Past projects 2
Choosing 'Anti-Bias' Literature
Funded Aug 11, 2020Again, I want to thank you all for supporting the 'Choosing Anti-Bias Literature' project. This year has been extremely different and sometimes challenging because we have had to change our way of learning. But, we have been lucky to be able to dive into some of these 'texts.'
At the beginning of the school year, we used many of the books, like 'One,' 'It's Okay to be Different' and 'Name Jar' to discuss our differences and create a community that celebrates 'who we are.' We also discussed restorative justice and empathy and collaboratively put into place expectations that would keep us safe and hold us accountable for our actions. Students created pictures about their communities, discussed their 'names' and what they preferred to be called, and decide 'what' they could do to stand up to bullying and injustices.
We continued to use the books during our ELA block. We use the curriculum 'Wonders' for ELA. Each week we read a new big book that is part of an overarching unit. We've read about bugs, animals, shapes, senses, our neighborhood etc. I often pair the 'big books' with the texts that we received through this project. Having several texts to represent a topic is necessary and often, we will compare the texts to tell how the new text 'adds' a different perspective to what we have already learned. Additionally, we compare ourselves to the characters in the text, talking about our similarities and differences. We think about ourselves and words that describe us. We think about the characters and words that
describe them. Then we tell how we are different/the same. We also talk about things in the text that are familiar and things that are new.
This year we have 11 English Language Learners in the classroom. Being able to read bilingual books, like 'Book Fiesta' has made students with limited English language more involved in the classroom. Overall, students have enjoyed the new classroom texts!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Freedman-Jones
This classroom project was brought to life by A Generous Donor and 10 other donors.Sensory-Based Supports in Kindergarten
Funded Sep 4, 2019The students in G6 were so excited to receive the sensory materials for the classroom. At the beginning of the year, I created a "Cool Down Corner' for students to use throughout the year. The 'Cool Down Corner' is a space for students to calm down when they are feeling upset or frustrated. Our goal this year is for students to manage their own behavior.
How the 'Cool Down Corner Works: If a student is feeling frustrated or upset, they can ask to sit in the cool down corner. If a student seems upset, I may also request that they sit in the 'Cool Down Corner.' Students are timed 1-3 minutes in the cool down corner. The corner is filled with all of the resources on my list. We have big comfy pillows, sensory disks, a bin with sensory fidgets, and sensory brushes. Students can also use noise-canceling headphones in the cool down corner. This is a space for students to feel safe, while managing behavior.
We are also using materials, such as the sensory disk, during circle time. A special students can sit on a disk. That person changes every day. The students are excited when they get the option of using the sensory-friendly materials.
The students reacted very well to the materials. When they saw the big cushions and pillows, they were excited to use them. Some even ask to go to the sensory corner when they are feeling happy. They absolutely love EVERYTHING!
Our next steps are continuing in using the 'Cool Down Corner' and resources. We also have yet to use the bouncing sensory balls. We plan to incorporate this into our routine and classroom. This is Kindergarten, so we are taking our time on introducing new things/materials, so that students can handle all things with respect and care.
We want to thank you again for helping us reach our goal and making our classroom and exciting place to learn!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Freedman-Jones
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 13 other donors.