Past projects 3
Listening, Reading Oh My!
Funded Oct 30, 2023Our class has been using our listening center every day and I have noticed a big difference in their draw to physical books since. During center time where there are at least 6 choice tables to play learning games, many flock to the listening center or library instead. This project has made a huge impact in developing readers and a love of reading and books.
Half of the learner in our classroom are entering multi language learners and the listening center has exposed them all 4 learning modalities to support MLL's, listening speaking, reading and writing. Students are repeating what is being read to them as they listen and follow along in the books as they are read to. Many write about the listening center in there personal journals or request colorings sheets of the characters in the books.
The alphabet books are a big hit from this project and I have noticed that all students have progressed in their letter and letter sound knowledge in the short time that they have been utilizing them. So very grateful to donors of donor choose and please know that you have made an impact to our classroom.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Polkosnik
This classroom project was brought to life by Equitable Foundation.Small Group Work
Funded Dec 21, 2019My students and I are so grateful for the literacy and math centers! I use them regularly during small group work for math to practice counting & cardinality and in literacy small groups to reinforce letter and sound recognition as well as to build words. Students use them during reading workshop and math block for repeated practice. I notice that during our Fun Friday period, students choose these centers during play. One of their favorite things to do with the letter snap blocks is to create their names. I uploaded a picture of Tania showing me her name using snap blocks.
When I first introduced these materials, students couldn't wait to use them. They sat so quietly on the rug as I taught them what each of these centers help us learn and how to use them step by step. Once they were stationed in the room with each center, students were extremely excited about the center they chose, but also moved between centers with ease of choice during 5 minute intervals.
When I think of my next steps, I am in the mists of assessing students to measure the impact of exposing them to these materials. I already see progress in counting within tens for some students and putting numbers in order. I also noticed progress in hearing and using vowels in CVC words. I want to incorporate these materials as differentiation scaffolds for my students in writing workshop as I continue to notice that students that know their letters, need to practice writing down the letters that they hear in the words that they want to use in their writing pieces.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Polkosnik
Kindergarteners' Focus
Funded Aug 10, 2018My students love to write and I believe that the privacy shields funded by you have made a great impact on their ability to focus. The shields are kept in the rack that you also funded in a place in the classroom where students can easily access them on their own and each week a "privacy shield" helper helps with putting them away after writing block.
When the shields were first presented, they were offered as optional material to help with focus and work time, which allowed students to chose to use or not use on any given day. Also, when the shields were introduced, since students sit at tables with peers, students were so excited with the prospect of making their "own space" at their seats.
As you can see from the photos I uploaded, some students even choose to write on the rug and choose to bring their privacy shields with them. Writing time is a wonderful time in our classroom. We do use privacy shields during other subjects, such as math and during High Order Thinking assessments, but I feel that the impact during Writing Workshop, which is the initial reason I posted my project has shown the most impact and allowed students to shine and foster a love of writing.
Thank you so much for funding what has become such a valuable resource and part of our Kindergarten classroom!
Sincerely,
Barbara
Polkosnik-Dorfman”
With gratitude,
Ms. Polkosnik