My 1st graders attend Laie Elementary School on the North Shore of Oahu. Our “Paradise” is a rural close knit multicultural community with the largest ethnic group of 27% Islander, and a 13.1% poverty rate. As eager 6 year olds, my students are very creative, inquisitive, and full of awesome ideas. Each day they demonstrate the desire and ability to work hard. Their favorite learning activity is to create new and different things out of anything they can get their hands on. Their potential motivates me to do all I can to provide them with engaging hands on STEM based activities and supplies.
But, unfortunately for my students, it's expensive to learn in “Paradise”.
This is a lesson they have already have learned through waiting to share supplies, coping with missing pieces, or having too few items. When a student asked if I can go buy a new simple machines building kit so we could have all the pieces it led to a wonderful discussion about “no more money” and how our sweet Principal already paid a lot of money for our desks, computers, and electricity. How I love 1st grade responses! Imagine what more STEM supplies could lead to!
My Project
My 1st graders will absolutely benefit from having new complete sets of STEM resources...no missing pieces, less waiting for a turn, newer resources! In class we will use them as math learning manipulatives and as STEM project building resources.
I can't wait to see what creations they can imagine, plan, test, and improve.
The K'NEX will be used with STEM "force and motion" experiments, "technology uses and invention" designing, and geometry. The magnetic blocks will correlate with academic vocabulary and provide geometric shape creation. I learned a great "build the 3D shape" race game to use with these magnetic blocks that would engage 1st graders and build mastery of 3D shapes and their defining attributes.
The storage bins will help eliminate lost pieces. Some of my students love to clean up, find ALL the pieces, and sort/organize. For those that don't, these storage bins will definitely help.
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