Past projects 39
Support Team Table
Funded Sep 7, 2022Consistency is key. First and foremost, I want to give a huge thank you for choosing to support my classroom! The table has provided my support team with a designated space for specialized learning experiences. Having a specific place for tabletop activities allows my students to have an easier time with activities and transitions. This table has allowed the support team to do a variety of activities that would not have been possible before. I no longer need to shuffle around materials in my classroom to create these spaces. My students have been able to make cookies in the class, to use stacking and nesting toys, to sort and count groups of objects, and many additional activities that help build their life skills.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sloan-Johnson
This classroom project was brought to life by Valhalla Foundation.Science Viewers
Funded Jun 21, 2022My students were extremely excited when the science viewers arrived. Not only were they curious about the viewers, they were also interested in the packaging and how the discs themselves were designed!
They initially explored the science viewers by figuring out how they worked- pulling the handle, looking through the the viewer, both upside down and right-side. up. They also looked at the discs with and without the viewers.
My students continue to enjoy using the science viewers both indoors and outdoors. The viewers are a great addition to our discovery center; and the spiders and insects discs are their favorites. Thank you for supporting my students.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sloan-Johnson
This classroom project was brought to life by General Motors and one other donor.Printer for Visual Support
Funded Jan 17, 2022I am very appreciative that you selected my preschool students to support. The printer, refill ink, laminator, and pouches have benefitted my students, their families and me. Having a printer and laminator in my classroom is absolutely amazing. There has been a significant reduction in the number of trips that I make to the office to make copies and laminate student materials. Your generosity has given me more time to spend on other tasks.
I've made a large class schedule with color photographs to help my students understand the sequence of our school day which helps to build their confidence and independence. I've also made smaller versions of our schedule, called "My Plan," for students who need to hold and/or manipulate the components of the schedule. Since the photographs have been laminated, they withstand the rough and constant handling from my students.
The printer has also allowed me to send home notes, bulletins, Token Boards, and newsletters to my students' families. This has had a direct impact on the reciprocal communication that I maintain between my students' caregivers and me.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sloan-Johnson
This classroom project was brought to life by Panda Cares and 2 other donors.Let's Talk
Funded Dec 2, 2021The language kits are a great addition to our classroom. Your generosity has given my students numerous opportunities to use their growing language skills as they describe, sort, and classify realistic objects. As they hold the objects, some are repeating the word after a teacher, some are labeling the objects on their own, and several are using two-word phrases and short sentences to talk about the objects. During center activity time, my students regularly request to use these language kits. A favorite is the kit that contains vehicles. On behalf of my students and their families, I thank you for your support.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sloan-Johnson
Build It
Funded Nov 10, 2021Enclosures, structures, pathways, and mini cities- these are some of the choices that my students made and are continuing to make while playing with the new blocks. One of their favorite activities continues to be "build it up and then knock it down." They simply love the sound and commotion of falling blocks! Their next learning steps will be to take photographs of their creations using the class IPAD and to make observational drawings of their designs. Thank you for generously supporting my students and play-based learning.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sloan-Johnson
This classroom project was brought to life by #TeachHealthy with Nature Made.Pretend Play Laundry Day
Funded Nov 10, 2021The washer and dryer pretend play set were a great addition to our dramatic play area. It was well used during our Clothing Study and my students continue to use it during choice time. Students learned to follow the steps of caring for laundry- sorting, washing, drying, and ironing. Some students used their personal experience while they played with the laundry set and other used a visual display to follow the steps for "doing the laundry." They also practiced their counting skills when they pretended to purchased laundry detergent and fabric softener. Your generous donation allowed my students to experience laundry day during their play. Thank you for supporting my class.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sloan-Johnson
This classroom project was brought to life by #TeachHealthy with Nature Made.Organization is Key
Funded Nov 10, 2021The magnetic storage shelves and the magnetic folder bins are sturdy, easy to use and simply fantastic! I placed them all on the large magnetic white board in our group meeting area. They are easily accessible, by both students and adults, and can each hold a fair amount of weight.
