My students need construction toys including creature builders and Magna-Tiles to develop fine motor, spatial, and problem-solving skills.
$396 goal
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
I teach at a public preschool that serves children with developmental delays and autism. We are in one of the most diverse school districts in the nation, with immigrants and refugees from around the world. Diversity truly is our strength!
My students are beautiful, living proof of the power of early intervention.
These three, four and five year olds begin our program at varying levels of cognitive and social development. Some are learning how to communicate with words or visuals. Some are learning how to regulate their emotions. They're all learning how to be a responsible member of a classroom community. Every morning, they come to school and get busy... playing.
For preschoolers, play is never “just” play. Taking turns teaches fairness. Stopping to see why someone is crying teaches compassion. Working on a puzzle teaches perseverance. Play is hands-on, active learning. It involves observation, experimentation, reflection, problem solving, creativity, and collaboration. (What, did you think Legos were just for fun?) My students’ are learning more than the ABCs; they are learning HOW to LEARN. What better way to begin a school career?
My Project
“How high can I build this before it falls down? What happens if I move this piece over here?” Whether it’s a Magnetic Tile castle, or a Crystal Climber spaceship, building requires trial and error, critical thinking, and often, collaboration.
For a child with delays, creative construction play is an ideal way to assess and address specific areas of need.
When a child is building a house that needs a triangle roof, it’s a perfect way to see if they can identify shapes, and a perfect teaching opportunity if they can’t yet do so.
I’ve carefully selected items to challenge students of different abilities. Students will be thrilled to experience the magic of Magnet Blocks as they learn how shapes work together. Crystal Climbers' interlocking pieces will help develop fine motor skills. Students’ imaginations will soar with Creature Builder, and they will be practicing social skills when the creatures ‘interact’. The Following Directions set will help students who are easily frustrated learn how to break things down into do-able steps and be successful.
Your generosity in purchasing these items for our classroom will bring years of excitement, learning, and fun to the hardworking, hard playing learners, (and architects!) of the future. Thank you so much for considering a donation of materials to help happy little hands!
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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 Ms. K. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
