Mrs. Sturomski's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 8

• Let's Put The "T" In STEM

  Funded Sep 28, 2018

  Thank you so much for your generous donations to our class. Wow, this is long overdue. As a new STEM program we have worked hard to provide our students with different tech tools. These items were some new ones that allowed them to create, practice specific content, and explore new technology. Overall, they were engaging materials that helped bring ideas and projects to life.

  Our students were able to integrate technology into things like reading (retelling), math (fact practice), and develop problem solving/critical thinking skills. They were able to work through the Engineering Design Process and bring their creations to life.

  We were excited to add these items to our classroom. Thank you for providing our students with tech tools to help them make choices about how they shared their learning, in a more 21st Century way.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Sturomski

  This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 12 other donors.

• Taking Flexible Seating to the Next Level - Floor Level

  Funded Dec 31, 2018

  This is long over due. Thank you so much for your generous donations and gifts. We worked to make a learning environment that was flexible in learning, how students learned, and also provided choice in where they worked. When you want options, you need options... that is where this project came in.

  We needed a variety of seating to give kids more voice/choice in how they worked within our learning environment. By providing them with floor seating, they were able to take their learning away from traditional tables and chairs. Students were able to work on the floor alone or with peers, and be more comfortable than just sitting on the floor. They'd create cushion chairs to work with partners, sit in front of the fish tank to read books, and get lost in books. Overall they had more options, seemed comfortable in our work space, and as a result were more engaged in their work.

  Having a classroom that is comfortable and feels like home is important. Thank you so much for helping us make this possible.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Sturomski

• LEGO Learning

  Funded Mar 27, 2018

  Thank you so much for your generous donations. Thanks to you, we were able to get additional Lego EV3 Robotics kits for our STEM program. Last year a group of students was able to participate in an after school Lego club, while our STEM program's 2/3 class was able to have a parent come in to do a coding-art project with our class. This year our program has expanded, doubling in size, which is only helping us to generate more ways to integrate these amazing tech tools into our daily learning.

  When the kits arrived, our students were excited and curious. Many of them have not used EV3 kits before, so they were not sure what to expect. Once they became familiar with them and were given the opportunity to just explore with them, they were ecstatic. They had such an amazing time collaborating with peers, challenging themselves, and using what they have learned about coding to use this new tool. It was great for them to get to see how coding can be applied in a variety of situations and with different tools.

  This school year our program has doubled in size; with this we have 3 new teachers. With double the teachers and double the ideas, we are looking for new and innovative ways to integrate this into our daily learning.

  Thank you again for your support and generosity. We are very fortunate to have such a supportive community!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Sturomski

  This classroom project was brought to life by Ripple and 7 other donors.

• Ready, Set, Stand

  Funded Nov 3, 2017

  Thank you so much for your generous donations. Without you, our learning environment would not have any standing desks, which are a daily benefit. We are fortunate to have not one, but two standing desks for our team to share. They are positioned behind our carpet/large group meeting space and are free for anyone to use. This allows two students at a time, who prefer standing, to stand during lessons. When we are not in lessons, but rather during work time, students are able to choose this work space too. During work time, students can stand while reading, writing, etc. I have noticed particular students really gravitating towards the standing desks throughout the day, which was expected. However, these students are choosing this work spot for all of the right reasons. They are more focused on their work and have more control over their bodies. These two benefits have allowed my students to be more successful during independent work times and also more engaged in group lessons.

  The day the standing desks came and were set up, my students' faces lit up with excitement. There were cheers, applause, and lots of smiles. At first they all took turns to try out the new seating option and once the novelty of them wore off, students that truly worked better while standing used them the majority of the time.

  Overall I have seen engagement and focus improve with the standing desks. It has provided an additional alternative seating choice to our learning environment. It was a great starting point. I hope to ad more standing desks and continue to bring in even more types of seating as the school year continues. Thank you so much for helping to make this happen. We appreciate your generosity and support.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Sturomski

• 1:1 iPad Accessories

  Funded Sep 27, 2016

  Our school district is 1:1 iPads for students from K4 through 12th grade. With this each student has their own iPad to use for digital platforms, researching, creation, and more. While having an iPad for each student is an amazing thing, there are certain times that students could work more efficiently. For example, while keyboarding or word processing they need their iPads to be standing so it is more computer like. Another example is when they are creating things such as eBooks, having a stylus for dragging, drawing, etc. allows students to create something they are more proud of. Having a stylus and iPad stand for each student has allowed us to elevate the use of this amazing tech tool. Students are able to have a stand and/or stylus for their own personal use at any time they need it, rather than needing to share.

  When the new iPad accessories arrived our students were thrilled. We will sometimes have students bring in a stylus from home, but not all of our population has these resources available. When each student was given a stylus with their name on it to use for the remainder of the school year, they were all so excited to have their own. In addition to the stylus, none of them have had their own iPad stand to use in the past so they were all very grateful to have this.

  Overall these tools have helped our students become more independent with certain tech tasks and more engaged in work they are doing. They all seem more comfortable and confident with using their iPads for a variety of different tasks. We are very grateful to have such amazing support from the community. Thank you for helping our students grow as 21st Century Learners.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Sturomski

  This classroom project was brought to life by Herb Kohl Philanthropies and 3 other donors.

