Past projects 15
Light It Up for Autism!
Funded Mar 29, 2017I am excited to share photos and stories about our cloud light covers project. Thank you so much for your generosity! The light covers are making a tremendous difference in our classroom environment. Even better, another teacher on my campus saw the difference they make for us—and she found a way to get light panels for her own classroom. These light covers really are amazing!
I am especially excited about the cloud light covers because I have three new students this year who all have sensitivity to light and sound. The light panels make such a difference to decrease the over-stimulating glare and flickering of our florescent lights. Last year, I noticed a difference in the brightness right away when we installed the light panels. Now that I have three students who especially need them, I am even more grateful! As I wrote during the project proposal, I believe in "universal design for learning" (UDL). UDL means that I design a classroom environment that offers supports and accommodations that benefit (or do no harm) to all kids. These light panels are a perfect example. All my students (and staff!) love them. And for a few special students, they make all the difference!
The first day when my students saw the clouds, they were so excited! This project provided enough funding to install the light panels in half our room. I chose strategic areas, such as putting them over our SmartBoard (group learning area), over our writing table, and in our reading area. In these specific areas, the light is subtle and non-glaring now. You can see happy, happy kids working at the writing table in the photos. The kids kept pointing to the ceiling and saying, "CLOUDS!"
For one of my students last year, the light panels made a big difference right away. He was a very busy student who often got overstimulated by classroom activities. I could see immediately that he was calmer and more focused. For weeks, he would point to the clouds and say things like, "I like them." This project was so important to me because I know it will make a difference for many kids over the years to come. (Soon, we'll be posting the second half of our project to finish covering the lights in our classroom. Perhaps you can help us promote it!)
Thank you so much for your generosity and support of our public school classroom. I feel that my students are such special young people, and I'm so grateful to create a classroom environment that is specially designed to promote their progress. You have really made a difference for my students, and you have made me feel so supported as a teacher. Thank you for responding to our needs and generously donating to our community! We cannot thank you enough for investing in our future: our kids!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Ledbetter
This classroom project was brought to life by Aspect Ventures and 4 other donors.Building Creativity in Preschool!
Funded Feb 15, 2017I am excited to share photos and stories about the Building Creativity project. Thanks to your generosity, my students have been having wonderful new learning experiences. Thank you!
When I first proposed this project, I mentioned that my students spent most of their time building independently with legos. My goal was to bring materials into my classroom that could inspire creativity, collaboration, and invention. These materials have been exactly what I hoped!
When the materials arrived, the kids were really excited! The boys got to work right away building, experimenting, exploring, and best of all—collaborating! It was wonderful to see them so engaged with their peers instead of building independently.
The magnet builders have been one of my favorites because they require planning and testing out different designs. When structures fail due to design flaws or gravity, it's wonderful to see the kids revise their design and consider how they could improve their next structure. I think this is promoting their flexible thinking and creativity. Additionally, my students enjoy the challenge. They beam with pride when they accomplish their building goals!
The kids have also been enjoying the geobuilders that stick together in curious ways. Similar to the magnet builders, the geobuilders require planning and design testing to create connected structures. Once the kids get the geobuilders connected together, they can pick up large creations to carry around the room and share with others, as you see my proud student doing in one of the photos I shared. The geobuilders have been really fascinating, and they remind me a little bit of science structures like atoms. How interesting to see the kids building with such unusual shapes!
My students have also been really interested in the zig zag blocks because they stack in unusual patterns. They are completely unique from anything else in our room, so we have been enjoying them so much! Additionally, my students have been enjoying the connected tube builders. They have been making cars, animals, and other creative inventions. These materials have expanded their building ideas far beyond legos! Now, they can create such a variety of vehicles and creatures. This has really engaged their minds in new ways!
As we wrap up this year, I look back and feel really proud about the experiences I've been able to create through these materials. Thank you so much for your support! You have really made a difference for my students. Having creative building materials for our classroom has provided my students the opportunities to innovate and collaborate this year. Next year, I look forward to seeing how these materials will be used and enjoyed by my future students! Thank you for responding to our needs and generously donating to our community! We cannot thank you enough for investing in our future: our kids!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Ledbetter
STEM-tastic Preschool!
Funded Feb 15, 2017I would like to warmly thank you for generously providing materials for our classroom. I am excited to share stories about student reactions, photos of the kids using the materials, and celebrate the ways that these materials have improved our classroom.
