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Mr. Barash from Chicago, IL is requesting technology through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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Connecting Generations Through Stories

My students need 6 digital voice recorders wit PC compatibility in order to collect oral histories from their communities.

  • $501 goal

This project expired on January 16, 2010.

This project expired on January 16, 2010.

Classroom photo
Mr. Barash profile photo
Mr. Barash Bell Elementary School
Chicago, IL Grades 6-8

We engage in authentic educational opportunities that excite the students and challenge them to become engaged citizens with the world around them. I teach 7th grade Social Studies to about 65 students in an urban environment. My school is highly successful with motivated teachers, students, parents and community members working together to make our school one of the best in the city.

I need to connect my students to their communities and bring generations of experiences to life for my students to learn from. Textbooks limit a child's imagination and their genuine interaction with material in a Social Studies class. I send my students out into their world to make connections between what we are studying in class and the real experiences of those individuals who influence them every day. These connections bring the material to life and fortify the internal motivation of students to succeed. To this end, we want to record oral histories about people's experiences in school. What inspired them? What defeated them? What is the connection between our experiences in school and a fulfilling life?

Inspired by Story Corps, a project designed to capture as much of our nation's oral history and store it at the Library of Congress, students will design their own interview and then execute it in the community with a person of their choosing. Each student's interview will be original, but remain focused around the central theme of school experiences. The individual process of conducting an interview deepens the student's interaction with the community. As a class, the collective interviews will provide some insights into how these formative years in school relate to the passions and dreams for down the road that hopefully serve as an inspiration for students to work hard in the realms of both academic and personal growth.

Oral history is an important tradition in our nation and one that is slowly disappearing from the mainstream due to advances in technology. So much of the important history of our country would not be with us without oral history. With your assistance, students will be taken on a journey where the learning is self-directed and the vehicle of this learning is human interaction. This project does more than teach kids about interview skills. This project builds bridges into communities. It creates opportunities for generations to connect in ways they never have before. Teenagers realize that their cookie-baking grandmother led an interesting life outside the kitchen or that someone in their family marched with Dr. King. When students begin to ask questions their world comes alive with the unexpected gems found right in their own backyard. Your support will help make learning 3-dimensional.

66 students impacted
Mr. Barash Bell Elementary School Grades 6-8 Chicago, IL View local requests 66 students impacted

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
OLYMPUS CORPORATION 005 142070 E1 9327052 • Best Buy $59.99 6 $359.94

Materials cost

$359.94

Vendor shipping charges

 $35.99

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$5.40

Fulfillment labor & materials

$9.00

Total project cost

$410.33

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$90.07

Total project goal

$500.40

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mr. Barash and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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