"Can I take home a backpack meal, Mr. Kane?" "Of course." My students face greater challenges than most. My students are homeless; 9% of them. They have an incarcerated parent (or two); almost 20% do. Most receive free or reduced lunch and breakfast; over 70% need food support. Most struggle against huge odds; many live in an area projected to be 94.5% below the poverty level.
At the same time, I cannot stop bragging about my students.
They become voracious readers. I cant' keep classics like Moby Dick and the Secret Garden on my shelves. They become sharp mathematicians. Several are currently teaching themselves how to solve a Rubiks Cube. They become brilliant writers. I laugh and even sometimes cry while grading their written words. My students have a tenacity and curiosity that humbles and challenges me.
My goal is to live up to the greatness of these kids.
My Project
We are learning about the engineering design process. It is the process through which engineering prototypes are designed with constraints and subsequently tested. We have an excellent robotics and engineering program in our elementary school, but solutions tend to follow a limited path.
A 3D printer would open up options for creative design.
With this technology, students could design new solutions for the same tasks. My students can design 3-dimensional objects with basic engineering software. The printer then physically prints new tools, blocks or other objects that the students have designed.
My class also buddies with a 1st-grade class. Both my 5th graders and those 1st graders learn grade-specific spacial geometry. A 3D printer would allow those lessons to become opportunities for tangible understanding.
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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 Mr. Kane and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
