My students are 18 eager four-year-olds who crave learning opportunities with hands-on materials which they have not been exposed to previously.
Learning through discovery is very important for all preschool students.
The Preschool program at PFES seeks to improve academic achievement among our state's at-risk four-year-olds.
Risk factors include economic need, developmental problems, homelessness, and family stressors such as limited education and incarceration. Because of these family challenges, my students typically have not had the same learning opportunities prior to beginning school as their peers have. As a result, they struggle with the educational process from the start. These children are eager to learn and begin Kindergarten equipped with skills equivalent to those of their peers. The Pre-K classroom plan takes children on a journey through the alphabet, studying a different letter each week. Social studies and science lessons are woven into this structure. Each day it is important for my Pre-K students to engage in hands-on activities such as cooking, building, painting, modeling with play-dough, and role play.
My Project
Blocks are the epitome of open-ended materials. They allow a child to express their own creativity while making designs, constructions and sculptures. Blocks require a child to think creatively, problem solve, negotiate and invent. They learn about concepts of balance, stability and symmetry through trial and error as they construct their buildings. Through blocks, the children are learning to share and are learning to manage frustrations.
Blocks also encourage a child to think 3-dimensionally, especially with the addition of a mirror, blocks teach children about angles, height and perspective.
Every child plays with blocks in their own unique way and has therefore developed their own unique understanding of how blocks work. The realistic rocks and bricks will give the children different materials to create with, making their creations come to life.
The bamboo channels add a safe way for children to create ramps, bridges, and tunnels.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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. Ruppert and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
