Past projects 2
Cozy Carpets for Comfort and Quiet
Funded Dec 27, 2019Thank you so very much for donating to my "Cozy Carpets for Comfort and Quiet" project. You can't imagine the difference the rugs are making in our classroom! The block area is now a place where children's building projects can literally reach new heights without the fear that the eventual crash will be deafening to all our ears! The carpet perfectly buffers the sound of falling blocks. The children also now have a comfortable place to sit and build longitudinally with blocks, tracks and the like, without having to brave the cold linoleum floor. Their imaginations are soaring!
Our library area, which was formerly not such a welcoming place, has become a favorite "hang out" for the children. The beautiful literacy-themed carpet has created a very cozy nook in which the children can relax and enjoy books of all sorts. Now, instead of sitting on the cold bare floor, the children have a comfortable, cozy and warm surface on which to expand their literacy skills and enjoy imaginary adventures!
Teaching in a 100+ year old building has its challenges, but a big one is usually dealing with the drafts and cold during the winter months. The carpets that your generous donations have provided for my classroom have gone a very long way to remedy that situation while providing some much needed comfort as well.”
With gratitude,
Ms. S.
This classroom project was brought to life by Townsend Press and 4 other donors.Puppets Promote Literacy
Funded Dec 27, 2019I cannot thank you all enough for donating funds to my "Puppets Promote Literacy" project. As you can see from the photos, they are a very welcome addition to our class. The children are so attracted by the vibrant colors and distinct personalities of each individual puppet, that these imaginary friends have quickly become the most popular resource in our classroom.
We use the puppets daily to promote letter-sound connections. Each puppet displays both the upper and lowercase letter they represent. We have named each puppet with a moniker that begins with their letter and created a "back story" as well. For example, "Allison Alligator has adventures in the Amazon!" We have a structured session daily with the puppets during which the children recall all the pertinent information about them such as letter names, sounds and back stories. The children then choose puppets and exercise their imagination to create more scenarios, using their knowledge of the puppets' letter sounds. Allison Alligator, for example, has "eaten apples in an attic," and been "an animal astronaut" as well as "an amazing acrobat." These interactions have already greatly increased the children's phonological awareness by leaps and bounds.
We have many English language learners in our class and these puppets have been a tremendous support for these students in particular. They learn the letter-sound connection by repeating the puppet names and having a concrete representation of the sound application. All of the children look forward to "puppet time" each day, and also choose to use them during "free choice time" as well. It is so gratifying to see and hear the children interacting with one another through the puppets and applying their phonological awareness in the process. My goal for these puppets has truly been achieved!”
With gratitude,
Ms. S.
This classroom project was brought to life by PNC Grow Up Great® and 2 other donors.