The Teddy Bear Project: Supporting the Whole Child
Help me give my students teddy bears in the classroom. Students will help the bears to create their own identities through custom t-shirt art while creating a secure bond to alleviate school anxiety and stress each day.
After reading the book Bears, Bears, Everywhere by Lesley Koplow. I used teddy bears in the classroom last for students and saw amazing results for students who needed a secure attachment item to calm anxiety and stress and those who would struggled with emotional regulation at school.
The magic of this project is in providing all students with a tangible, secure attachment in the classroom which helps students manage their emotions, work through difficult tasks with perseverance, and build resiliency.
When children lack a secure attachment from home, it can result in emotional dysregulation, which presents as impulsivity, memory challenges, behavior difficulties, or other learning issues. Emotional regulation is an important aspect of life skills many children are lacking. In the book Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, author Mark Brackett states, “First, our emotional state determines where we direct our attention, what we remember, and what we learn. Second is decision making: when we’re in the grip of any strong emotion [...] we perceive the world differently, and the choices we make at that moment are influenced.” In the classroom, this can mean students are highly reactive depending on their ability to self regulate. These bears will allow students to practice the skills necessary to understand and communicate their emotions.
Students will be taught classroom care, community culture, conflict resolution, and respectful discussions all through this project. With the bears students will engage in play and pretend, turn-and-talks with their bear partner while learning, reading buddy buddies and shared bear writing prompts. The bears, along with supporting academic needs, will come to represent safety, security, and comfort.
Through circle discussions, literature and experiences we will participate in meaningful discussions and projects through the lens of our bears in support of whole child learning.
More than a third of 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
HyDren 18 Pack Bear Stuffed Animal 10 Inch Small Plush Bear Toy Cute Soft Plush Stuffed Bears Toy with Bow Tie for Birthday Christmas Baby Shower Valentine's Day Graduation Party Gift (Light Brown)
• Amazon Business
$43.99
2
$87.98
Litherr S 18 Pcs Teddy Bear Clothes Sublimation Blank Bear Shirt Doll T-Shirts Stuffed Animal Tshirt Bear Basic Shirts Easy to Wear Fit 14-18 Inches Stuffed Dolls (White)
• Amazon Business
$39.59
2
$79.18
Materials cost
$167.16
Vendor shipping charges
FREE
Sales tax
$10.11
3rd party payment processing fee
$2.51
Fulfillment labor & materials
$30.00
Total project cost
$209.78
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
$37.02
Total project goal
$246.80
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal
$246.80
5 Donors
-$234.30
Donations toward project cost
-$199.16
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
-$35.14
match offer
-$12.50
Match offer toward project cost
-$10.62
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. Carolyn and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
