My students need Popsicle sticks and school glue to design and build bridges.
FULLY FUNDED! Mrs. Rico's classroom raised $227
This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
"The best teachers are those that show you where to look, but do not tell you what to see." Alexandra K. Trenfor.
This would be the quote that best describes my classroom. Within the walls of my room students are encouraged to explore and develop a love of learning new things.
The school that this project takes place in lies within a high poverty area.
It contains approximately 700 students that are 7th and 8th grade. Many of the students in the school are Second Language Learners and/or come from migrant families that move back and forth with agricultural seasons.
The students that are in this classroom are creative and innovative students. However, they come from low income families and are very limited in their world experiences. The students love learning and are very excited when they develop a new understanding. Hands-on learning is a tool widely used with these students to provide them with as many real life experiences as possible. Through discovery, students develop a deeper understanding and are proud of all that they accomplish.
My Project
The students will be using technology to research and learn about bridge construction. They will learn about components of bridges that are stronger and are widely used in bridge construction. They will also learn about bridges that have collapsed and use the learning from these disasters to improve the designs of bridges.
Once the students have learned about bridges, they will create a blue print for their own bridge design. From this blueprint, they will build their bridges from popsicle sticks, string, and school glue. Once construction is complete, the bridges will then be tested using weights to see how much they can hold. The students will videotape this experience and analyze the videos to review the bridge designs. Next, the students will take what they have learned and create a webpage using the videos, pictures, and analysis; which is then added to the classroom website for all to view. Students then critique the webpage and give each other ideas on how to improve both their bridge design and the webpage.
By having the popsicles and glue for students to use, they will be able to experience the thrill of being able to design and test something that they have created.
The students will be learning through actually experiencing trial and error. As adults this is typically how we learn new things. This experience could develop in them an understanding of a career that they could someday choose. The experience will also be developing thinking skills that they can use daily for problem solving purposes.
More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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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. Rico and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
