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Mr. Isaacs from Basking Ridge NJ is requesting technology through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

Student-led project

Empowering Learners in the Maker Age: Take 3

We need bitCraft kits, Disney Infinity 3.0 games, a Wii U bundle, Mario Maker, and some amiibo. These resources will be a huge help to our creative and hardworking students

  • $1,792 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

About My Students

One of the primary projects in my game design course is a 20% time passion project where students choose a tool or technology they would like to use. In order for them to truly be empowered in the process, it is important for them to dream big and not feel held back by limitations.

Several students had ideas for what they wanted to accomplish for their 20% time project. They originally started with separate ideas including the idea of Mario maker & Wii U, Disney infinity, little bits to use with the bitcraft Minecraft mod. The project was a collaboration of students from different period classes who decided to work together to create a project that best supported all of their interests.They created a google doc to plan the project out and contributed their parts to the project. I shared past Donors Choose projects that we have had funded with the Empowering Learners 20%Time theme, and the students thought about the tools that we were lacking in relation to the projects they wanted to engage in. The Empowering Learners project is intended to truly put the learning in the students' hands, so it was important for them to engage in the entire process. This project is the culmination of their collaboration.

Game Design and Development involves all stages of the iterative design process. In the case of the 20%Time project, students are empowered to take the learning into their own hands. Students learn through research of existing resources including tutorials, videos, etc. They begin the process by following tutorials created by others. After that phase, students design an original project, including a comprehensive design document. At that point, they build their game, often in design teams. After the playable prototype is developed, they must recruit feedback from their peers and me, the instructor. Feedback sends students into the next phase of the iterative design cycle as they improve upon their project. This feedback loop is repeated several times as their testers continue to provide feedback in the form of a partnership to help improve upon the game. The ultimate goal is to publish the completed game. Skills learned include iterative design, collaboration, and persistence.

In Their Own Words

We are highly motivated WAMS Technology students with vivid imaginations and amazing ideas. With some help of course and experience, I think that we can show people how valuable game design is and how the games can help the students in our classroom learn and better our knowledge and education for brighter futures. I think that we can help make this project work because we can come up with ways to persuade people to donate, and we can make the project fun and interesting!

Little bit technology is very user friendly along with Mario Maker and Disney Infinity. It is just a matter of fact that students embrace the opportunity to learn and understand the basics of bitCraft and eventually make outstanding inventions! Students in our classroom will get better at game designing with the Disney Infinity and Mario Maker, which will help them get brighter futures through game designing and programming! Simar and I (Anastasia), will try our hardest to make this happen!

Students have the ability to make incredible advances through technology everyday. Every day the WORLD advances in technology! But how? Well, the answer to that is the people that create new ways of thinking and make new creations. The students of the world that we live in are the future. Students have the ability to make incredible advances through technology everyday. But we need your help! The students cannot do this alone! What better way to empower the students learning by donating?-Thank you

Mr. Isaacs
Grades 6-8

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Where Your Donation Goes

Materials Cost Quantity Total
Nintendo - Wii U 32GB Console Deluxe Set with Mario Kart 8 • Best Buy Education $299.99 1 $299.99
littleBits cloudBit Starter Kit • CDW-G $118.49 2 $236.98
littleBits Gizmos Gadgets Kit • CDW-G $225.15 1 $225.15
littleBits Deluxe Kit • CDW-G $208.89 1 $208.89
Disney Infinity: 3.0 Edition Star Wars Saga Bundle - PlayStation 4 • Best Buy Education $114.99 1 $114.99
Disney Infinity: 3.0 Edition Starter Pack - Xbox One • Best Buy Education $64.99 1 $64.99
Disney Infinity: 3.0 Edition Starter Pack - Xbox 360 • Best Buy Education $64.99 1 $64.99
Disney Infinity: 3.0 Edition Starter Pack - Nintendo Wii U • Best Buy Education $64.99 1 $64.99
Super Mario Maker - Nintendo Wii U • Best Buy Education $59.99 1 $59.99
Disney Interactive Studios - Disney Infinity: 3.0 Edition Star Wars Rise Against the Empire Play Set • Best Buy Education $34.99 1 $34.99
PDP - Fight Pad for Nintendo Wii U • Best Buy Education $19.99 1 $19.99
Nintendo - amiibo Figure (Yoshi) • Best Buy Education $12.99 1 $12.99
Nintendo - amiibo Figure (Bowser) • Best Buy Education $12.99 1 $12.99
Nintendo - amiibo Figure (Super Mario Series Mario) • Best Buy Education $12.99 1 $12.99
Nintendo - amiibo Figure (Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary Series Classic Color Mario) • Best Buy Education $12.99 1 $12.99
Nintendo - amiibo Figure (Pikachu) • Best Buy Education $12.99 1 $12.99
Nintendo - amiibo Figure (Luigi) • Best Buy Education $9.99 1 $9.99

Materials cost

$1,470.88

Vendor shipping charges

FREE

Sales tax

$0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$22.06

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$1,522.94

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$268.75

Total project goal

$1,791.69

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

$1,791.69

13 Donors

-$750.56

Donations toward project cost

-$642.48

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$108.08

Matching donations from our partners

-$1,035.84

Match offers toward project cost

-$880.46

Match offers to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$155.38

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$5.30

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

$0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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Project Activity

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