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This teacher needs your help!

Mrs. Calandra from New Britain, CT is requesting supplies through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Mrs. Calandra is requesting

Inspiring Thoughtful, Intentional, and Joyful Learning

My students need a dollhouse and furniture, manipulatives, and sensory materials to foster purposeful play.

  • $688 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Mrs. Calandra for her next project!

Help Mrs. Calandra

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Mrs. Calandra for her next project!

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

Celebrate Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Students

My 20 students are in a full day Kindergarten classroom. Many of my students come from a low socioeconomic environment , have little or no preschool and lack basic executive functioning skills.

Due to these factors , when they begin school , they're not prepared for our rigorous Kindergarten curriculum.

Incorporating play into their day along with their regular academic instruction will help develop a deep, purposeful & joyful classroom that shows positive gains/growth.

Our district has been under-funded for a long time. Basic supplies like gluesticks, primary pencils, etc. are not guaranteed. We make a list of our top 10 items that are essential for the year in our classroom and we hope for the best. With that being said there is zero money to purchase things that are not consumables to enhance your curriculum.

My Project

In my classroom I provide children opportunities daily to choose which area they'd like to play in and then have them think, plan , and carry out what they will do in that area by writing a play plan first.

The materials I requested in this project will be used in 3 of my 6 choice play areas: Dollhouse Center, Play-Dough Center, and Manipulatives/Game Center.

Research shows connections between cognition and imaginative play, and is developmentally appropriate. By playing with the dollhouse & poseable dolls, my students will practice their social skills, can work through life's issues in a safe place, learn empathy, and utilize creativity when they come up with different scenarios to act out together.

The play dough tools will be added to the few tools I have currently. Using play dough with young children is so beneficial for their fine motor development and is a great stress reliever and can even calm down escalated students. It's a fun way to build strength in their small hand muscles & tendons. The tools will add tactile play ( poke, shred, rake, chop and cut, etc) as well as using science/ math skills in a fun way.

All of these materials have multiple benefits. They will enable my students to play collaboratively with one another, engage in activities that will support their social/emotional development, develop their expressive language and encourage them to take turns while playing and in their conversations with each other.

Mrs. Calandra Smith Elementary School Grades PreK-2

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More about Mrs. Calandra

New Britain, CT View local requests

More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

20 students impacted 16donors

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Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Mrs. Calandra is requesting.

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
JJ906 - Giant Classic Dollhouse • Lakeshore Learning Materials $189.00 1 $189.00
JJ907 - Classic Dollhouse Furniture • Lakeshore Learning Materials $149.00 1 $149.00
DD455X - Lakeshore Soft & Poseable Families - Complete Set • Lakeshore Learning Materials $115.00 1 $115.00
EG326 - Easy-Grip Clay & Dough Tools • Lakeshore Learning Materials $23.99 1 $23.99
LA532 - Lowercase Alphabet Dough Stampers • Lakeshore Learning Materials $19.99 1 $19.99
LL108 - Tweezer Tongs Color Sorting Kit • Lakeshore Learning Materials $19.99 1 $19.99
TR798 - Don’t Let the Bugs Fall! Game • Lakeshore Learning Materials $16.99 1 $16.99
LL688 - Learn to Count! Dough Mats • Lakeshore Learning Materials $7.99 1 $7.99
LL139 - Fine Motor Tweezer Tongs - Set of 4 • Lakeshore Learning Materials $3.99 1 $3.99

Materials cost

$545.94

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$8.19

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$584.13

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$103.08

Total project goal

$687.21

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $687.21

11 Donors

-$523.00

Donations toward project cost

-$444.55

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$78.45

match offer

-$164.21

Match offer toward project cost

-$139.58

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$24.63

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Calandra and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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