DOUG PERRY

Ms. Loveless (Liberty) understands the enchantment third graders find in field trips, and she’s on a mission to weave these adventures into invaluable components of the Wit and Wisdom curriculum. Delving into each module with precision, she orchestrates visits to the Planetarium (Module 2: Space), the Aquarium (Module 1: Ocean), and the Natural History Museum (Module 3: New Home Cultures and Immigration), immersing students into interesting learning experiences.

These excursions aren’t just about exploration – they’re rich, project-based learning journeys that encompass research, writing, and even performance elements. She, however, faced the financial challenge of bringing these experiences to life. Undeterred, she sought the support of MEF, securing funding for each trip.

Now, having triumphed over both logistical and financial hurdles, she ensures her students not only meet core learning standards but also relish every moment of educational delight. The result? A harmonious blend of curriculum alignment and joyous exploration that leaves a lasting impact on these young minds.

Everyone’s favorite subject is math, right? Not so much. So it’s important for teachers like Ms. Vernon (Horizon, 4th Grade Math and Science) to implement powerful strategies, like math manipulatives, that help students think and reason through their assignments to make them more meaningful. Giving students concrete comparisons and operations on quantities using blocks, tiles, and cubes advances their learning.

So, she turned to MEF for funding to purchase sets of manipulatives, along with flashlights and slinkies to teach energy transfer and wave patterns in her science teaching.

Ms. Evans (Longview) knows the value of field trips when meeting core curriculum standards. They aren’t just outings—they’re invaluable learning sessions! These activities offer hands-on experiences that ignite curiosity and foster a deeper understanding of the world.

However, they can be expensive. Fortunately, she was able to turn to MEF for funding that would support two trips this year to Loveland Living Planet Aquarium and Clark Planetarium. 

McMillan first grade teacher, Ms. Evans, believes in the power of independent and small group learning. Math, in particular, is challenging for some kids and so leveraging tools like Math Stackers is a great solution. Thanks to MEF funding, she was able to purchase these powerful tools consisting of foam blocks and magnets. Now her students are learning math through discovery and interaction, stacking, comparing, and questioning their way toward math competence.

It’s crucial in kindergarten for students to develop fine motor skills. Ms. Felt (Viewmont) knew one sure-fire method would be to implement daily fine motor centers in her classroom. During the centers, students participate in muscle coordination and strength activities that fire up their writing, cutting, and other basic motor skills. 

So she turned to MEF for funding to purchase writing and art materials such as sketch and drawing tablets, tracing boards, writing instruments, and adaptive scissors, and pencil grips. With daily practice, her students are revving up their skills and will be ready to race by the end of the year!

One point perspective is a type of linear perspective that uses angles and lines to create an illusion of space and form on a flat canvas. It earns that name because it displays a single vanishing point.  It’s a simple art concept, but Ms. Simpson (Grant) also needed a simple solution for teaching it, so she turned to MEF for funding to purchase rulers for her students to draw one point perspective starbursts and drawings of buildings and trees.