My students need Pattern Blocks and activities to learn about geometric figures, spatial relations, and other math activities to develop higher order thinking skills.
$506 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.
Imagine a 6 year old who has never seen or done a puzzle! There are things that we in the US consider a normal learning activity. In other cultures these things do not hold any value. Puzzles teach spatial relations and patterns that are basic in developing skills needed to succeed in mathematics.
Our school is a multi-cultural community.
We teach students from several different countries and cultures - 94% of our students are learning English as a second language. Aside from the academic challenges, our students are faced with cultural barriers also. Anything we can do to bridge that cultural divide only enhances the learning process. Our students are motivated to learn, as their parents have brought them to this country to have a better life.
Many of our families have very limited resources, but whenever there is a fund raiser for charity or a cause to support, our students and their families always give. Our theme for this school year has been "Bucket Filling" or standing up to do the right thing and help your neighbor. After the Flag Salute each morning, we repeat the "Bucket Fillers Pledge". Our school community was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy, many students and teachers lost everything, but we still try to find a way to help others in need - "filling buckets"!
My Project
MOM (Math on Our Minds) will give my students an introduction to the world of geometry, patterns, symmetry, spatial relations, following directions, introduction to fractions, higher order thinking skills, and many other facets of mathematics. Younger children usually do well with kinetic tasks. Things they can see and touch reinforce the skills being taught. Puzzles and brain stretching activities construct a foundation for higher math skills. Most of our students have not had playthings which require physical manipulation of shapes and pieces. Technology is a wonderful thing, but there is no replacement for touching, moving, and manipulating actual "things" to create a pattern, to reproduce a design or to create symmetry in a figure. I have ordered Pattern Blocks (6 colors of 6 different geometric shapes), 2 books of activities, and a shelving unit to store them in. Pattern blocks are a very versatile medium which can be used in innumerable ways and are interesting and fun!
As they use the pattern blocks in these math activities, individually and in collaborative groups, the students will gain confidence in their math abilities and will learn to express their thoughts and explain/describe what they have created and observed.
By providing this fun but valuable source of learning for my students, and a place to store it, my corner of the room will become a learning center with many activities that will reinforce required math skills that students can build upon.
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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. Couthen and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.