{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"L.W. Westfall Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":16.1,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":2016707,"projectId":10011721,"letterContent":"Step, Click, Dance! Bringing Philippine Tinikling to Our Music Classroom – Impact Letter\r\n\r\nThe Step, Click, Dance! Bringing Philippine Tinikling to Our Music Classroom unit gave my students an exciting opportunity to experience music and movement through the traditional Filipino dance of Tinikling. This project allowed students to learn about Philippine culture while developing rhythm, coordination, teamwork, and confidence in a fun and interactive way.\r\n\r\nTinikling requires students to listen carefully, keep a steady beat, and coordinate their movements with others. As students practiced stepping, clapping, and moving to the rhythm, they were not only learning a new cultural tradition but also strengthening important musical skills such as beat, rhythm, timing, and musical responsiveness.\r\n\r\nThe equipment and resources provided through this project made it possible for my students to have a more authentic and engaging Tinikling experience. Instead of simply learning about the dance through pictures or videos, students were able to actively participate and experience the rhythm and movement for themselves. This hands-on approach made the learning meaningful and memorable.\r\n\r\nOne of the greatest impacts was seeing students work together. Tinikling requires communication, cooperation, and trust between students. They learned to pay attention to one another, listen for cues, and work as a team to successfully perform the patterns. Students encouraged each other and celebrated their progress as they became more comfortable with the movements.\r\n\r\nThis unit also helped broaden my students' understanding and appreciation of cultures beyond their own. Bringing a Philippine cultural tradition into the music classroom showed students that music and dance can tell stories, connect communities, and provide a window into the experiences of people around the world.\r\n\r\nOverall, Step, Click, Dance! created a memorable learning experience that combined music, movement, culture, and collaboration. My students were able to learn by doing, build confidence through practice, and develop a greater appreciation for Filipino culture. The project brought energy and excitement into our classroom while helping students understand that music is a universal way to connect, learn, and celebrate different cultures.","fullyFundedDate":1768444425881,"projectUrl":"project/step-click-dance-bringing-philippine/10011721/","projectTitle":"“Step, Click, Dance! Bringing Philippine Tinikling to Our Music Classroom”","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Thompson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2016707_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1539823483176","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-bramblett"},{"teacherId":2016707,"projectId":8158157,"letterContent":"My Cosmic Bowling unit provided my students with a fun, engaging, and inclusive experience that allowed everyone to participate and enjoy the activity. With the support of the equipment I was able to provide, I transformed a traditional bowling activity into an exciting \"cosmic\" experience that my students looked forward to.\r\n\r\nOne of the biggest impacts was being able to provide lighter bowling balls for my younger students. This allowed students of different ages and abilities to participate safely and confidently. Having the appropriate equipment helped remove barriers and gave every student an opportunity to be successful.\r\n\r\nI was also able to provide lights to create the cosmic bowling atmosphere, making the experience more exciting and memorable for my students. The lights helped turn a regular physical education activity into something that felt special and different. The students were enthusiastic, engaged, and excited to participate.","fullyFundedDate":1715170423518,"projectUrl":"project/cosmic-bowling/8158157/","projectTitle":"Cosmic Bowling","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Thompson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2016707_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1539823483176","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-bramblett"},{"teacherId":2016707,"projectId":9583447,"letterContent":"The Impact of Everyday Materials in My Music Classroom\r\n\r\nWhen we think about music education, we often picture instruments, sheet music, and traditional classroom resources. However, some of the most meaningful musical learning in my classroom begins with something much simpler: everyday objects.\r\n\r\nItems such as balloons, bowling balls, noodles, cups, and other ordinary materials have become powerful tools for helping my students experience and understand music in ways that are engaging, memorable, and meaningful. These materials allow me to take abstract musical concepts and turn them into something my students can see, touch, move, and experience.\r\n\r\nA balloon can become much more than a balloon. It can help students physically experience steady beat, movement, dynamics, and musical phrasing. As students move, tap, pass, or interact with the balloon, they begin to feel the pulse of the music in their bodies. This physical experience creates a connection between what they hear and what they do.\r\n\r\nBowling equipment provides another unexpected opportunity for musical learning. Through movement and coordination, I can demonstrate concepts such as rhythm, beat, timing, patterns, and musical response. Students are not simply being told what a beat or rhythm is—they are experiencing it. These activities encourage them to listen carefully, predict what comes next, work together, and make musical decisions.\r\n\r\nEven something as simple as a pool noodle can become a musical instrument and a visual representation of musical concepts. Students can use noodles to explore patterns, meter, movement, spatial relationships, and rhythm. The novelty of the material immediately captures their attention, while the activity itself provides a meaningful pathway into deeper musical understanding.\r\n\r\nWhat makes these materials so impactful is that they remove the barrier between the student and the musical concept. Instead of only seeing a rhythm written on a page, students can move it. Instead of only hearing a steady beat, they can physically feel and demonstrate it. Instead of memorizing a definition, they can experience the concept and discover how it works.\r\n\r\nThese experiences also support students with different learning styles and needs. Some students learn best by seeing, others by hearing, and many need to move and physically interact with an idea before it truly makes sense. Everyday materials allow me to reach students in multiple ways while keeping music accessible, joyful, and engaging.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, these activities help my students develop a deeper relationship with music. They begin to understand that music is not simply something they listen to or perform—it is something they can experience with their entire body and mind. They learn to recognize patterns, listen critically, collaborate with others, respond to musical changes, and communicate through sound and movement.\r\n\r\nThe impact goes beyond a single lesson. When students encounter music through familiar objects and playful experiences, they begin to see musical concepts in the world around them. A balloon can represent a beat. A noodle can demonstrate a rhythm. A bowling activity can illustrate timing and coordination. Suddenly, music becomes connected to their everyday lives.\r\n\r\nThese materials may be simple, but the learning they make possible is anything but simple. They allow me to create memorable, hands-on musical experiences that encourage curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and deeper understanding.\r\n\r\nIn my classroom, everyday objects become invitations to explore music. They help my students move from simply knowing about music to truly understanding, feeling, and experiencing music. That is the impact these materials have on my teaching and, most importantly, on my students' learning.","fullyFundedDate":1755689202901,"projectUrl":"project/everyday-music-class/9583447/","projectTitle":"Everyday Music Class","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Thompson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2016707_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1539823483176","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-bramblett"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_50475","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":490,"numTeachers":28,"percentFrplEligible":39,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":3,"percentWhite":63,"percentIndigenous":5,"percentLatinx":9,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":18,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"17.5:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_FRINGE"},"inStateSupporters":83.9,"schoolId":50475,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about L.W. Westfall Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"L.W. Westfall Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/oklahoma/choctaw-nicoma-park-schools/l-w-westfall-elementary-school/50475"}