A Document Camera to Help Us Learn Together (Classroom Project at DonorsChoose.org)

A Document Camera to Help Us Learn Together

Classroom project requested by Dr. F. on Apr 20, 2010

High Poverty

Leadership Public School
Richmond, California (North)

My Students: My students are all learning at different levels and it can be a challenge to provide them with the personalized instruction they deserve. A document camera will help me deliv...

My Students: My students are all learning at different levels and it can be a challenge to provide them with the personalized instruction they deserve. A document camera will help me deliver lessons to the larger group while ensuring that every student is keeping up with the lesson.

I teach at a high school where many students come in reading well below grade level, and some enter reading as low as the 3rd grade level. These students need intensive supports and interventions to help them advance to being ready for college. It is a daunting challenge, but it is not insurmountable. I have seen my students make amazing academic gains and they are filled with potential. Our student body is 97% people of color and 88% receive free or reduced lunch. While only 4% of the parents of our students have graduated from college, 97% of our graduates attend college.

My Project: A document camera can create a physical focal point for the class and help keep every student on-task and up-to-speed with the lesson. It is also a great way to encourage student participation since we can edit documents together and students can get real-time feedback from their peers. A document camera will give me flexibility in the classroom since I won’t need to make multiple copies of articles and worksheets and I can easily change the classroom writing exercises depending on my students' progress.

My students may enter our school with holes in their academic background, but I have seen students make tremendous gains in my classroom. I know that having a document camera in my teaching toolbox will help me achieve our goal of preparing 100% of students for college. hide»

My students need a document camera so we can edit writing samples as a group. details»

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Aug 30 Jenni D a staff member at donorschoose.org

Packaged the thank-you letters written by Dr. F.'s students and sent them on to the eligible donor(s).

Aug 30 Jenni D a staff member at donorschoose.org

Purchased the technology for Dr. F.'s classroom and notified the school principal of delivery.

Aug 30 Dr. F. the Teacher

Dear Claire Giannini Fund,

I teach critical reading and writing to freshmen at a predominantly Hispanic, inner city school. The majority of my students are eligible for free or reduced lunch. Many come from homes where basic necessities--such as medical care and healthy food--are out of financial reach. When they enter our school, they are typically reading and writing far below grade level. Our staff works collaboratively to bring them up to grade level and prepare them for success in college in four years. It is a daunting challenge--but we, and our students--work relentlessly to make certain we meet it successfully.
The document camera you have so generously purchased for us will be invaluable in my critical reading and writing classroom. My students and I will be able to read and annotate articles and essays together; to edit texts together for grammar, punctuation, and mechanics; and to share and evaluate student work together. In addition, the document camera will make my instruction far more efficient and engaging. It will also save our school money, since it will eliminate the need to make hundreds of copies of articles and buy expensive transparencies for our clunky old overhead. Perhaps best of all, however, the document camera will allow me to maintain full interaction with my students when I teach. Never again will I have to turn my back on their wonderful, eager faces to write something on the board.
Thank you, again, for your generous gift. It will make such a difference for so many deserving students.
With gratitude,
Dr. F.

Reply to the classroom

On Aug 30, 2010, Dr. F. followed this note with student letters sent via mail to the donor who completed this project, and to donors who gave $100 or more.

Aug 30 DonorsChoose.org

Good news: Project fully funded!

Aug 30 Claire Giannini Fund

"The Claire Giannini Fund believes strongly in the importance of investing in the education, training, and welfare of children and wants to recognize and reward teachers and students in California for their imagination and drive in the pursuit of learning. Learn, so you may serve; serve, so you may flourish!"

May 20 John C an associate at donorschoose.org

Verified the cost of the requested technology and posted this project.

May 19 Stephanie M a volunteer at donorschoose.org

Reviewed the project essay and sent follow-up questions if needed.

Please notify our staff of any messages or photos of concern.

Apr 20, 2010Dr. F. - Teacher

Project Details

Materials	Vendor	Price	#	Total
ELMO HV110U MULTIMEDIA PROJECTOR -- ELMO HV-110u Portable Document Camera	Quill	$715.99	1	$715.99

Vendor Shipping Charges				$7.16
State Sales Tax				$65.51
3rd Party Payment Processing Fee				$10.74
Fulfillment Labor & Materials				$35.00
Project Cost Excluding Donation to Support DonorsChoose.org				$834.40
Optional Donation to Support DonorsChoose.org				$124.68
Project Cost Including Donation to Support DonorsChoose.org				$959.08
Given				-$959.08
To Go				$0.00