My students need 1 Pandigital Tablet and 3 sets of KNEX Discovery and Building sets to engineer their creative innovations.
FULLY FUNDED! Mrs. Leon's classroom raised $429
This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
STEM education today breeds future engineers of tomorrow. I want to expose my students to science, technology and math (STEM) and create a hands-on inquiry learning environment. Knex construction technology and a tablet will promote this type of student engagement and enhancement.
My school caters to a predominantly low income Hispanic and African-American population, which is approximately 97% of our student body.
We are a Title I school where most of the students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Many of my students' parents or caregivers do not have a high school education. Most of my students do not have internet or even computers at home. So it is difficult to assign research projects when computer access and knowledge is limited. Our school itself is in a progress improvement state, where we need to show yearly improvement in our state scores. Moreover, a large majority of our students are English language learners. Since our school is a high turn over school and many students come to us 1 to 2 grade levels behind, there is a lack of basic mathematical and writing skills. To get our students caught up, we have implemented a number of strategies. We currently run a "Response to Intervention" program and an after school tutoring program.
My Project
This is a comprehensive project covering science, math, technology and engineering (STEM). The tablet and Knex construction sets will create a learning environment of inquiry, observation, investigation and manipulation, and finally discover and design. Because this is mainly a hands-on activity, all students will also benefit by improving their motor skills while manipulating the objects. With the three separate construction sets, students will have the opportunity to explore how gears and machines work together, how a pulley system is balanced by a lever, and how the suspension of a bridge makes sense. The tablet will enhance the lesson, because it will allow for web research for accurate views of a potential design. Coincidentally, since many of my students lack basic computer skills, web searching will help to strengthen students' technological skills to further prepare them for today's digital world.
Science and math are imperative to career opportunities of the future.
My students need to discover how math and science complement each other and are relevant to the world they live in. With the Knex and the tablet, I hope to inspire a love of inquiry and discovery through this hands-on approach to math, science, engineering and technology.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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. Leon and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
