{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Collicot Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":12.4,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":2729956,"projectId":10307779,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom and providing us with new, high-interest board games and learning materials! Your generosity has brought excitement, connection, and meaningful learning opportunities into our 4th grade classroom. We are truly grateful for these new resources and for the opportunity to give our students engaging ways to learn and grow together.\r\n\r\nWhen the materials first arrived, our students were incredibly excited. They could hardly wait to open the games, explore the colorful materials, and learn how to play. Their enthusiasm was a wonderful reminder that learning can be both challenging and fun. The games quickly became a resource that students looked forward to using.\r\n\r\nWe are using the board games to practice much more than simply following rules and taking turns. As students play, they are developing important cognitive skills such as strategic thinking, planning ahead, problem-solving, decision-making, logical reasoning, and flexible thinking. Students have to consider their choices, predict possible outcomes, adjust their strategies, and learn from mistakes. These are valuable skills that transfer directly to academic learning.\r\n\r\nThe social-emotional benefits have been just as meaningful. During game play, students practice patience, cooperation, communication, self-control, and handling both success and disappointment. We have seen students encourage one another, explain strategies to classmates, and work through disagreements respectfully. For some students, board games have provided a comfortable way to build friendships and feel successful in a group.\r\n\r\nOne memorable classroom moment happened when students were working in small groups to play a strategy game. Rather than simply focusing on winning, students began talking through their choices and helping one another understand different strategies. Students who normally hesitate to participate in academic discussions were eager to share their thinking. It was wonderful to see them realize that their ideas and strategies mattered.\r\n\r\nThese games have also created opportunities for students to take ownership of their learning. They are learning to explain the reasoning behind their decisions, reflect on what worked and what did not, and try new approaches. What may look like a simple game is actually giving our students repeated practice with important thinking skills in a way that feels engaging and authentic.\r\n\r\nAs we move forward, we will continue incorporating these resources into our classroom routines and learning activities. Our next steps are to have students apply the strategy and problem-solving skills they have been practicing during game play to our current academic lessons. We will encourage them to explain their thinking, compare different approaches, and reflect on how strategic thinking can help them as mathematicians, readers, writers, and problem-solvers.\r\n\r\nThank you for giving our students access to high-interest materials that make learning more engaging while helping them grow academically and socially. Your support has made a meaningful difference in our classroom. We are so grateful that you have given our students another way to learn, connect, take risks, and discover that challenging their brains can also be a lot of fun!","fullyFundedDate":1779815821405,"projectUrl":"project/board-games-as-educational-tools/10307779/","projectTitle":"Board Games as Educational Tools","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Rogers","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2729956"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_62109","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":623,"numTeachers":42,"percentFrplEligible":10,"percentAsian":12,"percentBlack":3,"percentWhite":73,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":4,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":5,"gradesServed":"K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"14.8:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":false,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":87.6,"schoolId":62109,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Collicot Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Collicot Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/massachusetts/milton-public-schools/collicot-elementary-school/62109"}