My students need craft materials such as yarn, markers and aluminum foil to simulate a "Mexican Fiesta" to conclude our Spanish California unit in Social Studies.
FULLY FUNDED! Mrs. Brouns's classroom raised $203
This project is fully funded
My Students
My Fourth Graders enjoy reflecting on our Social Studies units through experience, where they live for a day the way Californians did during the time of Spanish California, through games, crafts and food.
I have a wonderfully exuberant Fourth Grade class in rural Northern California.
We are a Pre K-8 school, with increasing class sizes. Many parents are unemployed and children are often doing without; experiences, emotional support, proper nutrition, and the love they crave. Our school is known throughout the community to go above and beyond to help meet the needs of our students, and the school really is a safe place and family for many of these children. We strive to show these children where a good education can help them go, and just because their family may be struggling now, that doesn't mean that they have to be that way in the future. We help them dream big, and know that with hard work they can make something wonderful of themselves. Putting the joy in education, and meaning is my number one goal. I want my students to LOVE coming to school each day, eager for more.
My Project
My students need craft materials such as yarn, markers and aluminum foil to simulate a "Mexican Fiesta" to conclude our Spanish California unit in Social Studies. At the end of our Spanish California unit in Social Studies, my partner teacher and I put on a "dress up" day, where we ignore the paper and books, bells and recess time. We have them move through several stations so they can live like the Californians did that we studied in our books. We have them make the crafts from the days of missions and ranchos, such as creating their own personalized cattle brands,(for paper, not cows!) and reposage' drawings. They also go through the process of making their own food, we will be making tortillas by hand, to show them what was involved in daily life and how different it is from today. We will also be writing reflections, to think about how those early Californians paved the way for life today, and what parts of that culture are still evident in our daily lives.
Everyone knows that to experience something for yourself is the best way to fully understand.
As much as books are the medium that we often use in school, for some students it can only get you part way to understanding. These dress up days have the most impact on many of my students learning. Many of my students have never been out of our county, and are unaware of how much of the world and culture there is to see and learn about. This is our best way of bringing them to that time period.
More than a third of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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