed every class. And the next time they come, they build it bigger and better.
The legos have really helped some of my more reluctant students, those who have never seen themselves as artists, to participate in art. While nothing else this year has sparked their imagination, they have been building elaborate creations since the legos appeared. These students have struggled all year with finding what they enjoy in art, and seeing them engaged for entire classes repeatedly has been one of the greatest successes in my classroom this year.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lehman
Making Magic with Magnets
Funded Mar 19, 2019My students and I can't thank you enough for the Magnatiles. There were many loud, enthusiastic "woahs" and "awesomes" when the boxes arrived. Many students had not seen them before, and immediately set to work testing the possibilities and limits of the magnets. They built castles, Beyblade arenas, villages, towers, robots, characters--you name it, they built it. If something collapsed, they tried again, redesigning and learning from their mistakes, making their creations stronger.
The most amazing thing about the tiles was not the creativity that built all of those awesome things, but rather the collaboration and cooperation they inspired in my classroom. No other material or project has brought together so many different combinations of students that traditionally have not worked together or seen eye to eye on many things. To see students that may not usually get along suddenly working feverishly and peacefully together to build and create is a magical, beautiful thing to behold. Thank you again for making this possible in our classroom.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lehman
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 3 other donors.Biking to Learn
Funded Nov 20, 2015Thank you so much for funding our projects for peddlers. The students have really enjoyed having the ability to move to a desk and 'get their wiggles out.' It has really helped many of my students focus and complete their assignments.
These peddlers have also helped when my students are in upset and need a cool down time. Now I do not need to move them out of the classroom. They can stay in the classroom, move to a peddle desk and calm down.
Thank you again for your support of our classroom and your support of public education.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lehman
Technology Labs Need Love Too
Funded Dec 19, 2014Thank you so much for the headphones and the stools!!! The students are so appreciative. So many of them were getting poked in the ears with plastic off of our old headphones and were only able to hear out of one ear. Now they're listening in comfort and hearing in stereo! Considering the SBAC test (the new standardized test given on the computer) requires students to listen to a passage, it is important that our students can hear everything clearly. These new headphones allow them to do so, and help them perform better.
We also love our new stools. The stools are of such good quality that they will last us for many years to come. They'll be able to withstand Kindergarten through 5th grade without falling apart!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lehman
Radical Robots Creating Scientific Savvy
Funded Sep 15, 2014My students were so excited to receive the robots! I work in a school where tools like this are not readily available, and the students do not have access at home either. The fact that we were able to get two full kits, of the Mindstorm and the alternative energy kits, meant that every student got a chance to work hands on with the material, which was amazing.
Using the alternative energy kit, we used the Lego Mindstorm robot kits to explore alternative energy sources. This tied in perfectly with our Science unit on energy, and allowed us to build off of it and explore different sources of energy and the environmental impact different sources have on our planet.
These robot kits gave my students the chance to explore an important scientific concept in a hands-on way. For many students this is vital for them to be able to process what they are learning and make the knowledge their own. Exploring with the robots allowed them to put what we were studying in Science into a real world context, taking the ideas from the abstract to the concrete. Thank you again!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lehman
Creating a Space to Create Art, Part 2
Funded Sep 16, 2013Thank you so much for your generous donations to our project. Space is limited in our school is crowded, and there was no space we could dedicate to Art. Because of your generosity, we were able to transform our computer lab into a multipurpose space where we could teach both Art and Technology throughout the day. We began art classes with Kindergarten and 1st grade, and have now included all grades.
My students are flourishing as they learn about new techniques and artists. They've studied line directions and qualities, opacity, emphasis and contrast in compositions, 3-D art, jewelry making and contour drawing.
It has been amazing for all of my students, but especially for my students learning English as a second language. Giving them the ability to express themselves visually without the barriers of language has been so freeing for so many of them. The opportunity to express themselves visually without the frustration of language has opened doors for them. It has been amazing for students who struggle behaviorally, as it creates a new outlet for them to express themselves in a positive manner.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lehman
This classroom project was brought to life by an anonymous donor and 2 other donors.Creating a Space to Create Art
Funded Sep 4, 2013Thank you so much for your generous donations to our project. Space is limited in our school, and there was no space we could dedicate to Art. Because of your generosity, we were able to transform our computer lab into a multipurpose space where we could teach both Art and Technology throughout the day.
My students are flourishing as they learn about new techniques and artists. In just a few months they've studied line directions and qualities, opacity, emphasis and contrast in compositions, 3-D art, jewelry making and contour drawing.
It has been amazing for all of my students, but especially for my students learning English as a second language. The opportunity to express themselves visually without the frustration of language has opened doors for them. It has also been amazing for students who struggle behaviorally, as it creates a new outlet for them to express themselves in a positive manner. Thank you again!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lehman
Science Fair Spectacular!
Funded Jan 20, 2013Thank you so much for helping provide the materials for our very first Science Fair. There is a huge difference to a student when they are crafting and carrying out an experiment for the classroom and for others to see. You could see the care and effort they put into their projects once they knew they would have to speak with a judge and parents. Once they knew they would have an audience they couldn't wait to make their displays! Creating a display to share with parents and judges made the Science Fair an important part of their learning this year - you should have seen their excitement as they waited for the judges to come ask questions and the pride they showed when talking about and displaying their work. Our Science Fair was a resounding success, and we couldn't have done it without you providing the materials. Thanks again!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lehman
In Living Color
Funded Dec 10, 2012Thank you so much for your generous donations! Because of your help, I can now print out the self-portraits and books my students have created on the computer. My students are incredibly proud of these stories and they cannot wait to take them home to read to their families.
Teaching technology is a big part of helping our students become life-long, prepared scholars in this digital age. Oftentimes in elementary school it is hard for students to connect what they do on the computer with what is real to them. Printing their work out will make all the difference! Thank you again!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lehman
From Plants to Microworlds: Fun with Microscopes!
Funded Aug 29, 2012Thank you so much for your generous donations! Students in every grade I teach, K-5, are enamored with the microscopes! The first and second graders in Science Club begin every session with 15 minutes of observation using the microscopes. They've studied and compared water from different sources, bee wings, mystery substances and more!
Without your help, my students would not have had these valuable, durable scientific tools that they can use indoors and out. Soon we will be using them to travel to the local bog, make observations and collect data for our Science Fair projects. They are so excited! Thank you again!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lehman
This classroom project was brought to life by Kaplan Early Learning Company and 3 other donors.