Past projects 3
Calm Your Body - Sensory Input
Funded Dec 15, 2022Thank you so much for supporting my classroom! My students were so excited to see our new materials and test them out. We use the materials every day. I can see the impact these materials have made on my students in helping them to focus their attention during instruction and calm their bodies down.
I have several students that were not able to fall asleep during rest time because they have high energy levels. The weighted blankets have helped them to calm their bodies so that they can either relax quietly on their cot or take a nap. We found so much success helping one child sleep with a weighted blanket that his family bought him one for home, as well! We use the kinetic sand as a calming activity when the energy levels in the classroom get too high. The students can sit at the table playing with the sand for over thirty minutes.
The fidgets have helped the students focus their attention during large group instruction. Several students need to hold something in their hands to help them focus and listen to the story being read. They are now able to actively listen and participate in circle time. They can answer open-ended questions and show me all of the things they are learning.
The impact of your gift as been felt greatly in my classroom. We appreciate your generosity!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Kim
Using Books to Teach Social/Emotional Skills - Part 4
Funded Jun 14, 2018Through books we are able to introduce new concepts and vocabulary in a safe and fun way. Books are safe because they are not directly about us, yet we are still able to reflect our own experiences in the characters we read about. Also, because books are open-ended, they allow children to explore how they might handle a particular situation; for example how they might feel when confronted with a particular situation or what action they might take.
Reading takes place in a variety of ways in our classroom. We read to large groups of children, we read to small groups of children, and we invite and encourage children to explore books on their own or with a friend. As teachers we strive to make our classroom a literacy rich environment and that means a lot of high quality children's books! In addition to having books in a library area, as one would expect, we also provide books in each learning area to enhance and expand children's play. This could be anything from a book about building in the block area to books that explore food in a dramatic play area. Books often serve as the gateway to our learning and are a way for children to not only see themselves reflected back but to explore concepts that might be difficult or simply new to them.
Books function differently for different children. If there was a universal truth, however, it might be that books allow for the opportunity to explore topics at your own pace. In addition to building literacy skills, books can build a child's sense of themselves. When a child is looking at a favorite book, the story that takes place in their mind is theirs alone. What they image the character is feeling can be a way for them to self-reflect and process experiences that either might be to difficult to confront directly or may be unfamiliar.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Kim
Preschool Engineers
Funded May 31, 2017We started using our project materials in our preschool classroom and are having a great time! Our first project was to make chairs. We read three stories - Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Peter's Chair, and A Chair for my Mother. Each story centered around a chair. We chose to focus on the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The students were asked to make a new chair for baby bear since Goldilocks broke his. We used various cardboard materials, tape, and glue to put our chairs together, then tested them by placing a five pound bag of sugar on it. The students thoroughly enjoyed building their chairs and being creative, and they were thrilled to see their chairs holding the bag of sugar. They gained confidence, problem solving skills, and new vocabulary.
I have 11 more projects that I am going to work on with the students. Each project revolves around a children's book and an open ended science activity related to that book. We are excited to do more engaging hands on activities and gaining science and literacy skills. Thank you so much for the contribution you made to my project!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Kim
This classroom project was brought to life by PNC Grow Up Great® and 2 other donors.