Knit Flix Challenge Spotlight Project: Chromebooks for a local high school classroom

This week's Knit Flix Challenge spotlight project is one started by the high school history teacher of a friend's daughter here in the Bay Area. Many of the kids at this school don't have access to computers, and these Chromebooks will help the teacher transition to project-based learning in the classroom. They've raised over 85% of the funds needed to reach their goal and I hope you'll consider helping them towards the last 15%.

To give, follow the link to the Knit Flix Challenge and click on the Chromebooks, part II project.

Project: Chromebooks, part II
Teacher: Mr. Lindgren-Streicher
School: Hillsdale High School in San Mateo, CA | High Poverty
Total cost: $7,132. Funds to go: $1020

• My Students: Imagine a project based classroom where inquiry rules and passion-based learning happens regularly. That's my vision. Read on to see how and why you can help me get there!
  
  My 9th and 10th graders are a diverse bunch in every sense of the word - ethnic background, family income, reading level, access to technology - the list could go on. A unifying theme, though, is that they are generally excited to come to history class. However, the digital divide is very real in my classroom - some students have their own laptop at home that they can bring to school, some have a smartphone in their pocket they can use, while others do not have a way to access the web inside or outside of class. Having a complete class set of Chromebooks would level the digital divide in my classroom.
  
  
• My Project: I am requesting 20 Chromebooks so my classroom had one device per student (known as 1:1). This will allow me to take substantial steps to get closer to my ideal classroom. This classroom is driven by inquiry and student passion.
  
  This Donors Choose project would allow me to make an extremely smooth transition to project-based learning (PBL). Implementing PBL would allow my history units to be driven by student questions and create more opportunity for authentic inquiry and creation in my classroom - 1:1 would allow this inquiry to simultaneously be directed in 28 different directions at once.
  
  Additionally, I will be spending one day/week next year on passion-driven learning that is divorced from content. I implemented this type of learning, known as genius hour or 20% time, this year in my class with varying degrees of success. Going 1:1 would allow all students the opportunity to drive their own learning during these times using whatever tools, digital or otherwise, that they need.
  
  This project would revolutionize my classroom as well as the learning experiences my students have when they are with me. It would enable authentic inquiry as well as rich passion-based learning. Additionally, the digital divide that exists in my classroom would be completely smashed.
  
  This project will make students more excited to be in my classroom every day. Thank you for considering supporting this worthy project.

Donations made through DonorsChoose.org are tax deductible.

Spread the word, share this blog post with your friends, and pay it forward!

Knit Flix Challenge Spotlight Project: Weavy Wonder

This week's Knit Flix Challenge spotlight project is Weavy Wonder.

Teacher: Ms. Mead
School: Alain Locke Elementary in Philadelphia, PA | High Poverty
Total cost: $270. Funds to go: $226

• My Students: Remember what it was like to weave your first potholder at camp or in school? My students never get the chance to experience these basic joys outside of school.
  
  My students do not have the same childhood experiences that many of us have had. They usually do not get to great experiences like making something with their hands and the satisfaction of completing a simple craft project. What a great feeling it is to carry away something you made yourself!
  
  
• My Project: My students need beads, looms, and lacing materials to have the experience of weaving! With these weaving materials, my students will have the chance to learn to weave fabric, make potholders and understand how to craft a hand made basket. This is a skill they can carry with them into the future. Weaving is a skill that they may pass on to their children. Weaving is a craft that has been employed by many cultures for many centuries.
  
  Weaving is a relaxing, stress relieving, creative and expressive art. My students are so talented!! They have so much to say and they love to produce useful items that they can take away with pride. Here's a great opportunity to help my kids now and in future years learn to work material on a loom!!
  
  My students need beads, looms, and lacing materials to have the experience of weaving!

Donations made through DonorsChoose.org are tax deductible.

Spread the word and share this blog post with your friends. Pay it forward!

Knit Flix Challenge 2013

It's that time of year again, time for the Knit Flix Challenge!

What is the Knit Flix Challenge? It's a giving group at DonorsChoose.org that focuses on art and music projects in schools across the United States. As you can see by the banner above, just a few donors can make a huge difference to a large number of students.

I've chosen a few projects for students in high poverty areas for this year's challenge--

• Paint cups & easels for 1st graders in Oakland.
• Looms, beads, and other weaving materials for an elementary school in Philadelphia.
• Thread, yarn, fiber fill, sequins, and buttons for autistic high school students in New York City.
• Yarn for middle & high school students to crochet items for themselves and for charities in the Bronx.

These are just a few of the 13 projects that are in this year's challenge. View the Knit Flix Challenge for more details about the projects. If you find their stories compelling, consider donating to help keep the programs alive.

