Past projects 22
A Nightmare to Remember
Funded Sep 29, 2022On Halloween, the students were in the classroom with my co-teachers when I walked in with boxes, including 2 dozen donuts. I opened the boxes and started asking students what size shirt they were and as soon as I gave them the shirt, they took off their coats and hoodies and put on the shirts. Sally's jars were already under the Smartboard, and the one teacher reviewed the characters in the movie using a handout, which was in English and Spanish.
We took the students outside to the backdrop to take a few pictures and when we returned, we put the movie on and let the students finish eating the doughnuts.
Our class was the only one in the whole school that did something to share in the experience of Halloween, and this was all because of your generous donation.
Thank you for truly making this a Nightmare to Remember!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Jackson
This classroom project was brought to life by An Anonymous Classroom Supporter and one other donor.Can You Air Me Now?
Funded Jul 23, 2021Trying to navigate blended learning when in a classroom is difficult when you are trying to hear the video, conversation, or collaborating online with other people talking in the room. Being able to close off the noise so students can focus on what they are doing means learning becomes meaningful since they can now actually engage in the task instead of asking others to lower their voice, or to go to another room where it's quieter. For students learning from home, this also means closing off the noise of other family members learning, talking, children who may be crying or playing. Students were excited when the realized they can now close off the white noise and focus.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Jackson
This classroom project was brought to life by Emerson Collective and 4 other donors.Tap, Tap, Tap Go the Keys!
Funded Jun 9, 2021Sixty percent of our students are English Language Learners (ENL) students, and some have had interrupted education, and some come from places where they did not have access to technology. Trying to do hybrid learning (in person and online) proved difficult as not only did they have to learn how to use the tablet, but had to figure out how to juggle tabs while using a digital keyboard. Our students floundered and struggled. Thanks to you, our students have wireless keyboards that provide the tactile mode of learning so the students only have to think about accessing the work and not how to navigate work and keyboard!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Jackson
This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Drive-In and 2 other donors.Keying for Success
Funded Dec 1, 2020Many of our students have been struggling with using tablets as we do not have laptops to loan out. Wireless keyboards turn the tablets into laptops and make accessing multiple platforms and tabs much easier. In addition, students are able to flow from one page to another seamlessly and can keep track of their work. There are also advantages with keyboards such at being able to copy and paste with ease versus having to highlight with one's finger on the tablet. Students can focus on completing and interacting with their work instead of how to navigate the tablet; this means students can focus on the content and learning instead of having to figure out how to work the table.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Jackson
This classroom project was brought to life by FamilyAlbum and 4 other donors.Audio Aboard!
Funded Oct 23, 2020Thank you so much for providing a space for our students to engage in their learning! The headphones allow the student to actively engage in the class with both other students in the classroom and students who are learning remotely. During this time our students have been hit especially hard and many are in living situations where silence and a space for learning is not easily found or created- you have now made this possible. Students who are in homes with sibling and other children, as well as relatives are now able to shut out the noise of their household, or when in the classroom, the distractions of the other students and adults. Thank you again for supporting equity in and out of the classroom.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Jackson
This classroom project was brought to life by Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and one other donor.Learning by Doing
Funded Mar 27, 2018Having a projector has meant students having access to videos and images they would not have had otherwise. Those videos and images have sparked conversations and pushed students to build on their speaking and English language skills, as well as enhance writing stamina as students were able to go into more detail with the help of sentence stems that were projected on the board.
I have not had a chance to use the pen or screen protector as I do not yet have a Surface Pro (new project is pending!), but once I acquire the Surface Pro, the pen will be used as a learning tool to support students who need to clarify or guide me in supporting them in their learning. I will also connect the Surface Pro to the screen so students will use the tablet and pen to teach other students, model their own learning, and show how they use technology to build on what they already know.
Students sharing knowledge with other students means learning is authentic and organic and as such, the students have demonstrated gains in their writing, reading, speaking, and listening. Thank you so much for your contributions!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Jackson
This classroom project was brought to life by Ripple and 3 other donors.Whisking Up Words
Funded Mar 9, 2016Learning that mistakes are a real world tool to learn and grow from is a key life skill that I have sought to impart to my students; your generosity has turned this into an opportunity to practice daily in my classroom. Since I work with students who have been taught that mistakes lead to failure, I can now begin to turn that mentality into a growth mindset where the students see themselves as learners who have the potential to grow and learn, not just academically, but personally.
While many see the classroom as a space for academic learning, life skills are the unspoken aspect of a classroom, and your gift has allowed me to tap into my students potential and open areas of thinking my students may not have thought possible. They will learn that brainstorming, discussion of ideas, exploration of possibilities, can happen visually and not just in their head. I can model directly on the tables so students can see what I want them to do and not just hear it. Students can outline, create concept maps in groups, and for my ENL students these strategies will encourage them to speak more in a non-threatening, non-evaluative process.
As a teacher, the only way to grow is to find new tools to enhance the learning opportunities with new and innovative ways. You have given the gift of learning not to just to my students, but myself as well. Thank you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Jackson
Tinkering With Technology
Funded Sep 2, 2015As soon as the laptops arrived and I was able to set them up, the students whole world changed as they all had access to their on line curriculum, which includes an etextbook, level up tutorials to help them better understand concepts, and all of their on line assessments, including interventions. In addition I was able to have students register for Pupilpath, which gives students 24 hour access to their grades, assignments, and progress so they can always check on how they are doing. I have also incorporated Google Drive in the classroom so students are now able to create an on line portfolio of all of their work, and work can no longer "get lost" because it is digitally saved and I have students share all of their work with me so I always have a copy. Your contribution has been invaluable to the change of my classroom. Having student helpers in charge of distributing and collecting laptops means students feel involved and a vital part of the classroom, and the fact is they are because without them I would be out of a job. Enhancing my classroom with the Chromebooks means my students can take more ownership of their own education and physically see their accomplishments as they digitally create it. There are no words to express my gratitude and appreciation in making this project a reality and I am ecstatic to see how far my students can go with the tools you have provided.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Jackson
The Spice of Life
Funded Dec 19, 2013My students have been anxiously awaiting the books and have continuously asked when they are arriving. I have promised them they will arrive soon, but I am still asked each day- especially since the students are the ones who chose these books. I have never seen so many students so eager students who want to read, this is a complete turn around from students claiming there is nothing they like. Your contributions have created an atmosphere of excitement and desire, which is exactly the purpose of the project. I cannot thank you enough for helping me attain the goal of the project before the books even arrived- having students who are eager, independent readers!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Jackson
Mirrors And Windows
Funded Oct 14, 2013As soon as the box arrived I began jumping up and down as it arrived right in the middle of independent reading. The students all stopped what they were doing to laugh at me but wanted to know why I was so excited. As I began to open the box, the students at the table grabbed the paper and bubble wrap to reveal the graphic novels and there was a mad dash for them. I had to grab them and yelled "Mine!" The kids began laughing again and I introduced the books to them. A number of the students had seen the "Game of Thrones" series on HBO but would not read the series because: "Miss, that's too much reading." I now have a number of students intently reading the first book because it is easier for them to understand in graphic novel format.
This excitement and engagement is because of you. Your contribution has calmed some of the more difficult students during independent reading because you have given them access to something they did not have before- a way for them to see what they are reading. Since September I have been working with my students on the strategies that readers use without thinking about them, and many of them have trouble visualizing what they are reading, and this interferes with comprehension. You have given them a gift with these graphic novels by showing them how an author can put his words to pictures, and in the near future I hope to have them doing the same in the classroom.
Thank you for giving the gift of sight to those students who did not have it when reading.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Jackson