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Teaching Spanish is not for the faint of heart. It is difficult to teach holistically when learning another language is based on grammatical rules in addition to fun and catchy phrases. One of them happens in the classroom, and the other happens, normally, in organic conversations. The hard part is finding that equilibrium between conscious and unconscious learning. I strongly believe that books and games provide an opportunity to create that balance. When I requested the books, I had planned to use them for the birthdates of the artist, but due to the timing, I have not had a chance to use them yet. For example, Diego Rivera's birthday is December 8, so I will incorporate it into next year's lesson plan.

The games have been very useful, however. Jenga pieces now have a pronoun and a verb on each side. One example is nosotros...cantar. For whatever verb tense the students are learning, they have to conjugate the verb to the pronoun. Spanish One would be nosotros cantamos (we sing) but Spanish Two would be nosotros cantábamos (we sang all the time/we used to sing.)

The other games, the snakes and ladders, has been so much fun. The students struggle a little with understanding the questions, but they willingly give it their best and little do they realize that they are having fun while learning!

The game the kids like the most is La Lotería, which is like Bingo. I do not show them the picture, however, until most of them have already found the word. These games have been a game-changer (excuse the pun) for the redundancy often found in a language class.

I sincerely thank you for your generosity”

With gratitude,

Sra. Kriie

My Tk-5th grade students were able to learn about the history and tradition of repujado aka Mexican Tin Art with the supplies you provided us with! Thank you so much for allowing us to explore this unique and fun art experience.

The students were not sure how they would be able to emboss into the metal/tooling aluminum that we were gifted with. I provided the students with answers by showing them examples and techniques on how to create their own unique art pieces.

Student work is being saved for a year end art exhibit of their work for multi-cultural day. We have been displaying their artwork each month in hopes that they continue to stay motivated and creative.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Rachel

What excitement the Magna-tiles brought to our Pre-K students! Having a new manipulative to use while in the Research Lab adds to the enjoyment of learning. We have used the Farm Animal Magna-tiles during our Farm to Table unit of our curriculum. Once the teachers saw how engaged the students were in using them, they asked right away to check them out to use in their classrooms. And they are using them, not just for the animal units, but to help build student understanding of 3-D shapes. Coming up in March and April we will get to use our other Magna-tiles animal habitats. We can't wait to see how our students create with them.

Again a HUGE THANK YOU for making our project come to life. With so many budget cuts to public schools, your generosity is truly appreciated on so many levels. Thank you from all of us here at Ysleta Pre-K Center in El Paso, Texas.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Rodriguez

Thank you so much for the gift of Spanish games for my classroom. My AP Spanish students were the first to test some of them out. Their first picks were Mexico-opoly and a Coco Version of Loteria. We tried the Banana-grams, but we ran out of time.

It was great to see students grouped by the game interest and not just their friend groups. This was helpful so that they are comfortable interacting and collaborating with their classmates as they will in life later.

I'm looking forward to our next chance in class to play some games and practice the Spanish that they've learned in (and out) of class. Thank you again for your generosity.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Fleming

Creating a sensory room has transformed the way we support our students. This calming space provides a safe environment where students can regulate their emotions and reduce stress. It has become a vital resource for students with sensory sensitivities. Thank you for helping us create this positive impact in our students.

One of the most significant benefits of the sensory room is its role in fostering emotional regulation. Beyond benefiting our students, the sensory room has also impacted the school culture.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Galindo

Thank you so much for your support with this project. Spanish Club has been such a vital support for our Hispanic students. You helped us build a community of support and a place for them to celebrate their culture, which touches my heart.

We have had so much fun doing different things like making pinatas, talking about different celebrations, playing games, creating art, and so much more. I can't even begin to tell you how much your support has positively impacted the students here at my school.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Martinez