This school year I am excited to be teaching a new class entitled "STEAM"! During this class, elementary students are exposed to hands-on opportunities in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. During STEAM, students are introduced to coding. The inclusion of three Botley Coding Robot Bundles would provide an additional opportunity for our youngest of learners to practice hands-on coding in an entertaining way!
For many of my students, their school day is the only opportunity they have to use technology and experience coding activities.
The technological advancements of coding robots, such as Botley, provide new media that gives students an introduction to coding in a fun, real-world application of essential 21st-century skills. Lifelong benefits of coding include problem solving and critical thinking skills.
We are a Title I School, which means that we receive financial assistance due to a high percentage of students from low-income families. Currently, 68% of our students receive free or reduced breakfast and lunch. Many face personal challenges outside of our learning environment. Nevertheless, they eagerly participate during my STEAM class and crave new learning experiences!
My Project
Currently, I have limited resources to introduce coding in an easy, friendly way to my K-2 graders. Botley the Robot will fulfill this void. This screen-free (no technology device required) robot will provide the ease of students to work independently or in small groups. Students will have fun when using the 27 obstacle pieces to build a course and invite a friend to code the robot from start to finish. The 77 piece activity set includes 6 double-sides tiles, 40 coding cards, and a starter guide with coding challenges for more-advanced learning. My 3-5 graders can also use Botley to practice If/Then logic and Looping commands. With Botley, communication, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking skills can be reinforced while coding is being learned in elementary school.
As teachers, we are faced with the challenge of preparing our students for jobs that don't yet exist.
Employers are looking for graduates who can face challenges, think through problems, and develop creative solutions. During my class, I want to promote students' interest in STEAM concepts and give all of my students opportunities to learn to code through active play.
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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 Ms. Wiltrout and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
