My students live in a rural desert area of Southern California. We enjoy our morning sunrises and beautiful sunsets among the Joshua Trees. We are in a small town with many students coming from low-income households. Our school is embracing a model of Social-Emotional Learning in the classrooms that truly values the experience of each child. I have witnessed the impact this model has had on the growth, engagement, and confidence of the students. I seek opportunities to challenge students and myself.
We're always looking for ways to push the envelope and try new things.
My students are curious about the world around them and how everything works. As my students grow and mature, they will need more opportunities to define themselves as individuals and feel successful in their ventures. As an educator, I hope to make these moments frequent and meaningful.
My Project
One of the best ways to connect with our peers and our inner voice is through creativity. Our fifth grade students have many daily conversations through structured social emotional learning lessons and casual interactions that encompass individuality, diversity, and connectedness. We delve into what makes us unique and what brings us together.
The materials included in this request will strengthen the creative abilities of our students to portray that diversity and uniqueness appropriately.
The skin tone crayons and construction paper will eliminate the awkward blending of oranges and yellows and browns. The skin tone construction paper will provide opportunities for students to create reflective pieces that are true to what they see and experience. Furthermore, these tones reflect colors found in nature and will be helpful for our animal ecosystem project. The decorative scissors will also come in handy during the specific project to mimic fur, grasses, and other natural elements. I'm sure our students will find creative ways to use them in many other projects as well.
If there's one thing I've learned from being a 5th grade teacher, it's that these kids want to get fully engrossed in their projects. They excel when some boundaries are removed and they have creative freedom. These materials will help make that happen. With your help, these students can take a few pieces of construction paper and turn them into wondrous creations. Watercolors, pastels, crayons, and construction paper for all!
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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. McCaul and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
