Young Entrepreneurs Can Change the World With Arduinos!
My students need 2 iPad minis and cases for to document their design process and research ideas, Arduino starter kits to prototype, books on entrepreneurship to inspire.
"The 'jobs of the future' do not need scientists who have memorized the periodic table... Business leaders say they are looking for creative, independent problems solvers." ~ Sylvia Martinez and Gary Stager. Our students want to change the world - we want to harness that passion through creativity.
We are a Title 1 magnet middle school with a focus on science, technology, engineering and math.
We are located in the inner city; many of our students come from low-income housing. 70% of our students are on free or reduced lunch. Our students come from all over the county, and represent all races and ethnicities.
For many of our students, their main exposure to technology comes from school. We want to bridge the digital divide by providing an inquisitive, technology rich environment in our library, inviting all students to explore science, technology, engineering and math in a fun and informal way. Giving them a space and the tools to tinker with will help their curiosity to thrive.
Our students are innovators and problem solvers, and providing more tools will help them to thrive and grow into the scientists and engineers of the future. We want to help students develop this creativity and utilize it to find ways to change their world and become young entrepreneurs.
My Project
Our Makerspace is an area in our library dedicated to creative exploration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM). We have an afterschool STEAM club that meets twice a week. With this project, we will focus on developing a desire to have an impact on the world through an exploration of entrepreneurship, careers and financial literacy. We'll learn about other young people making a difference and becoming entrepreneurs through the books we'll get, which will be available to all students as a part of our library. Then, we'll begin a design challenge to create an invention that can make our school a better place. We'll use the Arduinos along with other tools we already have to create our inventions. Using the iPads, students will learn how to document their design process and apply for patents by taking pictures, videos and recording data. This will allow them to create digital portfolios of their projects, the first step towards becoming an entrepreneur.
Having opportunities for hands-on, meaningful learning can have a huge impact on students.
Through this project, students will learn about start-ups, budgeting, working with available materials, documenting their work and the process of turning their ideas into real inventions. Our students are the scientists, engineers, artists, programmers and young entrepreneurs of the future. We want our students to learn the valuable lesson that you are never too young to make a difference in the world.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Rendina and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