When the materials arrived, the kids were really excited! I'm sure you can see from the photos, they were absolutely riveted by the new experiences! They got to work right away building, experimenting, exploring, and best of all—collaborating! It was wonderful to see them so engaged.
Even better, these materials continue to be loved two months later. I think their favorite materials from this project are the Number Bots. These amazing numbers transform into robots! My students get them out daily, and it takes multiple reminders to get the kids to put them away at the end of learning centers. They love them so much! Another favorite is the build-a-coaster set. These science materials are amazing! The kids have to figure out how to put a system of track together so that a spinning wheel falls from track to track and into a cup at the bottom. There are so many challenges to overcome! This is one of the best hands-on physics toys I have ever seen because it encourages authentic problem solving and collaboration.
The stand-up magnetic center is really special. It created a new space for my students to work together in the science area. I love having two magnetic sides so they can experiment with the coasters on one side and the gears on the other. My students have really loved the magnetic gears. I've noticed few students who don't normally play with science materials playing with these, so I'm excited to see how the gears encourage my students to try new things. The crazy shapes magnetic builders and magna-cars are also daily favorites. Vehicles and rockets are two of their favorite topics, so these materials align perfectly with their interests and challenge them to design, build, and create.
The STEM materials from this project have created so many opportunities for collaboration, conversation, and social skills practice. We needed these things so much! I noticed that behavior problems in our classroom decreased right away because the kids had purposeful learning experiences that engaged their minds. When I look around my classroom now, I see students sitting in different areas of the room focused on cooperative learning with the materials and their peers. This is so awesome! Before these materials arrived, we did not have enough materials to interest my students this way. Now, I feel so grateful to see how these materials have improved their learning. Thank you!
As a teacher, it was amazing to have this project funded by caring donors! Having STEM materials for our classroom provides my students the opportunities to think creatively like engineers. It might look like the kids are playing in the photographs, but if you look closely you will see their focused stares as they try to master something new and interesting to them. These materials have really captured their attention! Thank you for responding to our needs and generously donating to our community! We cannot thank you enough for investing in our future: our kids!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Ledbetter
Be Amazed By Science! (Preschool Students With Autism)
Funded Dec 15, 2014Dear Donors:
First, I would like to apologize that it has taken me so long to write about the impact of this wonderful project! I'm not one to make excuses, but I want to share that I had a baby and finished my dissertation last year. Amidst the stress and chaos, I lost the camera that had the photos from our project. I recently found the camera, and I think you will see that this project had a great, lasting impact on my classroom!
Now that a year has passed, I can really speak to the influence of these materials on science learning in my classroom. The kids LOVE the 3D science viewers because they can change the slides to look at a variety of animals and insects, enhancing their learning about organisms and life cycles. The prism viewers are another favorite. The kids are really interested in how the lens distorts the light and image when they gaze through. It's like magic, and they responded with awe! The gears have helped the kids learn about how systems work together when one gear interlocks to turn another gear. One particular student spent a lot of time working with the gears, increasing the challenge over time by adding more gears and methods for interlocking them together. This really stretched his imagination and problem-solving skills. One of the biggest hits are the liquid discovery tubes. Students love to turn these over and watch how the different substances transform before their eyes. I have seen students working together cooperatively to share and take turns because these items are so motivating and engaging. We are enjoying them so much! The color-changing touch squares are another wonderful addition to our classroom. The squares are heat sensitive, so when the kids touch each square, it changes color. This mesmerizes the kids to see how their actions create an effect. Since there are multiple squares, the kids have been able to share without incident and have lots of fun together!
Science was an area in my classroom that once lacked materials and student interest. Now, it's a hot spot in my classroom where kids work together to share, cooperate, practice language, and practice social skills. I would like to warmly thank you for generously providing materials for our classroom. The materials were essential during our state early childhood assessment (ECERS-R), and we scored very highly in the area of science. Our site earned an ECERS rating that continued to provide funding for scholarships in the typically developing preschool classroom. This was important because those students provide peer models for my preschool students who have special needs. I am so grateful for your contributions that helped us achieve success on this assessment. Thank you!
As a teacher, it was amazing to have this project funded by caring donors! I've thought of your generosity often over the past year! Having science materials for our classroom provides my students the opportunities to think creatively, practice social skills, and develop discovery skills for science. It might look like my students are playing in the photographs, but if you look closely you will see their focused stares as they try to master something new and interesting to them. It can be very challenging to keep my students engaged and busy, but these materials have really captivated their attention. Thank you for responding to our needs and generously donating to our community! We cannot thank you enough for investing in our future: our kids!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Ledbetter
Explore & Conquer! Science Discovery for Kids with Autism
Funded Oct 3, 2014I would like to warmly thank you for generously providing materials for our classroom. I am excited to share stories about student reactions, photos of the kids using the materials, and celebrate the ways that these materials have improved our classroom.
