My students need construction paper, crayons, printer ink, two sets of vocabulary readers, and a variety of animal figurines to create artistically beautiful science based projects to showcase all they have learned.
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
My students have difficulty reading and writing. It is a challenge for them to articulate what they learn and show all they know. I believe that an excellent way for students to showcase their knowledge is to create projects which will help them reinforce learning and develop their talents.
I teach in an urban school district in Connecticut that faces a lot of challenges.
Our school has over 1,200 students all of whom qualify for free lunch. Many of our students are immigrants from all over the world, and more than half of our students are English Language Learners. Many of our parents do not speak English and never attended school in the United States. The language barrier makes it difficult for them to assist with school work and projects.
The children I work with all have special needs. I services students in grades K-2 with a wide range of disabilities such as: Developmental Delays, Intellectual Disabilities, Speech and Language Impairments, Multiple Disabilities, Other Health Impairments, ADHD, and Visual Impairments. They are an exceptional group of children who require a different approach on order for them to learn and retain new information. My students learn by doing and creating which is why they need hands-on, project based experiences.
My Project
These materials will be used throughout the year with my students. I believe in thematic teaching, so we study a science theme for 1-2 months. The idea is to reinforce reading, writing, and math skills, and increase content specific vocabulary. The students are immersed in the theme, which promotes engagement. I provide the students with a multisensory experience by incorporating visuals, manipulatives, photos, books, music, etc. I also try to take field trips that reinforce what we learned provide a real world connection. I have my students create projects that relate to what we have learned about the themes we study. This promotes creativity while reinforcing what they have learned. They are able to produce original work that demonstrates their knowledge about a topic. Some examples of the science themes taught are: rain forests, dinosaurs, solar system, health and fitness, food groups and oceans. These materials will help create dioramas, solar systems, ocean animals, and more!
My students are at a disadvantage because they have special needs that make school life difficult.
They struggle in the mainstream class. They require strategies and methods that will ensure retention of information. They need a creative way to demonstrate what they learn so that they feel successful. My students deserve equal access to education. They create projects that showcase what they learn, explain it and teach it to their peers, and participate in a meaningful way. They can shine!
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
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. Batalla and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
