Ms. Andrade's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 35

• Family/Immigrant Stories Told Through Still and Live Images

  Funded Dec 20, 2016

  With your generous donations of our newest Chromebook and Insta Cameras our classroom dynamic has changed dramatically. Not only is the addition of this new technology helping us complete our immigration project it has also opened our world to new learning opportunities. With the Chromebook we have been able to set up google classroom and every student now has their own account. With this account they are learning to use google docs, google maps, google drive and much more. I've noticed that with the introduction of google classroom students are more engaged and participatory in our learning community. What I love most is that I am learning with my student because together we are exploring all the learning resources available with the use of technology. With google docs students were able to transcribe their family interviews and will be using this same app to write their immigrant profiles. With google maps and google earth students were able to virtually travel to the place their family member's were born and will be able to utilize those images in their profiles. As a classroom community we are also learning how to utilize technology safely, responsibly and viewing it as a method of exploration and education not just for entertainment. We are truly grateful for these educational gifts.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Andrade

  This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and one other donor.

• Team Sports to Promote Health, Exercise and Sportsmanship!

  Funded Nov 15, 2016

  Thank you once again for your generous contribution to my classroom and students. When we received our soccer, football and basketball equipment the students were ecstatic and full of excitement. They were ready to head outside right away to make use of our new sports equipment. With all the mandates, curriculum needs and assessments it's easy to forget about the importance of a healthy life style and the importance of physical education.

  With our Marathon Kids program and the use of the this equipment I schedule weekly time to go outdoors and work on our health education. We stretch, run laps and learn the safe way to play these sports. With this equipment we have been able to limit the arguments over teams and space. We are also learning together the rules of these sports and how to play them safely. It has also brought about sportsmanship and student peer relationships are improving. They help each other learn and play. Now that we have a good amount of balls and so forth all students are participating in some type of activity and having fun. Students should still have fun!

  I have noticed that students are more enthusiastic and focused when we have time outdoors. They are able to get some son, burn off some of that extra energy and breathe some fresh oxygen. There are numerous studies that have determined that health and physical education are still key components in the success of the student. I intend to keep fostering this as long as I am teaching. Thanks to this latest funded project we have the proper materials to continue supporting the growth of well balanced students.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Andrade

  This classroom project was brought to life by DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation - Sports Matter and 6 other donors.

• Promoting Bilingualism Through Literacy in a Global World

  Funded Aug 22, 2016

  Dear Donors,

  First and foremost thank you again for your wonderful contributions and making this project possible. The books that were donated to my classroom are already being utilized in our classroom library, daily lessons, and many of them are in some of our students' personal reading bags. Quality bilingual text are difficult to come by and this project made it possible for my students to access quality chapter books in Spanish. At ASGE (my school) we implement Reading Workshop. Daily, I implement mini lessons and use the donated titles to show and instruct the reading strategy for the day. Students then read independently to implement and practice those skills and strategies.

  Students have their own books bags to use during their independent reading time. Now with these donated books my students have more titles to choose from and have more material to dive into. The Who Was or Who is series is very popular in English and now my students have those same choices for their Spanish reading time. During Reading Workshop my students are focused on their reading, immersed in their books, letting their imagination take off into the stories they read. Reading bags are filled with books students got to choose themselves to support their reading levels and personal interest.

  Reading is truly fundamental and without a hefty selection of books it's difficult to successfully implement a good reading program. Thanks to this project and your generous donations reading is definitely happening and students are enjoying every minute of it!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Andrade

• Making Writing Fun and Attainable

  Funded Apr 13, 2015

  Due to your generosity and support I was able to attend a week long writing institute offered by Teachers College at Columbia University. I participated in several workshops that outlined in detail how to implement the Writer's Workshop model of teaching writing. Lucy Calkins is one of the major proponents of this institute and model of teaching writing. This institute has been given for several years spearheaded by Calkins herself. From the facilitators to the wonderful key note speakers it was reiterated several times that we are to focus on the process of writing, validate the writer and not so much the writing piece. By validating the writer and focusing on the actual writing process students will become more motivated and actually see themselves as writers. Writing has been stigmatized as a difficult skill that only a few can do well. Through this model all students are taught that they are writers and that everyone has a story to tell. Everyone's story will be read, shared and validated through the workshop model. Through the mini lessons, the teaching component of workshop, I'll focus on one teaching point per lesson. This allows students to work on their craft and spend more time writing independently. There's so much more I could share but I'll keep it simple. I was truly inspired by this institute and can't wait to see my future students develop into strong writers. Again I thank each and every one of you for your generosity. I was lucky to be one of 1,200 hundred teachers from across the nation to participate in this writing institute.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Andrade

  This classroom project was brought to life by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 7 other donors.

• Let's Take Care of Our Environment!

  Funded Jan 1, 2015

  First and foremost I would like to start by once again thanking each and every person that donated to our classroom project, Let's Take Care of our Environment. Through this project students explored and researched different solutions that could help keep our environment balanced and healthy. As soon as we received our Apple MacBook Airs we continued with our research on possible solutions to waste, pollution, and water conservation.

  Students were very excited to start exploring on their classroom's new laptops. They started brainstorming different ideas that they could do at their school site, home, and own community to start taking care of the planet. I co-teach with a partner teacher and both classrooms are running a recycling program for the entire school. Students recycle during their breaks and learned about separating the recyclables by plastic, glass, and aluminum. Students run the program themselves and teachers take turns taking the recycle to the recycling center. Students have also researched different ideas of how to reuse and create less waste. Students have participated in creating art projects that they researched online with the use of the MacBook Airs. For example, they will be creating a Mother's Day vase using empty cans from canned food. They have also researched ways to conserve water and implement those strategies daily when using the classroom sink and school water fountains. When they recycle, students water our classroom plants with water left in the bottles they find. Many students have mentioned that they began conserving water by taking quicker showers and turning off the faucet when brushing their teeth at home. Students have taken full responsibility and are taking action by taking their learning to their homes and communities.

  Students are taking ownership of this project, have written about it, and have learned skills they can take with them through adulthood in efforts to continue taking care of the environment. It's a true joy to watch. Students are learning to be responsible with their technology and have learned to use the laptops correctly and safely. Consequently, students are practicing 21st century skills through the use of technology and learning about global issues that will affect their future. We thank you again for your support!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Andrade