When the materials arrived, the kids were really excited. One of the most exciting parts was using the ball pump to inflate the See-Inside Activity balls. The kids really wanted to help, and they were so excited to see how the ball changed as we added air. It was great to see them crowd around, wait for a turn to help with the pump, and delight in the final product. The See-Inside Activity balls have been a big hit. My students love looking at how the materials inside move with gravity as the balls bounce or roll.
The kids also love the Giant Sight & Sound tubes. The materials inside move and make sound when the kids turn the tube from side to side. This has really increased their experimentation. One of my students who rarely explores new materials has become very interested in the tubes. She picks one up and walks around with it, turning it side to side. She seems to really like the weight of the items and the sound effect. These are great!
The materials for this project have really allowed kids to experiment with sight, sound, and motion. In addition to the materials I described above, they also love shaking the Color Discovery tubes to mix and create new colors, explore common items with a magnifier, and see the effects when they touch the heat sensitive color changing board. When exciting materials are present, it increases socialization. Kids have spent more time together in the science area exploring the materials. I have seen more side-by-side play, increased interactions like sharing and turn-taking, and verbal commenting about materials. These experiences are hard to facilitate in my room without naturally engaging materials, so your donation has really helped us grow and learn in these important areas.
Additionally, these wonderful science materials are essential for my program to pass a state early childhood assessment called the ECERS-R. This year for the first time in Arizona, early childhood classrooms for students with special needs will be evaluated by this assessment. Passing the evaluation is a requirement for continued funding in our regular education preschool program next door. As we have been preparing for this high-stakes assessment, I have felt so blessed and supported that we have science materials from the required checklist. Without your donation, we would be in desperate need for materials to meet the state expectations. This could have caused funding loss for our regular education program, a wonderful program that benefits my students when they mainstream with non-disabled kids. I am so grateful that you helped move our room one step closer to success on this assessment. Thank you!
As a teacher, it was amazing to have this project funded by caring donors! Having science materials for our classroom provides my students the opportunities to think creatively, practice social skills, and develop discovery skills for science. It might look like my students are playing in the photographs, but if you look closely you will see their focused stares as they try to master something new and interesting to them. It can be very challenging to keep my students engaged and busy, but these materials have really captivated their attention. Thank you for responding to our needs and generously donating to our community! We cannot thank you enough for investing in our future: our kids!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Ledbetter
It's Magnetic! Attracting Preschool Kids for Fun Learning
Funded Aug 21, 2014I would like to warmly thank you for generously providing materials for our classroom. As you can see from the photos, the kids have been very ATTRACTED to our magnet science materials! There have been many great outcomes from this project, but I will share three exciting outcomes with you today.
First, we have been able to create a science and discovery center that we did not have in my classroom before this project. Having a science center is a staple for early childhood classrooms, but we did not have any materials that were safe. Now, we have a new (safe!) area of the classroom where our kids play every day. This has expanded their play, decreased crowding in other centers, and improved student engagement. The kids have been mesmerized by the wonderful new opportunities to explore science. As you can see in the photos, the kids stare intently as the magnets interact with metals, causing attraction and other interesting experiences. I could barely get the children to stop and smile for the camera because they were so engrossed in learning!
Second, the materials have increased socialization in my classroom. You can see the kids working together in some of the photos. These are such great moments! When exciting materials are present, kids spend time in the same area to explore the materials. I have seen more side-by-side play, increased interactions like sharing and turn-taking, and verbal commenting about materials. These experiences are hard to facilitate in my room without naturally engaging materials, so your donation has really helped us grow and learn in these important areas.
Third, these wonderful science materials are essential for my program to pass a state early childhood assessment called the ECERS-R. This year for the first time in Arizona, early childhood classrooms for students with special needs will be evaluated by this assessment. Passing the evaluation is a requirement for continued funding in our regular education preschool program next door. As we have been preparing for this high-stakes assessment, I have felt so blessed and supported that we have science materials from the required checklist. Without your donation, we would be in desperate need for materials to meet the state expectations. This could have caused funding loss for our regular education program, a wonderful program that benefits my students when they mainstream with non-disabled kids. I am so grateful that you helped move our room one step closer to success on this assessment. Thank you!
