My first grade students are creative, wiggly, enthusiastic, energetic and eager to learn. They love to explore science, read books, build things, play with numbers, write stories and do anything artistic.
Their curiosity, enthusiasm and creativity makes each day exciting and a joy to teach them.
The challenge is that their energy and wiggles can make it hard for some of them to sit for very long and concentrate. They learn best with varied activities that allow them to move around during the learning process. To facilitate this, I use small groups, learning centers, STEM activities and technology to engage them in learning and better meet their individual needs.
I love the challenge of finding new ways to engage them each day. Their enthusiasm is contagious.
My Project
In order to foster great learning, my students need to not only look and listen while I teach a concept, they need to be able to put their hands on and explore it themselves. I use guided reading and math workshops in my class to work with smaller groups of students and differentiate the learning. While I am working with a small group, the rest of the class is working in learning centers. The learning games and manipulatives that I have chosen would be used to make small group lessons more concrete and for extended practice in the learning centers.
The rekenreks, number boards and other learning games that I have put on my list would allow my students to experience their learning in multi-sensory ways and keep those wiggly bodies completely engaged.
The items would also allow me to include more STEM activities that will help to foster a love of learning. When students are fully engaged and have a love of learning, then there is nothing that they can't do.
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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. Adkisson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.