Past projects 6
Books for Small Groups!
Funded Sep 15, 2022I am so very grateful to donors like you. I can’t wait to share the good news with my students and start to set them up for successful book clubs! These books and clipboards will have students talking and sharing a love of reading.
Please know how much your donation means to us!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Lake
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 6 other donors.Real Life Science
Funded Mar 20, 2022The students have used the resources provided to create an amazing Science Fair Project! Of all the things we purchased, they truly enjoyed wearing the Safety goggles in all the different colors! They said it made them feel like "real scientists".
When the many boxes were first delivered, the students were so excited! I told them more was coming and they couldn't wait to get started. They helped me unload the materials and find space for everything. This got them excited to begin planning their projects.
The purpose of completing this Science Fair project was to give students an opportunity to practice real life science. Now, as they embark on their final year of elementary school, they have the skills and experience to engage in their 8th grade Science Fair, and be better prepared for high school. They also had so much fun!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Lake
This classroom project was brought to life by Arizona Department of Education.It's Just a Click Away!
Funded Feb 14, 2021Receiving your donation to fund the computer mice for my classroom has had an immediate impact on my students. As we were completing school online, it was very challenging for students to work through their assignments using only the trackpad on their chrome books. Especially when school was 6.5 hours long, students complained of their hands and wrists hurting at the end of the day.
By providing them with a simple tool, a computer mouse, my students had an easier time working through their tasks online. They were SO excited to receive their mouse, and when I told them it was donated to them, their smile got even larger! They couldn't believe the generosity of others, strangers who purchased these items for them.
I wanted to thank you for your generosity! I hope you are overjoyed to know that such a simple tool, like a computer mouse, can make online school just a little bit easier for my middle school students.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Lake
STEM through a Different Lens
Funded Dec 7, 2018I wanted to thank you for generously donating to our classroom project, "Stem through a Different Lens". I teach students in 5th - 8th grade with gifts and talents, and being able to provide them with something that they would not otherwise have access to really helps them to grow, both socially and academically.
The digital microscopes have made the greatest impact on our classroom. In our first lab experiment, students had to use both qualitative and quantitative observations using their five senses and measuring tools, to collect and record observations about a candy bar of their choosing. We then dissected the candy and looked closely again under the microscopic lens! They sounds made by the students in the classroom were amazing! They were in awe as to what they could see. They were also a little turned off by the look of their candy up close and had LOTS of questions! I love that it sparked their curiosity and they realized that there is many things they cannot see with their naked eye.
My students also had an opportunity to use the K'Nex set you donated to build a design from the book. The book comes with many different options, including a go-kart, an air fighter jet, and a carnival ride. The students worked in groups of three to put together a design, and they were fully engaged the whole time. One group in particular really struggled to follow the directions, so they gave up. I used this opportunity to talk to them about stamina and perseverance. I think it's important that they productively struggle, but always try again tomorrow.
I have one student in particular who really struggles with group work. He does not do well socially and finds it challenging to cooperate with others. He did wonderfully with the K'Nex, and was the first group to complete their design without any arguments at all!
Thank you again. Your donations have truly made an impact on our classroom and all the future learning that will take place. We have only just begun!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Lake
This classroom project was brought to life by Verizon and 10 other donors.Let's SPRK Some Innovation!
Funded Dec 31, 2017Through your generous donations to our classroom project, we have seen our students faces LIGHT UP! When they first saw the little robotic toy start moving at their command around our classroom, they were completely surprised and instantly engaged; It is such an incredible sight to see and it makes this job so worth while!
I'm not sure how much experience you have with coding, but many of our students now know how to code, thanks to their experiences programming the Spheros using the app "Sphero EDU". One amazing feature about the Spheros is that the skills needed to control the robot is differentiated. Therefore, even our 2nd graders can code using visuals to direct their robot, while our 5th and 6th grades work with Javascript. These are vital computer science skills they are learning, as well as the critical thinking skills needed for their future endeavors.
During one of our sessions, the second grade group expressed how they had never seen a Sphero before. When they were able to connect to their robot using their iPad and watch it light up, their little faces completely filled up with amazement and joy! They did not want to stop coding and they kept inquiring about the Sphero and all it's wonder. This led to many discussions on technology as well as the many uses of Spheros in their daily lives. Let's just say that the Spheros have been more than just a robot to us...they have been a motivator!
The Spheros allow for many opportunities for diverse thinking. Our first project, Helmets for the Win, required students to research and design a helmet for their Sphero to protect him from the effects of a possible head injury. We related this to real life scenarios such as the engineering of helmets for athletes, and the safety measures in cars designed to prevent serious head injuries from occurring during a collision. Students then had to use the engineering design process as well as the scientific method to create and test a helmet of their own design. It was such an incredible experience to see, and the questions that stemmed from this activity were thoughtful and innovative.
Again, we just wanted to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making our classroom a wonderful and engaging place to be. It can be challenging to motivate and engage students without the use of new and exciting technology, and we are so grateful to be able to offer students the opportunity to explore with robotics and coding.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Lake
This classroom project was brought to life by 3M and 3 other donors.Oh Snap! Electrical Circuits for Gifted & Talented
Funded Jul 7, 2017I wanted to start by saying thank you so much for contributing to our classroom with a donation to my Oh Snap! Circuits project. Our students are learning so much about electricity and circuits, it's been quite amazing to see!
We began by teaching background information about circuits and electricity with our second and third graders. They were able to make connections to how they use electricity everyday and how electricity flows in a circuit (i.e. circle). After our brief introduction on electricity, we brought out the Snap Circuits! Wow, were they excited! We discussed how to use them (carefully) and taught them how to read the instructions, including all the tiny numbers and symbols that show them how to build their circuits.
A few comments from students: "I love electricity!" and "I wish we could stay here (school) forever". One student was so excited he actually brought his own batteries from home (out of his TV remote!) to use with our Snap Circuits. We laughed and explained that we have our own batteries at school, and that his parents are probably wondering why their remote isn't working!
After this period of discovery and background knowledge, students were now ready to apply what they learned. We began with the first three Snap Circuit projects that introduce students to the process of putting them together while following the directions. Our next goal is to build the more complicated projects and have students apply their understanding to the world around them.
Again, thank you so very much for opening our student's eyes to the world of electricity and giving them opportunities to engage in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). It is our hope that this learning sparks in them a love of science and a desire to learn everyday from the world around them.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Lake
This classroom project was brought to life by State Farm Insurance and one other donor.