Help me give my students morning STEM bins that they can use to start their day in a calm and creative way.
FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Killeen's classroom raised $376
This project is fully funded
My Students
The children of immigrants, or immigrants themselves, my students value hard work and the opportunities they have, but face many social, emotional, and economic challenges. Over half of them are English learners and 90% come from low income families. Many have come to the United States fleeing intolerance or other hardships at home and are now learning to live in a very diverse community.
My students are developing into reflective learners who seek out opportunities for action.
At our school, we have a focus on communication through writing and presentation literacy. They are learning to tell their own stories. And with such a wide range of experiences to share and to learn from, they have a lot of stories to tell.
My class is caring, curious, and motivated. They love team-building activities and practicing their leadership skills. They enjoy math and the Zumba breaks that come afterwards. They get lost in stories and beg for one more chapter. They love using technology to develop research skills and to share what they've learned. They are great at making do with limited resources, but have so much potential to achieve more, given the opportunity.
My Project
I am proud to say that my school is "fully-included" meaning that all students spend their day in a general education classroom regardless of special needs. This practice is not only the least restrictive, but also so socially and emotionally beneficial for ALL students. In my classroom, students have different cultural backgrounds, home languages, physical abilities, and learning styles, but they learn together as a community. One thing that many of my students have in common is that they have experienced some trauma in their lives. Trauma causes a fight or flight response, and prevents the brain from learning. In order to be fully inclusive, a classroom needs to offer opportunities for children to remediate some of the trauma they have experienced.
Research shows that play helps to strengthen relationships and feelings of safety, and teaches children valuable skills such as turn-taking, patience, perseverance, and collaboration.
These are all things that students also need to be successful learners in the classroom. I would like to offer my students the chance for calm and therapeutic play each morning, so that they can start their day in a happy and positive way, and so that school can be a place where they feel safe, successful, and loved.
I have chosen several types of hands-on engineering and problem solving materials that will be cognitively engaging for students, facilitate social play and collaboration, spark their creativity, and provide pre-requisite skills for developing STEM concepts. Students will have a choice of these materials for the first fifteen minutes of each day, and will move into academic time with calm minds and smiling faces.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
Blocks Rock! A STEM Toy and Educational Game for Competitive Structured Block Play, Ages 4+
• Amazon Business
$59.99
1
$59.99
Marble Run Sets for Kids - Marble Galaxy Fun Run Set Game - Translucent Marble Maze Race Track Discovery Toys - Educational STEM Toy Building Construction Games - 90 Marbulous Pcs & Glass Marbles
• Amazon Business
$28.82
2
$57.64
Learning Resources Super Magnet Lab Kit, STEM Toy, Critical Thinking, 119 Pieces, Ages 5+
• Amazon Business
$30.01
1
$30.01
Blokus Deluxe (Amazon Exclusive)
• Amazon Business
$25.99
1
$25.99
SCS Direct Building Bricks - 1000 Pc Big Bag of Bricks Bulk Pastel Friends-Colored Blocks with 54 Roof Pieces - Tight Fit with All Major Brands
• Amazon Business
$24.99
1
$24.99
ThinkFun Rush Hour Traffic Jam Logic Game and STEM Toy for Boys and Girls Age 8 and Up – Tons of Fun With Over 20 Awards Won, International Bestseller for Over 20 Years
• Amazon Business
$19.99
1
$19.99
Carson-Dellosa STEM Challenges Learning Cards, Grades 2-5
• Amazon Business
$17.01
1
$17.01
Blue Orange Games BOG00430 Pixy Cubes Game
• Amazon Business
$13.10
1
$13.10
Learning Resources iTrax Critical Thinking Game, Problem Solving, 44 Pieces, Ages 6+
• Amazon Business
$12.29
1
$12.29
Materials cost
$261.01
Vendor shipping charges
FREE
Sales tax
$23.88
3rd party payment processing fee
$3.92
Fulfillment labor & materials
$30.00
Total project cost
$318.81
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
$56.26
Total project goal
$375.07
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal
$375.07
4 Donors
-$125.02
Donations toward project cost
-$106.27
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
-$18.75
match offer
-$250.05
Match offer toward project cost
-$212.54
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 Ms. Killeen and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
