Wow! My Donorschoose.org Project funded!

So I do have to say the power of self-advertisement really worked this time around for me!  The last donation came from one of my students parents.  WHICH by the way I was totally surprised by!  Where I work most people could not afford to do much and so when I advertised to them I asked for $5  donations and mainly because something like that (I hoped) would not break the bank!  And at least that amount would be matched by the Board of Directors at Donorschoose.org and turn into $10.

I was sure this project was not going to fund and was beginning to reflect on how I could've made my project better.  I felt my biggest problem was asking for too much because it was well over the $400 mark.  In fact it was double that!  But earlier this year I had decided I wanted to set up a dedicated art center.  A place where the kids could go during centers or free choice.  During center time it would be a place to practice key skills like letter formation and word building.  For free choice...well, the name says it all...they could do as they please!

I got the news in the middle of last week that the project funded.  I confirmed the project by Thursday night and the shipment arrived today!!!  

I suppose it may have arrived that quickly because we are only a few minutes away from the western distribution center for Lakeshore.  Which (as a side note!) the Lakeshore outlet there is ridiculously ADDICTIVE!

Here is an updated list of projects funded as of this last shipment:

1. Pretend Play is Just for Me!                   $495.65

2. I Can Read!                                           $447.58

3.Constructive Outdoor Play                     $753.95

4. Technology Helps Us Learn to Read $1,153.49

5. Artfully Young Experience                   $761.00

                                          Total =          $3,611.67

My Christopher Columbus week was a huge success!  The next post will be all about how it went.  I was just way to excited to sit on this news!

Christopher Columbus and my first TpT product!

Hello everyone! This week I am going to be teaching all about Christopher Columbus and I have a few fun things planned.  As I mentioned before I am working on my national board certification so that means I will be videotaping myself this entire week!  I'm actually looking forward to what I'll be seeing.  What is working?  What can I tweak?  What needs improvement?   

This national board entry focuses on how I integrate social studies with the arts. I hope I am meeting that requirement!  As soon as I click post I'll be double checking those standards and rubric to make sure I covered it all.

I only have a 30 minute time slot for Social Studies so it will seem short and simple but hopefully it will work!  So after finding LOTS of ideas from Mrs. Larremore at the ChalkTalk blog here is what we've got planned for the week:

Monday 

Read a book about Christopher Columbus and make a chart about what they learned.

Tuesday

Review their chart yesterday and discuss what is an explorer?  Read Horace and Morris but Mostly Delores to learn about exploration and make a chart: "An explorer is..." (This is my first TpT product!)

Wednesday

Review previous 2 days charts and complete the "If I were an explorer" prompt. Begin making boats.

Mrs. Larremore found this photo from Academy at Thousand Oaks

Thursday

Finish making boats and make hats and telescopes. Cut out finger puppets (if time).

These hats are from Dr. Jean

And the telescopes are from DLTK

Friday

Cut out the finger puppets from Lil Country Kindergarten and reenact the voyage! 

AND for science we are going to try the coke floats sink or float activity from Kim Adsit. 

Friday is looking like it will be a very fun day!  What kid wouldn't want ice cream to end their day at school?!

Lastly head over to my store on TeachersPayTeachers website and pick up my very first freebie If I were an explorer writing paper!  I also posted a mini-poster of the In 1492 poem if you'd like to pick that up as well!  Have a great week teaching!