Petting Zoo

Our theme this month has been animals. We have read about baby animals and mommy animals. Our latest book was called At the Petting Zoo (from Unique Learning Systems). We followed Jack as he got to pet several animals and their baby animals at the petting zoo. Each student was asked what animal they would like see at a petting zoo. We created the following class presentation/book using an iPad app called  Haiku Deck!

Enjoy!



Created with Haiku Deck, the free presentation app

McDonald's, here we come!!

Stop by and support Evendale Elementary

April 9th from 5:00-7:00pm

20% of the proceeds gets donated back to the school!!

* I'll be the photographer and social media correspondent!!

And our good fortune continues...

If you read the previous post, you would be aware that we were luck to win a $500 Staples gift card to purchase needed supplies for the classroom. In addition, we also were the luck recipients of several iPad cases.

Now I am writing to let you know that one of our Donors Choose projects has been funded!! Thanks to some great people over at the Caring Classrooms community, our iPad mini project was features on their page. The amazing members of the community donated what they could (usually $1-2), but when 50+ people band together, great things can happen! And it did for us. In a week or so, our classroom will welcome an iPad mini with protective case. I can't wait to see the students reactions!!

If you would still like to support our classroom, we have one project left that is getting close to closing without completion. We are looking to gain several protective iPad cases so that the students can utilize the school let of iPads. Currently, the 'smart cover' cases do not offer enough support or protections for our students due to their motor challenges. 

Here is the link if you would like to support the other project. If each visitor would donate a $1-2, this project would be funded within a couple weeks!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

And the winner is...

our classroom!!!

  

I am happy to report that our classroom won The Classroom Project contest which was sponsored by USC Rossier Online. Not only did we win, but we won the 'grand prize' which was a $500 gift certificate to Staples. I was so excited to make our first purchase of binders, dividers, and a color printer. These items will be used to support a new curriculum that we are piloting for the rest of this year. (I will be writing a separate post about the curriculum soon.)


In the same week, I was fortunate to receive another gift for the classroom. Thanks to Big Grips iPad cases, several original iPads throughout the district are now a little more protected. Big Grips donated 8 cases and frames for the original iPads that are being used within several of the special education classrooms throughout the district. Thank you Big Grips for supporting education ~ wonderful students and school everywhere!!

Thank you USC Rossier Online and Big Grips for making a difference in our classroom!!

The Classroom Project

USC’s Masters of Arts in Teaching Campaign

I was made aware of this contest. I am very excited to submit this entry into The Classroom Project. Thank you to UCS Rossier Online for the opportunity to enter my wonderful students into this  contest!

The funds being offered through The Classroom Project would provide me with the needed funds to create accessible learning materials for my special education classroom. Each school year, I start with a different mix of students. Some students have backgrounds full of experiences and sometimes there school experience begins with me. Each year, I try my hardest to make his or her school experience meaningful for each student. Often this means adapting and modifying toys, books, and a host of other school materials to help accommodate the unique needs of the students. These modifications require supplies that I often purchase out of my own pocket because many times the items don't fit into an expense category within the school budget. In addition to these supplies, we also participate in various cooking activities throughout the year. The cooking supplies and materials are also out-of-pocket, but the experiences of these cooking activities are priceless.

My classroom is deserving of these funds because they are an amazing group of students who give 110% in everything they do. The students enjoy exploring and learning and any time I can support this, I do. As an educator, I have realized that the best ideas are to be shared. This was one of the reasons I started the classroom blog a couple year ago. If we were lucky enough to be awarded funds from The Classroom Project, I would be to sure to share about our purchases, creations, and learning with the world.

Thank you for this opportunity!

Feel free to explore the blog as it is a small glimpse into our wonderful classroom. Here are just a few pictures that show our unique, colorful, exciting classroom projects!

Learning to work together and help our friends

Introduction to watercolors and they fell in LOVE!

Practicing a little stringing beads

Showing off our cat masks we made as a part of the Global Read Aloud author study of Eric Carle

One of our many cooking activities - making applesauce for Johnny Appleseed's birthday