Past projects 5
Sensory Tools for Emotional Self-Regulation and Learning in Kindergarten
Funded Sep 27, 2022My students were beyond excited when I unpacked all the sensory tools - the kinetic sand, memory foam, and play dough. They immediately wanted to begin working with them. Students who have experienced challenges in learning letter names and formation have been using them in a small group to target specific letter practice. For example, students who are working on identifying letter 'n' make the letter out of sand, foam, and play dough, repeating the name as they go. I have seen such improvement in long term memory of the letter names as a result of their tactile resources. Thank you so much for your support in helping all my students learn to read!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Casey
Small Group Phonics and Writing Practice
Funded Sep 26, 2022My students were so very excited when we received the new white board erasers, magnetic writing boards, and alphabet tracing cards. We have been practicing our phonetic spelling and spelling of sight words using individual white boards, but the erasers made it so much easier to work on multiple words or sentences in a session. Now each day students have the appropriate materials to practice phonetic spelling like "ran, sat, mat" to improve their writing skills.
The magnetic boards and tracing cards have been used as a phonics center to provide another high interest activity to practice letter names and formations. Students love finding and using the letter of the day or the cards that spell their name and showing others their work. Thank you for making their continued interest and growth in reading and writing possible!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Casey
Dramatic Play for Kindergarteners
Funded Sep 26, 2022Our class has been learning about community helpers: firefighters, custodians, doctors, pilots, grocers, and postal workers during our English Language Development time. Students have been practicing naming and describing the important jobs these community helpers do every day. The materials that were made possible by your generous donation have allowed students to put those vocabulary words into action through modeling interactions in a grocery store and a doctor's office.
The students were so excited to see all kinds of different foods and the same tools they had seen in their doctors' offices! They often use them during free choice time as well - building and expanding their verbal vocabulary and increasing the opportunities to build social skills with their peers by making requests and listening to other's needs.
Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Casey
Flexible Learning Centers for Independent Kindergarteners
Funded Mar 5, 2018Thank you so much for your generosity! The supplies students received from this project has increased their interest in center time dramatically - particularly in terms of listening to read aloud stories. The digital boom box has allowed my students to listen to dozens of new books read aloud to them while they follow along in their books. Students eagerly anticipate their turn to use the listening center and are often so engrossed in the stories they don't even hear the clean up bell! Being able to listen to and follow along with so many stories has increased the literacy skills of many of my students - from being able to follow a text left to right and top to bottom to being able to use illustrations to determine the meaning of new words in context. The many reading and math games has also increased their ability to choose an activity that meets their currently skill level independently. This differentiation allows all students to find an activity that will help "their brains grow". Thank you so much!!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Casey
This classroom project was brought to life by Verizon and 8 other donors.Wiggle Seats for Kindergarteners
Funded Jul 8, 2017Thank you so much for providing this amazing resource to help our students who need more movement be successful in completing their work and focusing on instruction! These wiggle seats have allowed several students who need to move around more sit and attend to instruction for extended periods of time and helped them complete more work seated at their desks. More than one student refused to sit on the rug at all during whole group instruction, and now they routinely sit through entire lessons with joy! The kids were all so excited to see them - all the kids want a turn to use them, even the ones who don't need to move as much as others! Thank you again for helping make instruction and application of learning possible for all types of students in our classroom - I can't tell you how much it means to me and our kids!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Casey