Each morning I greet my students at the door with a high five or a hug. Most of them are excited to be at school and ready to start the day. They greet me with stories about their families, they present me with pictures they drew the night before, and they tell me how excited they are about something they know we are going to do that day. They jump into our classroom routine and are ready to start their day.
I work in a district that provides a free breakfast to all elementary students to get their day started right.
I work in a school that has a high poverty rate and over 50 percent of the population is on free and reduced price lunch. Despite the economic challenges my families face, my kindergarten students always come ready to start a new adventure in kindergarten!
My Project
Research has shown that students learn best when they can get their hands on materials and explore and learn through their exploration. An old Chinese proverb says it best: "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand."
In adding a light table to my classroom, I will be able to provide students with a different approach to using our classroom materials and "light" their way to learning new concepts.
The light table will be a versatile tool throughout our day. As soon as the students come into the classroom a group of students can chose to complete their morning work at the light table. As we move into our language centers a group of students can use the light table to complete a center that works on writing letters or matching letters, or tracing letters on transparencies.
As our morning finishes up we have free choice time. During this time a group of students will be able to use the sensory tray on the light table to explore with water beads, colored stones, or even sand. In the afternoon, the students will be able to use the light table as a math station. They can practice sorting with transparent button manipulatives, they can write numbers on transparencies, or they can explore shapes with the transparent pattern blocks. And during our theme studies the light table can be incorporated into the different topics we explore.
Imagine learning about how light goes through different objects on a light table instead of a flashlight. The possibilities for using a light table are endless! As excited as I am for using this table, imagine how the students will feel when they have the opportunity to learn and explore with it.
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 Mrs. Lancaster and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
