Engineering Toys for KG

Moderation state
funded
Grant Applicant
Dana Seaborg
Grant Co-applicants
Betsy DePew, Kim Krengel and Shivaya Wobeling
School Site
Truckee Elementary
Grant Category
Mathematics & Science
Grant Date
2024-06-01T12:00:00
Description

In our kindergarten classrooms at Truckee Elementary, we teach students ages 5 and 6 for a full day program. Each afternoon our students have free choice time where students can create, imagine, and build. We’d like to increase our high-quality toys to rotate through our classrooms. Open-ended and engineering play is beneficial for all of our students and gives opportunities to explore and improve fine motor skills and whole language development with peers. A fourth kindergarten classroom was opened in October of 2023 and the kindergarten team quickly shuffled toys to help supply the new classroom with essentials. This grant would allow us to include more open-ended toys to all four classrooms.

Benefits of Program

This grant would benefit all the K students at our school. Currently we have four classes, with about 22 students each. With California phasing to universal TK by August 2025, we are expecting the number of TK and K students to continue to grow.

Success of Program

This grant will enhance our classroom by offering students hands-on, sensory experiences that will allow them to explore several different engineering concepts. This would support the K curriculum by introducing science concepts and giving opportunities for students to construct, test, and modify. We would measure the success of these materials by observing the students in their hands-on play time and then apply this knowledge to their lives outside of the classroom.

Implementation

We would immediately start using the materials in our classrooms; during stations and free play. 

 

Can you share this grant with your grade level or subject team?

Yes, the kindergarten classrooms would share these items and rotate through each classroom.

Sustainability
Yes, this grant will be fully sustainable. We will keep the materials in our classrooms.
Amount Funded
$1544.00
Individual Budget Items(s)
$294 - Kodo Kids-Ramps Discovery Kit and Rubber Marble Ramp
$580 - Magna-Tiles- Six separate sets totaling about 500 pieces.
$670 - Tegu Magnetic Blocks- Two 130 Piece Classroom Kits
Shipping
$0.00
Other funding sources

No

Supporting Links
https://kodokids.com/product/discovery-ramps/
https://kodokids.com/product/marble-rubber-ramp/
https://tegu.com/products/tegu-classroom-magnetic-wooden-block-set-tints-240-pi…
https://www.magnatiles.com/product/magna-tiles-clear-colors-100-piece-set/
https://www.magnatiles.com/product/magna-tiles-metropolis/
https://www.magnatiles.com/product/forest-animals-25-piece-set/
Notes

Below is the google doc draft including websites and links to items. I did my best to get tax amounts. Please reach out with any questions!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1B84XciF9WSwuk5yxYuEZoUke2EDOlUWNggBlvr7oJcg/edit