My elementary school serves 1st-3rd graders. A huge passion of mine has always been around classroom climate.
I train and expect my students to be independent, hard-working, and cooperative learners focused on setting and reaching their own individual goals.
I offer a variety of seating options including: ergonomic stools, exercise balls, traditional chairs and cushioned benches to sit on every day.
In my classroom I opt to not use overhead fluorescent lighting. Instead I have provided over 30 lamps throughout the classroom to foster a more relaxing environment for learning.
We listen to classical music during our independent work times in the background. Consistency is key. My students know they are safe, loved, and valued. We are family.
My Project
A favorite part of the day in our classroom is read aloud time.
Believe in the possible--- a perfect read about a child's relationship with her grandfather.
I just adore Jennifer Holm's book, " The Fourteenth Goldfish".
Galileo. Newton. Salk. Oppenheimer. Science can change the world...but can it go too far? Eleven-year-old Ellie has never liked change. She misses fifth grade. She misses her old best friend. She even misses her dearly departed goldfish. Then one day a strange boy shows up. He’s bossy. He’s cranky. And weirdly enough...he looks a lot like Ellie’s grandfather, a scientist who’s always been slightly obsessed with immortality. Could this gawky teenager really be Grandpa Melvin? Has he finally found the secret to eternal youth?
First and foremost, I read aloud to my students purely for the entertainment value---students provided the time to just sit and enjoy listening to a story read by their teacher. During read aloud, my students have their own copy of the book in hand in order to track along with the story. This allows for building of their fluency, vocabulary and improved comprehension.
In addition, read aloud allows me to introduce my students to a genre of literature that they might not have otherwise considered. Fantasy, autobiography, historical fiction, realistic fiction, mystery...read aloud time allows me to immerse my class in intentionally chosen books in ways they never dreamed possible. Some past examples include: a trip to France complete with French foods brunch with movie after reading "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick. A day at Hogwarts with feast and movie after completing "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by JK Rowling.
I anticipate extending this book with a variety of STEM (science, engineering, technology and math) activities which connect to the science themes throughout the story.
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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. Heather Stewart and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
