Every day includes wordplay, reading quality literature, and creative writing. By the end of the year, students should be able to think abstractly, whether in poetry or math. I want them to support and treat each other with kindness. I want them to think ahead and know how to win and lose.
My students are third and fourth graders from a wide variety of home situations.
Many receive free or reduced lunches because of low household incomes. Some come from traditional two parent families, some live with one parent or shuttle back and forth, and some live with grandparents.
A portion of my students are gifted academically and a few have learning problems. Some have tremendous parental support and turn in every homework assignment. There are others who don't turn in a lot of homework, but what they do complete is done all on their own. My students have one factor in common, however: they all want to learn. And as far as I can tell, all of them are enjoying learning how to play chess.
I have run a chess tournament at Cobb Mountain Elementary School for many years, using a mishmash of plastic pieces and clocks in all manner of repair. Since the tragedy of the Valley Fire, I would like to offer all 4th through 6th grade students at the school a once a week, after school chess club.
My Project
These ten Folding Wooden Chess sets and Chess Clocks will be used in the my classroom and for the chess tournament. I teach chess in my classroom on most Fridays. These materials, used in an after school club, will teach students who have not had me as a teacher how to play chess. It will also enable me to teach students who already know how how to play, more advanced strategy, including openings and endgames.
My students' lives and indeed all students lives have been changed forever by the Valley Fire.
Many have lost their homes. Virtually all were at least temporarily displaced. Our school is still closed due to smoke damage. An after school chess club will provide a place and an activity for students to focus on learning a positive, valuable skill. I hope it can put back a little bit into a community that has lost so much.
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