Past projects 21
Games to Play on a Rainy Day!
Funded Jun 13, 2023Thank you so much for your generosity towards our classroom and our project. The students were super excited when the boxes arrived with our new games. The games we had been using were 10+ years old and were showing the wear and tear of lots of use by many students.
The goal is always to try to get outside for recess so that the students can run and play while getting out some pent up energy. However, living in Indiana, the weather isn't always cooperative. On those rainy, cold, or snowy days it is great to have games in the classroom for the students to play.
Many of the students in our class have a lot of screen time during a typical day. For inside recess, we play board games instead of adding to that screen time. It is very rewarding watching them learn skills like waiting their turn, cooperating, problem solving and being a good sport. Thanks again for allowing us to have this experience during inside recess!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bujarsky
Help Us Build Our Classroom Library
Funded Feb 2, 2022Thank you so much for your generosity! The students were so excited to receive this awesome book collection. We often read stories of influential people in our world to gain insight as to how they impact us and the world around us. However, the books we had access to didn't reflect the diversity of our world. This book set gives the students an opportunity to read about people who represent a variety of cultures as well as a mix of genders and ages. I am confident that these books will be used and enjoyed for many years to come. Thank you for helping build our classroom library!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bujarsky
This classroom project was brought to life by Panda Cares and 2 other donors.Keep Our Work Space Clean!
Funded Nov 30, 2021Thank you so much for your generous donation to our classroom project. We have had to make many changes and adjustments during the pandemic. Eating in our classrooms has been a struggle without having the proper cleaning supplies to maintain a clean environment. The vacuum cleaner we received through this project has been a game changer!
In our classroom, the students have jobs chosen each work cycle. We work as a community and all take responsibility to help maintain a clean, safe work space for everyone. The custodian job has become a very popular one since the arrival of our vacuum. The students love using it and are taking great pride in keeping our classroom clean.
After we are able to resume eating in the cafeteria, the vacuum will still be useful for other every day messes that occur. No longer do we need to worry about tracking in dirt from recess, or hand picking up all of the pencil shavings and items that drop on the floor during our day. Having this project funded has made things much easier in our classroom.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bujarsky
This classroom project was brought to life by #TeachHealthy with Nature Made and 4 other donors.Help Us Stay Organized!
Funded Feb 25, 2021This has been a very unique school year for all of us. One of the challenges we have faced in our classroom has been staying organized. As a Montessori classroom, we are accustomed to using all of the space available, allowing students to sit on the floor, at tables, on stools, etc. This year we have had to remove our usual seating options and replace them with individual desks for each child. These desks had to be separated by a minimum of 3 feet. This added another challenge given the size of our classroom. Many shelves and other storage options are being stored this year to ensure that the desks are positioned at a safe distance apart. Where , then, do the students keep their materials, folders, books, pencils, etc.?
The over the chair organizers that you helped fund have solved this problem for us! The students were very excited when they arrived in our classroom. They immediately started putting folders, books, and papers into this space. Knowing where materials are has really cut down on transition time between lessons. Before getting these organizers, there was a lot of time spent looking for papers and other materials. We are now able to use our instructional time on learning rather than looking for items. Thank you for helping us get organized!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bujarsky
Every Day Math!
Funded Sep 17, 2020When my students saw the Every Day Math box arrive, they were very excited. At this time I have some students attending in person and some working virtually. Our schedule is in place to allow for the virtual students to participate "live" alongside the students who are physically in the classroom. Our day begins with a morning meeting where we share and discuss a quote, and follow other routines to set the stage for the day.
One of these routines is now Every Day Math. This month it is about polygons. The students predict which shape and color they think will be next as they follow a certain pattern. We are also able to discuss attributes and names of particular shapes. There are also certain days "starred" to review and discuss multiples. The calendar portion of Every Day Math is just one aspect of this rich material.
This year has been a unique one to say the least. As Covid numbers rise, our district has decided to return to 100% virtual learning by the end of this month. Every Day Math is something that I will be able to continue using with my students in our morning meeting time virtually.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bujarsky
This classroom project was brought to life by Kleenex® Brand and 5 other donors.Creating Hands-On Colorful Materials!
Funded Aug 7, 2020As we started this school year virtually, there were many materials that students were unable to use in our classroom. Our Montessori philosophy relies heavily on hands on learning opportunities for our students. As the child moves from concrete to abstract understanding of concepts, they manipulate these materials frequently. Our students work on a two week work cycle with work plans that offer them differentiated work to practice and explore skills that meet their needs.
