Building Future Leaders: Engineering and Creative Thinking in the Classroom
Help me give my students hands-on STEM materials, like the Keva contraption set, 3 and 1 amusement park building set and other building sets and books, to explore engineering and the creative process.
Every morning my students enter our classroom full of energy, creativity and with an eagerness to learn. We spend a lot of time on the basics but also find time to integrate service learning, place-based, play-based, and project-based curriculum as well.
My first and second-grade students are from a variety of backgrounds.
Seventy-five percent of my students live in high poverty areas, about 40 percent of them are English language learners and 35 percent are special education students. Our school is a pre-school through grade 5 Vermont school and provides rigorous academics, fantastic teachers, and a safe learning environment. We are one of only two magnet schools in the state. Our mission is to educate and empower students to improve the quality of life for all, economically, socially, and environmentally, now and for future generations. Many of our students have experienced trauma in their short life and we work hard to find ways to help our students shine and feel good about the work that they do.
My Project
My students are hands-on learners. They need a variety of materials to manipulate and create with. We have weekly sessions where students are able to explore areas in science, art and nature and we would like to add more choices in the engineering and design areas. Engineering and design activities promote critical and creative thinking skills, along with teamwork and socialization skills.
Having materials like gears, levers, pullies and building sets will engage the students and give them the opportunity to develop the skills necessary for them to succeed in both school and in life.
By nature most students love to build and design. With these materials they will have more opportunities to do this in a supported and structured environment.
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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. Brown and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
