Our close-knit little school is nestled right in the rolling hills of Washington wheat country. My students are raised in a rural community that values hard work, respect and perseverance. Even as 3rd and 4th graders, my students are involved in working the family farm, working animals, sports, clubs, school, and more!
Since my students come from hardworking farm families, that spirit translates into the classroom.
They are eager to please, want to do their best and are problem solvers. They love activities that are hands-on, involve creativity and lots of movement. All of these qualities mimic their home lives, so I try to incorporate them as much as possible in my classroom!
My classroom averages about 10 students a year between 3rd and 4th grade. I get each student for two years! These small class sizes allow me to easily incorporate more hands-on learning and projects to fit my students' needs, learning styles and interests. I can truly individualize and make my classroom into a special place they want to be! My students' love for learning, caring hearts, work ethic and positive energy make me feel so lucky to teach in this special little town!
My Project
Escape rooms where participants have to solve clues in order to escape have been growing in popularity! This concept is now being used in the classroom as a way to have students problem solve and collaborate, all while learning classroom content. They have to work as a group to complete a task that is related to what we are learning in class (math problem, reading question, grammar, etc.). This gives them a clue or code, and they continue to collect more clues in order unlock the breakout boxes and escape from the classroom.
These breakout box kits can be used over and over, across all subject matter to bring excitement, movement, teamwork and engagement to many lessons!
I have been doing escape rooms for a few years now by putting them together myself. The students love them and are so engaged the entire time! Having the Breakout Edu kits will allow me to have the locks, boxes and other detective supplies the kids need ready to go! The kits also come with thousands of pre-made escapes for all sorts of subject matter that I can use in addition to the ones I have already created. My students are hardworking, fun loving, problem solvers, so these kits are perfect to meet my students' diverse learning styles and interests. I have seen positive results with my homemade escape classrooms in engagement, community building and reviewing learning. The breakout box kits will help me take that engagement and excitement to the next level!
The stability balls will be used in place of a few chairs. My students are in constant need of movement throughout the day. Having stability balls allows for movement while doing desk work. This helps students to stay focused and engaged even when they feel like they have the wiggles!
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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. Zaring and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
