The document outlines a classroom project where students will fundraise to help with reconstruction efforts after the Tuscaloosa tornado. Students will research areas impacted by the tornado to identify specific needs, then design and implement a fundraising strategy to collect supplies or money. They will track donations and write a report on their efforts to present to city officials. The project aims to teach students skills like using math for fundraising, persuasive writing, and organizing information.

1. Upcoming Classroom Activities Community Reconstruction A closer look at your student’s learning…

2. Tuscaloosa Tornado Fundraising Project Summary : For the fundraising project, students will first relate to each other by identifying how they have already helped the community individually. Dividing into groups, the students must then pick a particular area of the city in which to focus their efforts. They’ll do research to see what that area needs in order to further the reconstruction process. After gathering their information, students will decide how their fundraising activity will assist their chosen area. Will they collect materials, clothes, money, building supplies? They will design and create their fundraising strategy and begin implementing it inside the school. Collection of fundraising items will be an ongoing process. They will transcribe a report to be given to city officials regarding what they collected, where they want it to go, and why they decided on that particular area. They will then take a day for a field trip and present their reports. Specific Alabama COS Standards : Solve word problems that involve decimals, fractions, or money. (Math-3 2009) Express meaning through varied sentence structure, detailed paragraphs, and multi-paragraph compositions in an organized manner. (ELA-8 2007) Essential Question : How can we make a difference in the community? Unit Questions : How does math enable us to assist in rebuilding the city? How can we use our writing skills to persuade others? Content Questions : How are professional papers organized? What skills are used to write a persuasive paper? What is the proper procedure for distributing money among various categories?

3. Communal Roles Teacher : I would become more of a facilitator than an instructor. I would be used for guidance and advice to ensure that the students are going about the project the correct way. Parent : Parents would become active agents of problem solving as they involve themselves in their child’s classroom activities. Parent volunteers within the classroom will be necessary as the students begin completing their designs for reconstruction. Student : Students will actively design and implement their project plan and procedure. They will be required to collect information and use their grammatical and mathematical skills to prepare accurate financial records and persuasive papers to present to the city officials. Upon completion of the project, students will be able to: Word their fundraisers in a way to appeal to the public. Accurately distribute money gained from their fundraising efforts into various categories. Compose a standard five paragraph essay using professional tone and organization. Gather information through surveys/questionnaires. Community : The community would be the students of the students as they share their results with city officials. Community members would also see how the schools are preparing future leaders.

4. Project-Based Learning Benefits : Project-based learning requires that students learn based on individual experiences. It focuses not on the test scores for the student but on whether or not the student comprehends the concepts involved in a particular subject. It gives students an opportunity to discover the thrill behind working on a project and the elation at seeing their own experiments work. It seems to result in student gratification for the unique classroom experience. Oftentimes, group work can be daunting for the teacher as well as for the students, but through regular monitoring, group meetings, and individual reflections, I will ensure that each student completes an accurate amount of work. Students will develop the following 21 st Century Skills as the project progresses : Communication and Collaboration – I do not want the students to be scared of group projects simply because they do not like the feeling of not having a voice. I want them to be able to voice their ideas clearly so that other students can understand what they try to say. Creativity and Innovation – Creativity is what sets one student apart from another student. Each student has their own form of creativity, and they need to learn how to utilize their skills. Similarly, students need to be able to discover solutions to particular problems that might not be quite as obvious. Initiative and Self-direction – I want the students to learn to think on their own and truly follow their own dreams. They need to be sure that one day their dreams will be their own and not just the dreams their parents have for them. I want my students to be bold enough to direct their own future. Within this project, the students will plan their own project timelines and regulate their progress to ensure that their own deadlines are being met. Productivity and Accountability – I hope the students will learn that humbling themselves when they make a mistake is in fact a good thing. They need to learn to set schedules in order to prevent procrastination and unneeded stress.

5. Contact Information Feel free to contact me at any time! My planning period is from 1:00-2:00. I’ll be available for phone conferences or scheduled meetings at this time, after school, or before school. E-mail: [email_address] Phone: 123-456-7890 I want your child to succeed. Therefore, I want to know about your opinions on your child’s progress within my class! -Kimberly Sowers