Past projects 4
We Need Flexible Seating!
Funded May 23, 2019Thank you SO much for all of your generosity! These new seating options are greatly loved by my 3rd graders! When students came in at meet the teacher their eyes lit up to a classroom that looked quite different than ones they had been in years previously.
The replacement yoga ball and the tall table have been wonderful additions to our room. Throughout our day students have the freedom to choose their spot in order to find the best place for them to be successful. The tall table has become a quick favorite in the room, for both students and teacher!
Our new seating options are perfect for my classroom and my students. Having the freedom to move around and pick the spot most conducive to learning for individual students is huge in growing self-regulation skills. I have already seen a difference in self control and responsibility in my students in these first few weeks of school. Our flexible seating options have played a huge role in this. I can't thank you enough for your kindness! My classroom and myself are so lucky to have such kind and thoughtful people in our lives. Thank you for helping to make a difference!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Engelbrecht
This classroom project was brought to life by Google.org and 2 other donors.STEMitizing Third Grade
Funded Dec 11, 2018Thank you so much for our awesome STEM materials I wish you could have seen my students when they first saw the Legos, Magna Tiles, and Maze Bot Kit. They were so excited and kept asking if they could use them now!
When we received our materials we were in the dead of winter. These new STEM materials have been used a ton during indoor recess times. Also, we added STEM bins to our morning routine. Watching the students collaborate and create with one another is such a wonderful experience. They are always so excited and asking me to take their picture as a team when they complete their creation.
We are getting ready to wrap up our genius hour projects. Many students are choosing to use the Legos to build a model/ prototype of their inventions. I cannot wait to see what they build! We are also starting a weekly STEM challenge where these materials will be used to complete their projects.
These STEM materials are perfect for my classroom and my students. They will serve a wonderful purpose in cultivating creativity, collaboration, and embracing STEM. I can't thank you enough!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Engelbrecht
I Can See the Reader in Me!
Funded Jun 18, 2018Thank you so much for our AMAZING collection of new books. I wish you could have seen my students when they walked in to a big box wrapped up with a bow. It was so fun! Students were actually squealing with excitement to open it up!
We have been making our way through this collection of books in an effort to build our classroom community and to discuss many invaluable character traits, such as friendship, honesty, respect, and responsibility. We will also use these books throughout the year to discuss diversity and having a growth mindset.
The books are now displayed in our room in our "class read alouds" bucket and are in high demand! Students are SO eager to get their hands on these titles and are even more excited to read the books still to come. As we have been reading these books I have seen many students nodding along like, "this is so true! I do that, too", or like "hm I never thought of that before". That is the wonderful thing about books, students can learn about themselves and others. These books will always be a treasured part of our room.
The books are perfect for my classroom and my students. They will serve a wonderful purpose in cultivating lifelong readers, teaching many wonderful life lessons, and embracing diversity. I can't thank you enough!"”
With gratitude,
Ms. Engelbrecht
3rd Grade Flexible Seating Learning Lounge
Funded Jun 2, 2017Thank you SO much for donating to our classroom flexible seating project! We are so excited to have these different seating choices in our classroom. When students arrived at Meet the Teacher Night, they walked into a classroom that looked different than what they had in 2nd grade. Students' faces lit up with excitement as they saw yoga balls, wobble stools, a rocker chair, and camp chairs. Parents were also thrilled to see the various seating options!
During the first 2 weeks of school, students rotated through each of the seating options, so they could test out each of the different seating choices and practice how to use them. When students were given the opportunity to choose their own seats, I was impressed by their ability to truly choose a spot that would work best for them. Each student chose a space that would allow them to sit, stand, or wobble while still learning and focusing on their work. Throughout the day, students are given the opportunity to sit in a spot around the room that will help them be focused and on task. Students have done a wonderful job of thinking about which seating choice in our room will be best for that specific subject (ie: yoga ball during math time or camp chair during reading time).
In the future, I hope to incorporate more seating options for students, like yoga mats, bean bag chairs, and comfy pillows. I love watching my students use the flexible seating choices to help them stay focused on their learning each day. These flexible seating choices have created a comfortable and more positive learning lounge for all of my students. Thank you for your generosity. It is greatly appreciated!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Engelbrecht