Past projects 32
Silly Stories for Distance Learning
Funded Apr 18, 2020Thanks to your generosity, I was able to distribute packages of Elephant and Piggie books to all of the first grade students in my class who were participating in distance learning from home during the spring semester. They also received a first grade workbook and colorful markers.
The Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems are favorites of young learners. This unlikely friendship between and elephant and a pig teaches children about the importance of patience, acceptance, and making new friends. Plus, they are silly and always elicit a lot of laughter. When we were in the classroom together we all enjoyed reading these books and laughing together. My students were delighted to continue reading and laughing from home and sharing their experiences with their classmates through videos and pictures on our digital learning platform.
During a challenging year we all managed to stay connected through good books and creating new memories together at a distance.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Anna
Hands-On Learning in Our Virtual Classroom
Funded Aug 2, 2020These materials made all the difference in getting our year of virtual learning off to a smooth start! On the first day of first grade, students were all smiles as they posed for a zoom class picture with their cuddly elephants. Within a few days they were talking about the books that we were reading with their elephants (like they would with a partner in the classroom) and setting up math games to play with their elephants too. At our first family meeting when one of the moms understood that the elephants were meant to be learning companions to the children she teared up with gratitude.
Students used their paper and art supplies to create self-portraits during the first week of school which they then shared on our learning platform. Others commented "great job" on their classmates' work as they learned how to navigate new digital learning tools.
Every day we use magnetic letters to build words together during our zoom sessions. Students are learning to manipulate sounds and create new words, phonics lessons that will extend to their reading and writing as the year goes on.
In math, students used pattern blocks to create designs. They learned to identify the names of the different shapes and to hold them up to describe and define the characteristics of two dimensional shapes. They graphed the number of shapes they used in a design and shared their findings on our learning platform.
These are just a few examples of ways that these materials have allowed my first graders to maintain a physical connection to their learning, manipulating, building, creating, and sharing their ideas even from afar.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Anna
Beyond Fun and Games: Collaborative Activities for Choice Time
Funded Aug 16, 2019My first grade students are really enjoying their new choice time activities. They have been creating dinosaur fossils with play dough (and dinosaurs), competing to build the tallest magnatile tower, and teaching each other the rules for Uno and Connect Four. These and other activities allow them to take the lead in their learning. Each choice time session begins with students making a plan. As the year has progressed they have learned not just to say, "I want to play with the cash register" but rather to describe what they will be doing and how they will be doing is, as in, "I want to work with my friend to make a restaurant. Some people can call on the phone to order a sandwich and then we will use the cash register to tell them how much it costs!" During this time of day they are also allowed to make choices about when an activity ends and how they can move to other activities, taking responsibility for cleaning their area, making a new plan, and checking with classmates to see if there is room for them to join in.
One of the most important aspects of this project has been the increase in positive social interactions, particularly for students who do not feel very successful during other times in the day. One student who struggles academically with reading and with number sense -- and is therefore reluctant to talk during the day -- will happily make play offers to other students during choice time and will chat with friends as they create imaginary worlds out of play dough or building materials. Another student struggles with behavior during other portions of the day and is often difficult for other classmates to work with. However, during choice time her friends are eager to create plans with her to build race tracks and count money, and this time allows her to feel successful socially in the classroom.
I have been introducing the different choice time activities purchased with this grant gradually over the course of the first semester of school. My next step will be to introduce the phonics and math games as part of our menu of activities. These games will take more teacher supervision and time to learn, which I will now be able to offer since other students are happily engaged in activities they can navigate independently. These games will reinforce academic skills in a way that is fun, creative, and allows for collaboration and continued successful social interactions among the children.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Anna