I use one of the magnetic display shelves to hold our current read aloud selections and the other holds our Second Step posters. Student helpers can quickly retrieve needed materials and put them back where they belong. The magnetic folder bins are generally only used by me and my teacher assistants to store the Question of the Day and small group lesson materials.
Though the Store and Display Teaching Cart was unavailable, your donation contributed to the purchase of other needed classroom materials.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sloan-Johnson
This classroom project was brought to life by #TeachHealthy with Nature Made.All Aboard!
Funded Nov 10, 2021Choo! Choo! It takes a lot of practice, patience and problem solving to get those trains moving along the train tracks. My students are proving to be up to the task! The addition of the train table and accessories has given my students many opportunities to develop their eye-hand coordination, body awareness, and spatial awareness. Most have developed the ability to connect the train tracks and a few are connecting the tracks with adult support. Some students attempt to make loops and others are content to have several straight tracks for the train cars to move along.
They quickly discovered that the crane is used to lift the included loads of coal and one has shown interest in creating a crane of his own. The accessories also include community workers, a police officer, a firefighter and a construction worker, and their perspective buildings. Though they know how to pair the community worker with the appropriate building, they often choose to place the workers and buildings randomly.
On behalf of my students and their families, I thank you for supporting my class.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sloan-Johnson
This classroom project was brought to life by #TeachHealthy with Nature Made.Trike Needed!
Funded Oct 10, 2021We have less waiting and more fun! That's one way your generous donation has positively impacted my class. My students are excited when it's time for outdoor activities and one of their favorites is riding the trikes! The addition of the donated tricycle has given one more student an opportunity to ride with friends. It's great to see the smiles and concentration on their faces as they navigate our trike paths.
I use three different trike paths to help them improve their balance, control and coordination. The path around our jungle gym helps them to practice slowing down to make turns safely and to come to a complete stop to allow pedestrians to pass. The straight path gives them practice coordinating their arms and legs and practice coming to a complete stop as they come to the "Stop" sign. The winding path, the favorite among them, encourages them to practice navigating between cones.
I incorporate the use of the donated traffic signs in our straight and winding trike paths. Now most of my students demonstrate that they understand the meaning of the "Stop", "Go" and "Parking" signs. Their next step is to learn about the "One Way" and "Road Closed" signs.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sloan-Johnson
This classroom project was brought to life by #TeachHealthy with Nature Made and 3 other donors.Light It Up!
Funded Sep 29, 2021Wow! Simply wow! My students' faces lit up when I turned the light table on. They oohed and aahed when the light table changed from red to blue to green and back again. Letting them experience the light table without any of the accessories proved to be a learning opportunity in itself. A few asked and answered questions, some made comments and requests, and many pointed, smiled, and clapped their hands. All and all, it was a great reveal!
The light table is part of our daily "Choice Time." Your generous donation provided a variety of accessories to go with the light table- Magna-Tiles, connecting blocks, translucent letters, numbers, buttons, chips, pattern blocks, dominoes, and bugs. Students are learning to share the space and the materials. They are practicing "Fair Ways to Play." For example, they take turns playing with the Magna-Tile cars, they trade pattern blocks, and they play together to put letters in order from A-Z!
They are especially interested in the Magna-Tiles. They started by covering the light table with the Magna-Tile squares, not using any of the triangular Magna-Tiles at all. This occurred for many sessions. Later, they alternated stacking the square Magna-Tiles and snapping them together like a sleeve of crackers- still ignoring the triangular pieces. Weeks later, they began to make cubes and rectangular prisms during their play. Several sessions after that, they began adding the triangular Magna-Tiles. The placed the triangles on several of their cubes and rectangular prisms changing the flat roof to an angled one. They added "wings" to their planes, rockets and robots. Currently, they are making boxes and gathering the translucent buttons to put inside. They are continuing to explore and create, thanks to you!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Sloan-Johnson