As a Kindergarten teacher, I am challenged with the task of creating a developmentally appropriate environment for five and six year olds while also helping them achieve the high academic standards for Kindergarten students in our school district.
My students are deeply compassionate, hard workers, joy seekers, and they do it all with the boundless energy of 5 year olds.
We love to giggle, read, learn, and dance our way through each day. Some of my kiddos this year have some significant challenges but that doesn't stop them from working hard and approaching each day with a smile. This lively group of little ones is a delight to teach!
My Project
Children learn best through exploration. They use their senses to learn about the world around them. The more senses that are involved, the better the retention and acquisition of new information. Plus, let's be honest, the more senses that are involved the more fun the learning is! We currently have a sensory table in our classroom that my students love. We use it for developmental play, literacy stations, and math. The table is usually filled with beans, but I would love to have the opportunity to fill it with new materials.
Imagine the vocabulary that can be learned as children play with glass pebbles, smooth kinetic sand, slimy water beads, pointy rice, and cold snow.
Imagine the giggles as children bury their hands in sand, squish water beads through their fingers, and make up elaborate stories in for their snow village. Imagine the math children are learning as they fill containers to capacity, pour and explore to discover which container will hold the most, count and stack towers of pebbles, and investigate which tool can make the longest line in the sand. Imagine the scientific thinking that will occur as children estimate how many pebbles they need for their project, problem solve as they figure out a way to make their sand castles stand, and predict which container will build the best tower. Imagine the social skills children will learn as they use teamwork to build a sand castle, problem solve as they figure out why their snowball fell apart, and perseverance as they work to build a better castle next time. Imagine the life skills they will cultivate as they clean up spills, learn to wipe up water before someone slips, and tidy up their sensory table before they leave. Sensory tables are definitely more than just 'fun.'
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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. C. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
