This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
Have you ever sat in your chair the first day of school and did not know anyone around you? Have you ever felt no one understood you? Did you find it difficult to express your feelings in words? Elementary school students face an enormous amount of stress and feelings throughout the year.
My students are champions that need to be unleashed.
Each of them can make a difference if we simply uplift them and allow them to share. Our school strives to provide each student a safe and welcoming environment to each student. We are a small high poverty elementary school in need of offering hope and outlets for our students who may have difficulty expressing their feelings in a positive manner.
My Project
Puppets are a great tool to bring about self-esteem, character, and enjoyment to young students. Puppets take on a role of someone the student can relate to and can adapt to any situation that may present itself in the school setting. I plan to utilize the puppets for small groups and classroom settings to discuss character traits, personal safety, bullying, and welcoming new students to our school. By using humor and stories, the puppets will take on a life of their own and can help students explore their own personal feelings and decision making skills.
Modeling clay is a tool in which challenges students to be creative and critical thinkers. Tasks of making a model of their hero and telling what makes that person a hero to them is one of many uses of modeling clay. When given the opportunity, stories can be brought to life through visual representation and allow for classroom discussion.
Each day, students come to school with many challenges.
These challenges can range from being yelled at before coming to class to being homeless. Students need a safe outlet to express their feelings and concern in a safe manner and learn coping skills. Our students will benefit by learning how feelings effect our choices and decisions every day. Students will identify how they can master self-control and make wise decisions.
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 Mr. Dean and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.