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Fully Funded!

So I shared in my last post that I went back to paid teaching 2 years ago. I am teaching 4K at a local preschool and LOVE it! I wasn't sure what to expect with that age group, but I teach academics along with social and behavioral skills and it is a perfect match for me.

I applied for a grant last November to fund a project I wanted to implement in my classroom. I want an indoor tower garden that grows plants hydroponically so we, as a class, can grow our own fruits and veggies. There are so many learning opportunities in this project including nutrition, biology, literacy, and communication skills, among others. Each of these learning opportunities imbed academic, social, and behavioral skills and definitely fits into the overall goal of my classroom environment.

I am thrilled to say my project was fully funded, and hopefully by the end of March we will have everything in place and can at least explore the science behind the way it works. We will not be planting anything this school year because the classroom will be vacant over the summer, but as soon as the new school year begins, we will start our class garden. I will have the summer to think about and plan out specific lessons on the various stages: introducing the concept, starting our seedlings, observing the growth, and collecting data throughout the process.

Along with the tower gardens themselves, I also used the money to purchase power cords, indoor grow lights, the other necessary equipment for the garden, seeds, and several children's books on gardening. I am so excited and very proud of my accomplishment in winning this grant! I put a lot of thought, effort, and time into writing my proposal and the fact that others see the value in my idea is very affirming to me. It is a boost to my confidence and I am appreciative of both the funds and the support behind the funds.

Until next time....

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