My students need hands-on morning activities, such as a log set, Legos, and wooden brain teaser puzzles, to engage their brains and prepare for a day full of learning.
Upon entering the 4th Grade County Fair, you would see students working cooperatively with hands-on activities. I work hard to create an environment that students enjoy coming to everyday. We do a lot of learning, but we also have fun in our classroom.
I truly believe school is not only about academics, but helping the child grow as a whole.
In our classroom, I stress to my students that we are a family and are always there for each other. Kindness, respect, and honesty are the major lifelines my students hear on a daily basis. We learn together, make mistakes together, laugh together, and enjoy growing together throughout the year.
My Project
All teachers want their students to walk into a classroom and feel ready to learn, however, that is not always the case. Some students are tired after going to bed later than normal, need time to eat their breakfast at school, or simply want to chat with their friends for a bit. Yet, there is always a task that students are expected to begin right when they enter the classroom and are expected to do it with no talking. I want my students to start off their day with more engaging, hands-on activities instead of only using worksheets or silent reading.
Some teachers in my school began using "soft starts" last year to begin the day on a positive note--this really interested me since my students always seemed to struggle to sit down and begin their morning work.
I was apprehensive to use this in an intermediate classroom, but I was happy to find a variety of fun and engaging activities that will warm up their minds for learning that day. Some of the activities I included are tetris puzzles, magnetic building sticks and Legos to create their own sculpture, brain teaser puzzles, and two bean bags to enjoy working on their morning work activities.
Soft starts are an alternative to "normal" morning work. Students enter the classroom, follow their morning procedures, then choose a soft start tub to work on individually or with a group of students. Using these soft starts will encourage cooperative learning among students and help their brains begin to engage in hands-on learning before beginning our lessons for the day. Many students do not come into a classroom ready to learn-- this is a great way to begin the school day and continue cultivating their love of learning throughout the entire school year!
Big Joe Roma Bean Bag Chair, Spicy Lime
• Amazon Business
$49.80
2
$99.60
Smart Builder Master Cabin Log Set, Includes 400 Pieces of Interlocking Wood Logs
• Amazon Business
$54.99
1
$54.99
Mosaic Mysteries by Discovery Toys
• Amazon Business
$23.99
2
$47.98
Elongdi 130 Pieces - Magnetic Building Sticks Building Blocks Set, Magnet Educational Toys Magnetic Blocks Sticks Stacking Toys Set, Non-Toxic Building Toy 3D Puzzle with Storage Bag
• Amazon Business
Educational Insights Kanoodle Extreme
• Amazon Business
$10.93
3
$32.79
LEGO Classic Creative Builder Box 10703 (Exclusive)
• Amazon Business
$29.99
1
$29.99
SHARP 3D Wooden Brain Teaser Puzzle by Brain Zone. Genius Skills Builder T-Shape Pieces with Tetris Fit. Educational Toy for Kids and Adults. Explore Creativity and Problem Solving. Painted Finish
• Amazon Business
$14.99
2
$29.98
SainSmart Jr. Wooden Tetris Puzzle 40 Pcs Brain Teasers Toy for Kids, Wood Puzzle Box Brain Games Wood Burr Tangram Jigsaw Toy Children Days
• Amazon Business
$9.99
3
$29.97
LEGO Classic Medium Creative Brick Box 10696
• Amazon Business
$27.99
1
$27.99
Cardinal Wood Checkers & Tic Tac Toe
• Amazon Business
$8.98
2
$17.96
Materials cost
$450.22
Vendor shipping charges
FREE
Sales tax
$0.00
3rd party payment processing fee
$6.75
Fulfillment labor & materials
$30.00
Total project cost
$486.97
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
$85.94
Total project goal
$572.91
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal
$572.91
5 Donors
-$557.91
Donations toward project cost
-$474.22
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
-$83.69
match offer
-$15.00
Match offer toward project cost
-$12.75
Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
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. Rooze and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.