Donations made through DonorsChoose.org are tax deductible.

Spread the word and share this blog post with your friends. Pay it forward!

The boxes arrived

It's so exciting when a package comes in the mail. Now consider a big stack of packages filled with yarn. Here's how the students in VA reacted:

Mrs. R from Purling for a Purpose writes:

We were so excited to open the boxes when they arrived from the company through DonorsChoose.org. I left the huge stack of boxes in the classroom until I could open them with the "Purling for a Purpose" group. Their excitement even before the boxes were opened was tangible (much like the yarn you were providing)! It came at a great time as many of the knitters were just beginning a new project and they were ecstatic to choose a color or style they had not seen before. Some kids even pulled out the project they had previously started and opted to start again with a new yarn from the boxes that you helped pay for. Many chose to use the cotton yarn, and even combined several of the cones of cotton to make really creative dishcloths. Of course they had fun popping the packing bubbles that came in the boxes! Because of your generosity, I feel like I can keep "Purling for a Purpose" going next year and have supplies that we need to get a new group of learners started. We thank you from the bottom of our knitting needles for supporting us!

With gratitude,
Mrs. R

Now how good does that feel? Pretty darn good, I must say.

There's one project in the Knit Flix Challenge that's about $200 away from being fully funded. Will you consider making a tax deductible donation? Click on the link below for more information.

It's worth every penny

A relatively small investment can make a big difference.

Mrs. R from Purling for a Purpose in VA writes:

Oh my goodness, we can't believe you have funded our project so fast. This brings me such great joy, that I can't even contain myself. I have never wished Monday would come so fast, just so I can share the great news with my "Purling for a Purpose" group. They would shout a huge thank you. Maybe if you listen real hard Monday at 3:00, you will hear them! A special thanks to the Knit Flix Challenge for encouraging others to give to knitters!

With gratitude,
Mrs. R

Mrs. W from The Knitting Club in NY writes:

I wish I could convey to you how much this funding for my project will mean to the students who join my knitting club. We have grown into a social circle, we laugh, and talk and knit, the students are learning by using math and fine-motor coordination, but also some social skills! We are learning to read patterns and share with others. My students are all supporting the learning of each other by being peer mentors. This simple project has enriched not only my students but me as well. Thank you very much.

With gratitude,
Ms. W

Knowing where my contribution goes and hearing what impact it makes is worth every penny.

The Knit Flix Challenge

Edited 2 hours later to add: Well that was quick! The New York project is fully funded so I'm adding a knitting club for 3rd & 4th graders in Virginia to the challenge. Well done!!

Edited 27 hours later to add: You are wonderful. The Virginia project is fully funded, thank you. The California project is getting very close, it needs about $200 more. Thank you!!

A few years ago I created the Knit Flix Challenge to help raise money for a knitting group at a local school. You met the challenge and we helped 30 fourth graders with supplies for their knitting club.

Now I'm dusting off the Knit Flix Challenge and have found more knitting clubs that need help, one at Foothill High School in California, another at PS 71 Forest Elementary School in New York, and one at Emerald Hill Elementary School in Virginia.

View the Knit Flix Challenge for more details about the projects.

If you find their stories compelling, consider donating to help keep the programs alive. Personally speaking, knitting has enriched my life and I'm happy to help others learn and enjoy the fiber arts.

Donations made through DonorsChoose.org are tax deductible.

Spread the word, share this blog post with your friends.

DonorsChoose and a Challenge

I saw a story about DonorsChoose.org on the news this morning and it made a lot of sense to me.

What if there were a simple way to provide students with the books, technology, and supplies that they need to learn?

What if people from all walks of life could connect directly with public schools, learn about specific classroom needs, and choose how to help?

DonorsChoose.org makes this possible.

I visited the site and looked through the proposals--there are so many! It's too bad that our tax dollars don't provide enough funds to give teachers what they need. That's not news, but to see how many projects there are brings it home.

Here's the challenge.

There's a teacher at Hoover Elementary School in Redwood City who needs supplies for a 4th grade knitting club. 30 students will be impacted, and they need $502 more for the project to be fully funded.

That's just a little more than $17/student.

Are you interested in putting needles, yarn, and books in the hands of 4th graders and enriching their lives through knitting? If so, join the Knit Flix Challenge and help me help them.

Your donation is tax deductible.

You can read the project proposal by visiting this link and clicking on Arts & Crafts Enrichment - 4th Grade Knitting Club

If you'd rather donate closer to home, visit DonorsChoose.org and see what speaks to you.

Thanks for listening.