My students need activities to develop higher order thinking skills. Engineering and technology will help to develop those skills while making the learning engaging.
Were you fortunate enough to have Legos when you were younger? They were great because you learned to follow the directions to build special sets but then could take it apart and design your own creations. In keeping up with technology, Legos can now be used to program those unique creations.
We are located in a rural school with a population of 800 students.
These children live in small apartments, on farms, in modest homes, and large homes. We are bursting at the seams with some teachers in classrooms originally used for speech or small groups. My 24 first graders range from students who speak little to no English, others who speak more but who aren't fluent, and others who speak very well. I have Chinese, Hmong, Spanish, and English students. I have students struggling with letter sounds, those who can read on third and fourth grade levels, and everywhere in between. I have students who can do addition and those who are struggling with the concepts of before and after. I have students who participate in our Food for Kids Backpack program, where they are given a backpack filled with food to take home for the weekend and others who live in an affluent neighborhood. I have been given a wonderfully diverse class this year
My Project
Legos are familiar to students of wealth and to those of poverty as well as to most nationalities. They are a wonderful teaching tool which has become more advanced. The Duplo sets will help those students who struggle with basic concepts, to learn about balance, stability, dimensions, and shapes. The WeDo set and software are for students who understand the basics and are ready to enhance their higher order thinking through programing and design. The Resource Set and STEM expansion stretch those thinking skills to an even greater level. Having these different levels allows for differentiation within the classroom. All the students can explore at their own learning pace and advance when they are ready. These resources also lend themselves to helping the students to work and collaborate in teams. Developing higher order thinking skills and team work is imperative if these students are going to be successful in a working environment.
I am hoping that after using these resources in the class that I can expand to reach out to other students through an after school program.
I can envision a future where K-2 students are working on robotics while 3-6 students are preparing for regional competitions. Can you imagine a school filled with excited, higher order thinking, future engineers who love what they are doing? We will start small but plan big. Thank you for considering this project.
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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. Lydick and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.