Past projects 2
Sensory Play Makes Sense
Funded Apr 4, 2024I want to start by saying how grateful we are for your generous contribution. It is people like you who continue to make an impact in students' lives. Your contribution allowed us to purchase materials our students began using immediately after opening the box. It was like Christmas in March. They could not wait to use them.
Our sensory bin area is open daily where students enjoy fishing, digging, and scooping out buried treasures, letters, and numbers while talking, and exploring with their hands. The sensory rings were a great addition to our sensory materials. They are an essential part of our students' development of fine motor, cognitive, and social skills.
The second item we received was the beginning hammering kit. This kit came right before we began our "Buildings" unit. Our dramatic play area became a construction site. Students dressed as construction workers pretending to build homes using the hammering kit while developing and strengthening their fine motor skills as well as their hand-eye coordination.
The best part about these materials is that any student who comes through our door will enjoy and benefit from them for many years.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Carranza
This classroom project was brought to life by PNC Grow Up Great® and 3 other donors.Proud Pandas + the Right Tools = A Successful Year!
Funded Sep 11, 2013I want to begin by thanking you again for your wonderful contribution to my classroom. My class and I received the materials about a week and a half after your donation had gone through. My students were very excited when they saw the big packages delivered to my classroom. They wanted to know who had sent those things. I explained to them that a group of donors had sent them. The first thing they wanted to know was the definition for the word "donor" and then why they had sent these materials. We went over the definition for donor and then I explained to them how people like you are contributing to their education by donating money for materials that can enhance their learning.
The materials we started using right away were the timers, the pocket chart and the writing folders. The timers are a wonderful way for my students to keep track of their time while they are working at the computers. The timers are easy for them to use because they have nice big buttons and are loud enough to hear even when they have their headphones on. The pocket chart has also been a blessing. Students get to use it every day during reading and math centers. This week they are using the pocket chart to sort word families and practice place value. I have also used it during lessons, where students come up to the board and sort flashcards or pictures. For example, students got to sort singular and plural nouns after a lesson on irregular plurals. The pocket chart is also wonderful because of the magnetic strip, I can transfer the pocket chart to the board and present a lesson and then transfer it back to their center area without wasting any time.
The students specially loved their writing folders. The day I handed their writing folder they were oohing and aahing. I am happy to say that those students who often misplace their writing assignments now have a safe place to keep them. Also the kids have learned to monitor their own writing. For example, is in the second packet, they know they need to edit their paper, however if their writing is in the last pocket it means they are ready to publish the writing piece. Writing is a critical subject in my classroom, thus having those new notebooks is very important. At the present moment, my students are using these journals for retelling fiction stories or writing about the main idea on non -fiction selections. The fact family pocket chart is a popular center since we started learning fact families. Student love to manipulate the numbers cards to create their own number sentences. This is also a great tool for my students because with the use of this fact family activity, students get to reinforce what they have learned on a daily basis. The clocks are the only material we have not used yet because we have not introduced time at this point of the year, however, they did get a chance to touch them and get a preview of what they will be doing later on.
All the materials that we received have one thing in common and that is, that my students have the chance to practice concepts they learned in my classroom. They fact that they have materials that help them practice and enjoy what they are practicing makes these materials successful tools. My students are going to the computer more often and are passing more levels in the reading program because we are able to manage our time with the use of the timers. Also I am not being interrupted with computer time issues, while I am working with my students and I get to read with more students during the day. My students are becoming better writers because we have notebooks and which they can write almost every day. We still have about three more months before school is over and I know that your contribution will continue to make a great impact in my classroom.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Carranza
This classroom project was brought to life by Kia Motors America and 10 other donors.