Experiencing Math Through Artwork

By: Catie Davis, Program Associate

We make math fun! Did you know that the PVF Mathematics Resource Grant Program funds necessary (and engaging!) things like math manipulatives, magnetic tiles or dominoes? Mathematics Resource Grants are available for infant, toddler and preschool teachers in both San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Reserved for low-income, Title 1 schools, grants of up to $500 are available to cover materials, books, software and more for classrooms. Limit of 3 grants per site for TK-3 schools, and all other sites will depend on classroom size. One grant per teacher each year.

Hear from teachers below on the impact of these grants!

A 2nd grade teacher from Adelante Selby Spanish Immersion School purchased math manipulatives, clocks, magnetic tiles and even quilts to incorporate hands-on learning into their curriculum for their students.

“Math manipulatives not only have helped students that struggled with complex Math concepts, but also has provided an amusing experience for the whole class, working cooperatively to solve challenges. Students have also had the opportunity to experience math though artworks such as tessellation and ordered pair in a very engaging way. Quilts have also been useful to appreciate the beauty of patterns. Clocks have helped out students get a better understanding of hours and minutes, also was a good practice for counting by 5’s. Magnetic tiles have had a consistent use in bar graphs, and students can understand this concept very easily. This grant has made an impact in my students’ learning and I wish to continue using this valuable materials for my future students as they will love them as much as my class has surely have.”

A kindergartener teacher from P.A. Walsh STEAM Academy purchased counting activities including an ice cream shop scoop and count game, and shape manipulatives including pattern blocks and geometric solids, and tactile resources including balance buckets and domino bins for their 84 math students.

“With the money donated, the five classroom teachers were able to purchase the following items for their eighty-four students to explore math with:

-counting activities including an ice cream shop scoop and count game
-shape manipulatives including pattern blocks and geometric solids -tactile resources including balance buckets and domino bins

It was a pleasure to deliver these materials to both the teachers and students. Their faces lit up with excitement, and their desire to dive right in was evident. I have seen the transitional kindergarteners enjoying the touch and match cards, working cooperatively to count aloud while finding the number. The kindergarteners are enjoying using the dominos to begin writing addition equations based on the number of dots on each side as shown in the pictures. This would not have been possible without the generous donation from the Heising-Simons Foundation and the grant opportunity from the Philanthropic Ventures Foundation. You are greatly appreciated.”

Wondering what else the PVF Math Resource Grants fund? Other past grants have funded:

• counting cars and number train floor puzzle for kindergarteners

• magnetic learning numbers and fruit counters for 20 kindergarten students

• an indoor water table and water blocks for 16 preschoolers

• three Sphero Indi Educational Robot Student Kits for 3rd graders