Past projects 6
Shakers, Scarves, and Sticks: More Music in Kindergarten!
Funded Sep 24, 2024I am so pleased to report that the Music Circles in our kindergarten classroom have been a huge success! Every day we gather in the Music Circle after our returning to our classroom from recess. It is a wonderful way to calm our bodies down from recess, build community as a class, and create together. Each day has a different theme (song, egg shakers, scarves, rhythm sticks, and finger puppets). We are working on different musical and rhythmic concepts with all of these tools, as well as developing a knowledge of and affinity for music across the world. I look forward to many years of kindergarten Music Circles and am anxious to see how these Circles will grow/change with time and as I gain more experience as a teacher.
The attached photos are a sampling of thank you notes from the students, in which they describe and illustrate their favorite part of the Music Circles. I love seeing how they draw themselves and their enthusiasm for this incredibly important and special part of our day. Thank you for your support of our class!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Hardebeck
Amazing Books for Amazing Kids
Funded Nov 20, 2022Thank you so much for supporting our vibrant kindergarten classroom. We opened the boxes of books together this week. I wish you could have heard the joy in the room. The kids were elated that these beautiful texts now reside in our classroom space.
We love reading together. It helps us build community, learn about each other and ourselves, feel joy and laugh together, and build our skills as emerging readers. Our current Ethnic Studies unit centers on identity; we are excited to learn about the diversity of identities in our classroom through these texts. Our current Reading unit focuses on wondering; through these complex and interesting texts, we will practice asking questions and digging a little bit deeper. Families of kindergarteners will come and join us and read these texts, and others, to our class.
Learning to read certainly has to do with blending letter sounds together to read words. But the magic of reading, and often the reason that kids are motivated to read, is the power of stories. Thank you for bringing these rich and inspiring stories into our kindergarten classroom. We cannot thank you enough!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Hardebeck
Inspire Our Kindergarten Class!
Funded Oct 21, 2021Thank you for your incredibly generous gift to our classroom. As you can imagine, returning to in-person learning during a global pandemic has been challenging; you made it that much easier for learning to be engaging, fun, and meaningful. We have been reading the books that you purchased for us throughout the course of the year, using the many toys as kids arrive to school in the morning (morning tubs), and the hands-on literacy and math manipulatives make the kids want to engage in learning tasks.
Thank you for helping all of our students, regardless of their backgrounds, receive high-quality learning tools. Colorful and engaging books, toys, and manipulatives are crucial in developing a life-long love for and interest in learning.
We continue to work hard to achieve our classroom charter (we want to feel happy, safe, brave, and kind), learn how to read/count/observe/discuss/listen/be kind, and stay safe throughout this year. Thank you so much for kicking our year off with your kindness.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Hardebeck
This classroom project was brought to life by Dollar General Literacy Foundation and 3 other donors.Building Foundational Skills Through Play!
Funded May 4, 2021Thank you for the amazing support for our curious, kind, creative, and engaged kindergarten students. It has been so amazing starting this school year in-person and seeing kids discover the interactive learning tools that this project provided to our classroom.
It is so special to me that folks support me and my kindergarten students. We work hard to create a magical space, and it is crucial that we have magical and engaging supplies. Thank you so much for your support, it means the absolute world to me and the little world-changers.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Hardebeck
This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Drive-In and one other donor.Celebrating Reading in Kindergarten
Funded Mar 5, 2020Thank you for supporting our kindergarten class! We unboxed the amazing, gorgeous books and the kindergarteners ooh'd and aah'd with delight! Unfortunately, we only had the books for two days before our school district closed. I brought the books home so I will use them when we move online for remote learning during this unprecedented situation.
As I mentioned, I have plans to share these books with other teachers in the school, specifically the other two kindergarten classes. I can't wait to hear about the generative conversations and moments as a result of these books.
Beautiful books that represent a variety of backgrounds and experiences captivate young learners. Thank you for helping us ignite a love for learning and reading in these formative years! And thank you for supporting me as a new teacher.
Love,
Ms. Swanson (Rachel)”
With gratitude,
Ms. Hardebeck
This classroom project was brought to life by A group of anonymous donors and 4 other donors.Learning Through Play
Funded Aug 18, 2019Our school year is well under-way. We have learned 10 letter names and sounds, we know our numbers from 0-10, and we are steadily learning and mastering school routines. We are building community everyday and getting to know each other.
One of the most meaningful ways that we have gotten to know each other is through playing together. Thank you for your generous gifts- the families and the kiddos felt so welcomed by so many warm, high-quality toys and learning games. I've seen friendships blossom over the magnet-tiles, counting collections with the math manipulatives, play-doh, and the play kitchen. We have three center rotations throughout the day in which the students use the materials: literacy centers, math centers, and choice time. The kids approach their learning and these times specifically with enthusiasm.
We know that when young kids feel comfortable at school and are eager to participate in activities, they are more likely to embrace learner identities. Thank you for helping support these kindergarten students in their first steps in their K-12 careers. Thank you for supporting me in my first year of teaching!!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Hardebeck
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 15 other donors.