The Building Blocks of Kindergarten--All Are Welcome!
My students need 8 Imagination Playground arches and chutes, an Excellerations Jumbo Foam Construction set, wooden architecture blocks, and a LEGO Community People set to encourage problem-solving, play and innovation through building in our block center.
We have just over 100 Kindergarteners in our full-day program; my classroom family is wonderfully diverse, with approximately half of my 20+ students receiving English Language Development (ESL/ELL) or Special Education support within the classroom. Every child brings a unique set of abilities, challenges, and life experiences with him/her to our school. Discovery and dramatic play allows all of our kids to share a common language and bond of childhood.
My Kindergarteners' play reflects their growing understanding of the many cultures that make our world and classroom family special; play helps them learn compassion, empathy and how to communicate and share ideas respectfully.
Modeling and nurturing these life skills in early childhood will set them up to be kind, caring, and inclusive toward others.
My Project
The Imagination Playground chutes and arches and Excellerations Jumbo Foam Construction set encourage S.T.E.A.M. innovation, conversation, teamwork and storytelling through tinkering and engineering with large, shoebox size foam blocks, bricks, pavers, and planks that look just like the real building materials. The additional chutes and arches pair with the medium Imagination Playground set we have, and will allow us to build more intricate and functional structures and ball tracks. The wooden architecture blocks and LEGO community people set will be used in our block center as students explore cultures, architecture, and traditions of people around the world.
I want to ensure all of our Kindergarteners and families feel welcome and represented in our classroom community; we're literally laying building blocks to create a solid foundation of communication, growth and interpersonal connection that inspires communities to thrive.
This foundation is best strengthened through intentional play and helping students learn to communicate their ideas, problem-solve, and work together in the classroom and beyond! Since these block sets are lightweight, mobile and versatile, they can be used daily during Kindergarten’s Discovery playtime, recesses, and used by students with sensory needs, or for team-building/communication and brain break activities for students receiving Special Education or ELD (ESL) services.
The wooden blocks, Imagination Playground, and Excellerations construction sets tie directly to our Project Lead The Way (PLTW) modules--including a 3 Little Pigs Home Design Challenge--and Missouri Science learning standards for engineering, exploring structure and function, and force and motion units. They also tie in to our Social Studies standards for cultural characteristics, heritage, and cultural preservation. These extraordinary building sets will inspire conversations and teamwork EVERY day, and I can't wait to provide young minds with opportunities to learn from and with each other!
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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. Szymke and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