As a teacher, it was amazing to have this project funded by caring donors! Having materials for our classroom provides my students the opportunities to think creatively, practice social skills, and develop discovery skills for science. It might look like my students are playing in the photographs, but if you look closely you will see their focused stares as they try to master something new and interesting to them. It can be very challenging to keep my students engaged and busy, but these materials have really been a blessing to us. Thank you for responding to our needs and generously donating to our community! We cannot thank you enough for investing in our future: our kids!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Ledbetter
Social Skills for Autism: A Bicycle Built for Two!
Funded Mar 3, 2014I would like to warmly thank you for generously providing a ride-along trike for my students to use on the playground. It has been such a hit! Even better, this trike has increased social interactions and cooperation for all of the preschool students. Some of my students who do not typically ride bikes will ride along in the back of this trike while another student pedals. Sitting in the back, the kids laugh as they go around the bike track, included with the other kids. What an amazing experience for them!
The day that the trike was first on the playground, the students in the regular education classroom saw it first. They were so excited that they asked their teacher if they could came tell me thank you right away (my class had not come out to the playground yet). I was finishing up a group activity with my students when I saw 4-5 very happy little faces with bright eyes peering through the playground door into my classroom. They shouted "THANK YOU!" and ran off to enjoy their new ride. They kids were so excited about the new bike that day! The excitement has not worn off. This is one of the most highly used bikes of the playground. Best yet, my students are typically included now that this bike is part of our playground.
For two of my students, this bike has really improved their friendship. These two boys once raced bikes around the bike track competitively. Playground often ended with disputes and hurt feelings. On this new trike, these two students work together. They have to take turns to decide who drives and who rides. Additionally, they occasionally have to work together to push the bike up hills if they don't have enough speed and get stuck. This has improved their ability to communicate, solve problems, and develop their friendship. Thank you for the opportunity this has provided these two boys.
As a teacher, it was amazing to have this project funded by caring donors! Having materials for our classroom provides my students the opportunities to participate socially in challenging activities like the playground. It means a lot to us to see our students included in the fun instead of standing on the sidelines. Getting this trike has provided them an opportunity to interact with their peers and practice social skills. For kids with autism, social skills are one of the most important areas of focus! Thank you for responding to our needs and generously donating to our community! We cannot thank you enough for investing in our future: our kids!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Ledbetter
Driving Autism Success! Bikes to Participate on Playground
Funded Dec 19, 2013I would like to warmly thank you for generously providing a small trike for my young students to use on the playground. When I proposed the project, I was hoping a smaller trike could increase the social interactions for my small students and increase their ability to participate in riding trikes with other students. This trike has done exactly that! Now my students have a trike that is their size and they can keep up with the older students who ride quickly around the bike track. This has really increased their self-esteem and opportunities to feel included.
For one student, using this small trike helped him learn the motor skills for riding all trikes. Now, he can ride any size trike and does not have to wait for a turn on the small trike anymore. For other students, the small trike is what they ride every day. In addition to helping our class, there are students in the regular education preschool class who also ride this trike. Overall, there are about 10 students (my class and the other class) who use this trike daily because the other bikes on our playground are too big for them. What a big difference this has made for these students! I am also excited to have this trike because I recently had three very young students enroll in my class, and I am planning to introduce this trike to them on the playground as soon as they are ready for a fun challenge.
As a teacher, it was amazing to have this project funded by caring donors! Having materials for our classroom provides my students the opportunities to participate socially in challenging activities like the playground. It means a lot to us to see our students included in the fun instead of standing on the sidelines. Getting this trike has provided them a trike their size so that they can interact with their peers and practice social skills. For kids with autism, social skills are one of the most important areas of focus! Thank you for responding to our needs and generously donating to our community! We cannot thank you enough for investing in our future: our kids!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Ledbetter
Books For Autism! We Love To Read And Retell Stories!
Funded Dec 10, 2013Dear Donors:
I would like to warmly thank you for generously providing materials for our classroom. When the books arrived, we unpacked them together as a class. You can see in the pictures that the kids were really excited. The books purchased with your donations are student copies of books we read frequently during circle time. The kids know these books and love them! Until now, I have not had student copies of these books for the kids to look at in our book area. But I have always wished for these tools.