• Seating Upgrade

  Funded May 17, 2016

  Dear Donors,

  Our students were thrilled the day our new seating arrived. It has taken our classroom even further into the 21st Century. The ball chairs and standing desks are used regularly in our team's learning environment, by all students. In our environment our forty third and fourth graders do not have assigned seats. Throughout the day they are in seminars with a teacher or in workshop working independently or in pairs/groups. With this seminar-workshop model they are free to move around the classroom, choosing a work spot that is good for their learning. Many students in our team like to be able to also move while they work. To support their learning needs we have rocking stools in our room, but needed something else to make it even more appropriate for our learners. We came across the ball chairs and have wanted standing desks with a wiggle bar for a while now. With that being said, we knew we had to add them to our environment.

  Once these furniture pieces were added we noticed students gravitating towards them. Students love to sit on the ball chairs and be able to bounce while they work. This energy outlet allows them to focus more on their work and less on being comfortable. These chairs also allow them to move while working in a safe manner. The standing desks are also a popular work spot. Students are able to stand while they work and put their foot on a wiggle bar to bounce/rock one leg while working. Our students are moving up and down all day, so there are times when they want to stand. Here they are able to stand and have a workspace at the same time. They are also handy when we are having a seminar, because some students have trouble sitting on the carpet for a long period of time. The standing desks are placed behind our seminar area so that individuals can attend seminars while standing.

  Now that we have a decent range of alternative seating, we are going to continue to look for ways to bring new furniture into our classroom. A major part of our day is collaborating and as teachers we want to focus more on classroom discussions. With that being said, round tables are something that we want to get for our classroom to support collaboration. Thank you again for your support. Team Sisu is very lucky to have such an amazing community!”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Sturomski

• Rocking While Learning

  Funded Sep 29, 2015

  Ever since we put the stools out in our classroom, they are constantly being used. During workshop students work on independent or group work, and do not have assigned seats. I have noticed multiple students choosing the Hokki Stools throughout the day. They work on them while reading, writing, and doing math activities. I have also noticed these students looking more comfortable and being more productive. Rather than squirming in a traditional chair trying to be comfortable, they can sit and start working immediately.

  We had a set of these stools, but much smaller, already in our learning environment. Students loved them and were excited about them, but many of them were too tall to use them comfortably. Once the new set arrived all of our students were ecstatic. Now not only were twice as many students able to choose them, but children of all heights could be comfortable! To this day, they are always full. Children have voiced their love for them and show it with their learning in motion. Even when we have a random tumble, they pop up with a smile on their face and get right back on their stool.

  These stools are an amazing asset to any classroom. We are so fortunate to have generous supporters like you to make these stools possible. They will continue to be a main seating choice for our students. We also hope to maybe acquire a few more in the future! Giving students a safe way to move while working is a great gift. I am really grateful to have such amazing people supporting my career and something I am so passionate about. Thank you again for your generous donation.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Sturomski

• Moving, Shaking, Learning

  Funded Mar 2, 2015

  In our school we try our best to create a personal learning experience for each student. This includes how we deliver instruction, the work they do throughout the day, and how they share their learning with others. We also try to create an environment that is suitable for all learners. As we have been working to create a learning environment that supports different types of learners, we have found some things that have worked and other things that have not. Then, at the beginning of this school year I was fortunate enough to tour schools in other districts that have a similar approach to education. In doing so, I got to take photographs and notes on materials, schedules, resources, etc. that I thought might be beneficial in our team's room. One thing that I kept going back to and thinking, "we really need this," was the Hokki stools I saw that day. In order to get them I knew I would need the support of our community if having enough for one table (four stools) would become a reality. My older sister, who is also a teacher, has mentioned Donor's Choose here and there. I decided to make an account and look to see if they were available through this program, and they were.

  After receiving enough donations for the stools we got to tell the students that we got them. Throughout the time it was online they knew we were trying to get them, but did not know when or if we would. The students were really excited to hear the news; some because they knew their families helped make it happen, others because they saw we were excited, and the rest because their peers were. Whatever their original reason was, the first day they saw them they were all excited for the same reason... we had a new resource that would be available to them during workshop if they wanted to use it. On our first day we had rules about using them only once to make sure everyone got to try them out, and we also set up our classroom expectations for them and how to move them under the table when you were done. That day we did not have one argument, fight or race to the stools. The students kindly shared and were very conscious about using them only once. This was a very pleasant surprise and we could already see how these would continue to help our team work together.

  As the novelty of them started to fade, not every student was worried about sitting on them during workshop. Some of our students said they were happy to have them, but preferred sitting in a regular chair or standing, while others still preferred the floor and a clipboard. This was something we thought going into it, but were very happy to see some of our more active children using them regularly. Students who used to rock in chairs back and forth or move around in their seat are now able to move freely and safely. They can use these stools to be comfortable while learning.

  Our Hokki stools stay at one table in our room and are used by students when they want to sit there during their workshop time. We have noticed students being more focused on their independent work when they are able to rock and wiggle in a more natural motion. They are able to be in motion, while learning which really does help them get their work done. There are also students wanting to share with others more often if they notice people wanting to use them, but there are none available. Overall this was a very positive and effective addition to our classroom. I am very honored and grateful to have such a supportive community to help me make Team Explore a better place for all types of learners. On behalf of all of Team Explore, I would like to thank each of you for your generous donation. You have really helped make our learning environment better.”

  With gratitude,

  Mrs. Sturomski

  This classroom project was brought to life by Morgridge Family Foundation and 7 other donors.