Our families drop off and pick up materials every two weeks. Having this color printer allowed me to provide colorful, individual materials and resources for my students to use during at home learning. Many of our materials and work needed to be reproduced to allow us to give our students the same meaningful learning experiences that they would have at school.
As we plan on a return to the classroom, these individual materials will still be important as we practice social distancing and staying as safe as possible. Rather than sharing the same materials, students will be able to have their own to lower the risk of passing on germs. This has been a very unique school year so far, but having this color printer has made it much easier to provide what my students need.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bujarsky
This classroom project was brought to life by A Generous Donor and 8 other donors.Please Join Me on the Blue Rug!
Funded Feb 24, 2019We were so excited when our blue rug arrived! Students literally sprawled down on it talking about how great it was! It is down and being used every day. A lot of the work we do in a Montessori classroom is with hands-on materials. Students choose their work space, lay out their mat, and work with a variety of materials. The blue rug provides a clean, comfortable space for that to happen.
Our day consists of whole group, small group and independent work. During small group work, the rug is a designated space on the floor that provides a more intimate feel to the lessons. We also use the rug space as a place for the class to come together for class meetings.
Thanks to your generosity, we will be enjoying our new rug in many ways!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bujarsky
Explore the World!
Funded Sep 27, 2018When we returned from our fall break, we were welcomed back with the box of materials for "Explore the World!" My students and I were so excited to open the box and see the beautiful biome maps and unwrap all of the cards, labels, and work that came with them. Each of the seven maps comes as a large scroll of the continent with a key and colorful layout of the biomes specific to that continent.
The work that we do in our Montessori classroom originates with the 5 Great Lessons. All of our work stems back to these impressionistic lessons. These lessons provide elementary students with a "big picture" of the world and life. Studying the biomes of the world allows students to explore the life on each of the continents and to understand the similarities and differences of each.
We began the year learning about the different biomes and understanding what a biome is. Now that we have this material, the students will be able to extend that knowledge. The first thing we did was to use the map of North America to create our own, individual biome map with a map key and colored in the different biomes. The next step will be to use the labels and cards to identify specific elements of the biome. The work starts out basic and moves towards a deeper understanding of the particular areas of the biome. We will continue this work with all of the 7 continents and extend this into further research of the continents.
Thanks to your generous donation, my students will be able to explore and learn about their world for years to come!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bujarsky
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 6 other donors.There's an App for That!
Funded Sep 30, 2015Thank you so much for your generous donation that allowed us to receive two iPads with protective covers to use in our classroom. The students were very excited when the iPads arrived! The features the iPads offer my students are helping them in many areas of the curriculum.
A lot of our work in the Montessori classroom is individualized and project based. The students are able to use the iPads to research a variety of topics. They are able to find pictures, videos, articles, stories, etc. to help them learn and understand the topics. There are also tools on the iPad that allow them to create presentations in which to share what they have learned with their fellow classmates.
Another valuable use the iPads have in the classroom is through the abundance of apps available. There are apps to sites like National Geographic for Kids, which has been very helpful in our geography studies. There are reading and math apps to assist in learning. There are also apps that allow the students to work Montessori materials on the iPad.
The iPads create a sense of interest that causes the students to be very motivated to learn and gain new experiences. For some of my at-risk students, this has been the answer to giving them something that they enjoy doing, that helps them learn.
Again, without your support, this could not have happened. Thank you very much!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bujarsky
This classroom project was brought to life by IPS Education Foundation and 5 other donors.We've Got Mail!
Funded Sep 6, 2015Thank you so much for donating to this project. We were all really excited to get the news that it was fully funded!
Since my students don't have a specific desk or work space assigned to them, it can be difficult to keep their work and materials organized. We have tried assigning shelf space, crates, and cardboard mailboxes. The shelves are needed for our Montessori materials. The crates take up too much space, and the cardboard mailboxes barely last for one school year. This wooden, mailbox station will help the students stay organized and help them keep track of their work and supplies needed in the classroom.
It was a lot of fun to watch the expression on my students' faces when we received the box, and unpacked it. It is really well built and looks great in our classroom. Besides being functional, it adds beauty to the room!
Thanks again!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Bujarsky