One great thing about the books you purchased is that these books are song lyrics, like "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and "Old MacDonald Had a Farm." For students with autism, music can be very motivating and organizing. I use the book songs as a tool to connect kids with autism to literature and increase their interest in books. Wow, having student copies of these familiar books has really increased their interest!!!
Now that students have their own copies of books, they are so excited to grab a book from the book area every day. Favorites include: "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," "Baby Beluga," and "The Wheels on the Bus." My morning and afternoon classes use these books every single day. Since the books are familiar songs, students are more successful looking at books independently by turning the pages and singing the songs. Songs are much easier to remember than remembering stories without music. In addition to looking at the books independently, you can see how they crowd around a teacher reading one of these books. The books you have donated are hot commodities in our classroom, and the kids benefit daily.
I'd like to tell you stories about two particular students who have benefited from these books. The first story is about a boy who started new in our class this spring. He loves the book "Wheels on the Bus." When he first started, he was so nervous about other areas of the classroom that he spent all his time in the book area looking at one of the books you purchased for our class. Now that he is more comfortable, we use this book as a tool for reward when he does something challenging. He is trying to learn how to accept eating at school (he will only eat if his mom feeds him), but we have been working strategically to increase his tolerance for eating at school. Recently, he has begun to let me feed him. As a reward, he runs to the book area for his favorite book and some congratulatory hugs. This book has increased his motivation and his progress toward goals that are very challenging for him! Thank you!
The second story is about a very shy little girl who speaks in whispers. Her favorite book is "Baby Beluga." She chooses this book every single day and she has learned to sing the song by herself. For a child who rarely speaks, it is a joy for us to hear her singing loudly with confidence. Additionally, this has increased her book skills for looking at books by herself, turning the pages, and telling the story (the song) from the pictures.
As a teacher, it was amazing to have this project funded by caring donors! Having materials for our classroom provides my students the opportunities to learn the importance of reading and language. The kids have been so engaged by these books and they will be loved by years to come! Thank you for responding to our needs and generously donating to our community! We cannot thank you enough for investing in our future: our kids!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Ledbetter
Building a Future for Autism
Funded Dec 4, 2013Dear Donors:
I would like to warmly thank you for generously providing materials for our classroom. My students have been mesmerized by the wonderful new toys: the road pieces, train track, cars, trains, construction vehicles, buildings, community people, school bus, airplane set, and imagination building blocks. These materials are AMAZING! We created a new area in our classroom for these wonderful toys so that the children can build in a large open space that allows their imaginations to run wild. It has been incredible to see my students spending so much time planning and building together. I have seen dramatic improvements in sharing and peer communication since the kids need to work together to assemble a connected road or train system. I see little engineers developing before my eyes! I think you can see from the photos that these toys have really captivated their attention and contributed to learning these past three months. I could barely get the children to stop and smile for the camera because they were so engrossed in learning!
I want to tell you about two particular students who have really been affected by this project. Both students are relatively new, starting preschool in the past few months. The first boy used to stand by the exit door every day during learning centers time. He was scared to participate with other kids or explore the toys in the classroom. For his entire first week, he stood by the door watching us nervously. The second week, we were able to coax him into the classroom to play with the train set. Trains (especially Thomas the Train) are his favorite topic. After a few days of assisting him with the trains, he learned to play by himself near the other students with the trains. One of my classroom assistants said, "This train is making lots of miracles" when she saw this boy playing with the trains and the other kids in the class. It has been a tremendous blessing for him and for us as his teachers.
The second student is a child who obsesses about lining up items in lines around the room. He takes items from around the classroom, runs away, and creates a line somewhere else. These tendencies prevent him from spending time with other kids because he is so engaged in the task of lining things up. In the last few weeks, we have been able to get this student to play appropriately with the cars and roads in the group area where other children are playing. He has recently begun to drive the cars along the road instead of creating lines of cars. These behaviors need additional encouragement, but we are so excited to see these skills emerging. It is wonderful to see how these materials have improved his ability to be social and active near other children.
As a teacher, it was amazing to have this project funded by caring donors! Having materials for our classroom provides my students the opportunities to think creatively, practice social skills, and develop thinking skills about how systems (like roads and train track) work together. It might look like my students are playing in the photographs, but if you look closely you will see their focused stares as they try to master something new and interesting to them. It can be very challenging to keep my students engaged and busy, but these materials have really been a blessing to us. Thank you for responding to our needs and generously donating to our community! We cannot thank you enough for investing in our future: our kids!”
With gratitude,
Dr. Ledbetter