Past projects 4
Whiteboards for the Classroom
Funded Jan 19, 2021Thank you for gifting my classroom with whiteboards. In person, these larger boards allow images and words to be drawn bigger. Allowing all students who are currently social distant to see what I am teaching. Students are even able to write and share their thinking in a fun engaging way. Having larger whiteboards allows students to share a board and add on to their peer's ideas. This past week we began learning fractions. Having the ability to draw with different colors and erase and learn from out mistakes is important and it makes learning fun!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Crispino
Color Ink!
Funded Jan 21, 2020Technology is helping my students learn. With this color ink students are proud of their work displayed on the wall. Students are typing newspapers about Nigeria, and Blogging about China. They are creating stories with beautiful pictures as well. Students enjoy changing the color of their font to make words really pop! The color ink also helps my ELL students. I am able to print color pictures for vocabulary words or a topic of study and they are able to identify the meaning in their native language. We are so grateful for this new ink!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Crispino
3rd Grade Printer
Funded Nov 16, 2018Thank you so much for funding our project. The third grade students at our school will benefit greatly from having this new color printer. Having more technology in the classroom has opened the doors to being able to conduct many new projects and lessons in our day to day tasks. The third grade social studies curriculum takes the children on a tour around the world throughout the year. We travel to places such as China, Nigeria, Peru, and various parts of Europe. Having access to technology allows the children to conduct research projects. They are able to use numerous internet approved sites to gather information, take virtual tours of the landmarks in those places, listen to folktales, hear what their traditional music sounds like, and virtually spend the day with a child in those countries. Once the children have gathered their research, they then complete a culminating project. One such project is making an informational book about the country they traveled to highlighting its government, education system, and other aspects of culture. The children use a program called Book Creator to make their masterpiece. This program allows them to insert visuals and other text features we have learned about. Their end result is printed and because of your funding each child is able to have their very own book printed in color to share with their families. Now that we are able to print each child a colored copy of their book, they are going to share their informational text with the younger children in our school building giving them a glimpse into other places around the world.
In the past students have been very limited on being able to print in color and were only able to do this in the computer lab. Having very limited time in the lab there were many times it was up to the teacher to go to the lab to print, and the student seeing the hard copy of their hard work would be delayed. The students were often disappointed to do all their hard work only to have to wait. Now, having access to the printer directly in a third grade classroom is invaluable, children can now see their work immediately. In addition to the students benefiting from printing their work in color, the third grade teachers are able to print necessary pictures or illustrations for the students. For example, we motivate students with pictures or illustrations to get them ready for a reading by looking closely at the details within the picture. Having access to a color printer would allow students to get a clearer look at the picture as opposed to black and white.
Students today take technology in stride, but when it directly affects them, they take note, as in the printer arriving and being set up in the classroom. All the students were abuzz and wondering how and when they will be able to send items to the printer to view. General education, special education and children learning English all gravitate to seeing printed work in color. In fact, for our most recent English language learner was able use the printer to demonstrate her knowledge of an aspect of culture by printing color pictures and telling her story through these pictures. Ultimately, the addition or a color printer has benefited our students in various ways.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Crispino
This classroom project was brought to life by Staples.For the Love of Reading!
Funded Mar 27, 2018We requested and received three teaching tables and six rocking stools. The request was fulfilled thanks to the generosity of friends, and Ripple who satisfied everyone's request one magical day. The students were unaware of the request for a new table, but when each table arrived in each of our third grade classrooms, the students were very excited about this new furniture, wondering how they would be used. Each of us had a plan to use these tables for guided reading. The shape of the table lends itself for small group work with the teacher in the center moderating, or teaching at an arm's length. The stools are used with the table and as alternate seating in the class for those who want or need a change from a standard chair.
Although the intention to request this type of table was to be utilized as a guided reading table we have been able to do even more. This table allows six students to sit comfortably around looking right at the teacher, and if needed students can easily look to the the person next to them to turn and talk about a given topic. Having students gathered in a structured sitting arrangement with teacher at the center allows us to listen and react to students without much movement or distraction to their peers. With other groupings the desks have the teacher farther away and the teacher needs to move about or the student needs to speak loudly, disturbing classmates. When working with students during guided reading you motivate the students with a group conversation and then the students begin to read. As the students read, the teacher leans in to listen to a student read aloud. This shaped table allows for just that, an easy lean in without disturbing others. Also, we have realized the table is great for small group instruction in other areas as well.
Currently, the tables and stools are being used for small group instruction as well as our guided reading instruction. In additions a few students sit there when collaborating on writing and researching and share a laptop easily at the table. We are thrilled with the addition of this new furniture!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Crispino
This classroom project was brought to life by Ripple and 7 other donors.