In Mrs. Brooke Chapman’s 1st grade classroom, learning goes beyond the basics. Every day, she nurtures a group of advanced math learners who are eager to be challenged, inspired, and engaged in meaningful ways. Recognizing their hunger for deeper content and hands-on experiences, Mrs. Chapman is determined to meet her students where they are—and take them even further.

Thanks to a grant from the Mt. Vernon Education Foundation, Mrs. Chapman is enhancing her math curriculum by purchasing two powerful instructional tools created by The Moffatt Girls, a trusted and creative resource for elementary educators. These tools are designed to make second-grade math concepts not only accessible to her 1st grade learners, but fun, engaging, and relevant to the world around them.

The first resource—2nd Grade Math Place Value Charts, Morning Work, Games, Two-Digit Addition, and Yearlong Review—will provide structure and challenge during daily math centers. With interactive charts and games, students will have the opportunity to strengthen their understanding of place value, addition, and other core concepts in ways that are hands-on and developmentally appropriate, yet rigorous enough to push them forward.

The second resource—Project-Based Learning (PBL) Tasks & Math Challenges: Endless Bundle—will allow Mrs. Chapman to bring real-world scenarios into the classroom. These math-based PBL units encourage collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. Her students will not just be solving math problems—they’ll be applying what they learn to authentic challenges, building bridges between the classroom and the real world.

“These students are ready,” says Mrs. Chapman. “They are curious, capable, and excited to learn. I want to make sure I’m giving them more than worksheets—I want them to see how math is all around them, how it helps solve real problems, and how it connects to their lives.”

Through this initiative, Mrs. Chapman is fostering a love of math and learning that goes beyond test scores. She is building confident thinkers who understand that their ideas matter, that learning can be joyful, and that the classroom is a space where their talents and passions are recognized and supported.

The Mt. Vernon Education Foundation is proud to support innovative educators like Brooke Chapman who go above and beyond to meet the diverse needs of their students. By investing in meaningful resources through this simple $267 min-grant and inspired instruction, we’re helping to shape a brighter future—one curious mind at a time.