{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Spokane High School","outOfStateSupporters":33.3,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10328152,"projectId":10128700,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to help support my students and our classroom! My students were incredibly excited when they learned that we were getting LEGO sets for our class. There was definitely some surprise when they realized that yes, they really were going to get to play with LEGOs AT SCHOOL! What they did not realize at first was just how much they would be learning while they were having fun.\r\n\r\nThis week, our class has been learning about effective communication and why strong communication skills are so important in school, relationships, and eventually the workplace. Thanks to your donation, I was able to turn that lesson into a hands-on activity that my students will remember much longer than a worksheet or lecture.\r\n\r\nStudents worked in pairs and sat back-to-back so they could not see what their partner was doing. One student had the LEGO pieces and was responsible for assembling the project, while the other student had the instructions. The student with the instructions had to verbally explain each step without showing their partner the pictures or seeing what their partner was building.\r\n\r\nIt sounded simple at first, but the students quickly discovered how challenging effective communication can be! They had to think carefully about the words they chose, give clear and descriptive directions, listen closely, ask questions, and clarify information when something was misunderstood. They also had to practice patience when their partner did not immediately understand what they were trying to explain.\r\n\r\nThere was plenty of laughter, a little frustration, and a lot of problem-solving happening throughout the room. Most importantly, the students were engaged. Instead of simply being told that communication requires both a good speaker and a good listener, they were able to experience it for themselves. When something went wrong with their LEGO build, they could usually trace the problem back to unclear directions, an assumption that had been made, or a misunderstanding between partners.\r\n\r\nAfterward, we were able to discuss what made communication successful and what made it difficult. Students could immediately connect those ideas to what they had just experienced. The activity helped them understand that communication is more than simply talking—it involves listening, asking questions, describing things clearly, checking for understanding, and working together toward a common goal.\r\n\r\nYour donation made this lesson possible, but its impact will extend far beyond this one activity. These LEGO sets can be used again and again to help students practice teamwork, communication, critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving in ways that feel fun and meaningful.\r\n\r\nThank you for choosing to invest in my students and their education. Your generosity gave them an opportunity to learn important life and workplace skills through an experience they genuinely enjoyed. Seeing their excitement, hearing their laughter, and watching them work together reminded me just how powerful hands-on learning can be.\r\n\r\nWe are incredibly grateful for your support of our classroom and, most importantly, for believing in our students. Thank you!","fullyFundedDate":1778262150979,"projectUrl":"project/engineering-at-your-fingertips-lego-ci/10128700/","projectTitle":"Engineering at Your Fingertips! LEGO, Circuits and Watercolors","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Pope","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10328152_orig.jpg?crop=1882,1882,x0,y169&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1772555046091","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10328152"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_76687","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":205,"numTeachers":17,"percentFrplEligible":43,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":93,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":2,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":2,"gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"12.1:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"RURAL","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_DISTANT"},"inStateSupporters":66.7,"schoolId":76687,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Spokane High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Spokane High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/missouri/spokane-r-7-school-district/spokane-high-school/76687"}