- The School District of University City
- DonorsChoose.org for U City Schools
Return to Headlines
As of Sept. 20, 2018, Fanz has three new projects still to be funded:
Helping Bring More STEM into the Classroom
"I have been very lucky this year!" Laura Fanz, first-grade teacher at Barbara C. Jordan Elementary School. "Since the beginning of the school year (2018), I have had FOUR Donors Choose Projects funded!" (Click on project name to read more.)
1st: Hooray for Headphones provides students with child-sized headphones to use when interacting with our technology devices. "Many students do not have headphones," Fanz said. "The noise of multiple devices, combined with the sounds of a roomful of first graders excitedly learning, often makes it difficult for students to focus on their work. Having headphones will lessen the noise and allow students to block out distraction."
2nd: Technology Update Pt. 3 added a third classroom iPad. (The first two were funded through Donors Choose in 2017-18.) "My students love having the iPads available to use during literacy and math centers," Fanz said. "They use a variety of online games and apps to practice early reading and number skills. My favorite part is 'Seesaw,' an app that allows students to create an online portfolio of their in classwork. They can upload pictures, record their voices and create video, which can then be shared with their parents!"
3rd: Osmo Is Awesome funded Osmo Genius Kit to use with classroom iPads. "This kit links 'real world' hands-on manipulatives with the digital experiences," Fanz said. "Students will be able to use letter tiles to build words using online clues, number tiles to build equations and several other game-play options to practice logical reasoning, spatial recognition, and STEM concepts. Throughout it all Osmo provides feedback and tips to improve performance!
4th: Lego Land provided a Community Starter kit, a huge container of Legos. "What was even more exciting for the students was the Minifigure set, which had a TON of Lego 'guys' and accessories such as bikes, cell phones and barbershop tools," Fanz said. "They have loved created Lego communities that use what we are learning in social studies lessons about communities. They have been able to use the Lego sets to retell stories they are reading in literacy, and we have been able to use Legos in our STEM explorations as we learn about the Engineering Design Process."
Special thanks: According to Fanz, there were two donors, Brianna and Sarah H., who each donated to multiple of the above projects. "Without them, I would not have received these resources for my students. "I do not know these ladies personally...I am very grateful to them as I keep seeing their names pop up, again and again, in my donor list!"
As of Sept. 20, 2018, Fanz has three new projects still to be funded:
To read Fanz' earlier projects, click on links below: