Children make sense of their world through dramatic play. "You are the puppy and I am the mommy!" "Put your clothes on for church!" A puppet theater expands the creative possibilities open to my young students.
We are a diverse community, devoted to child-centered, project-based learning.
In our multi-age classroom there are 5, 6, and 7 year olds who will each spend two years getting to know each other and the grown-ups who work with them.
Each day we build, create, and ponder. In the fall and spring, we spend time gardening and exploring the outdoors. We also enjoy cooking, writing books together, listening to stories, and singing. We are inspired by all sorts of materials, including a much-loved giant box which has been home to "mummies", "cats" and "princesses"!
My Project
Imagine students passing out hand-made "tickets" - "Come to our show in 5 minutes!". They proudly crouch behind a table holding stuffed animals as their classmates pause in their own work to enjoy the show. Chairs are dragged across the floor as the audience settles in and the play begins. Currently, all of this happens behind the makeshift space of a table or whatever other space the children use to suit their devices.
Now imagine what the children can do given a true puppet theater and puppets. These materials will help to foster my students' tremendous creativity. This type of dramatic play is a wonderful way for young children to develop oral language skills and work collaboratively as well.
With our district making millions of dollars in budget cuts, there are no funds left for items like puppets and puppet theaters.
But it is just these kinds of materials that help children become creative, imaginative thinkers who take joy in their learning. Please help us maintain a joyful and exciting learning environment!
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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 Ms. Schubin and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.