Remember being a student and wondering why you had to learn math or science? And the best answer your teacher would give was that you might need it later for your job? You probably thought you would never want a job that had anything to do with those subjects.
Our school is a small Title I school, providing extra instructional services and activities which support students identified as failing or most at-risk of failing.
My wonderful students come from a wide variety of cultural, social, and economic backgrounds, but they all have at least one thing in common: they learn best by collaborating and exploring through hands-on activities. However, our school has been hit hard by budget cuts, and as a result, my students have very limited access to technology and resources to develop the necessary skills in math, science, and computer programming.
My Project
Envision a classroom where students use the iPad to collaborate in challenging and engaging science and math assignments that require higher level problem solving and analytical skills.
Move the Turtle, Hopscotch, Tynker, and Cargo-Bot are just a few of the many applications specifically designed to teach young children to apply their math and science skills in order to make things happen, which is the whole purpose of computer programming. Students use visual programming language made up of bricks that they drag to the work space to animate sprites. Various types of bricks trigger loops, create variables, initiate interactivity, play sounds, and more. Instead of being passive consumers of technology, students transform into active creators.
This project allows students to experience how and why math and science concepts and skills are used every day.
Using the iPad applications encourages their creativity and prepares them for a future in which computer programmers will be in even greater demand. If students can adopt the language of coding at an early age, they will have laid the foundation for a greater understanding of the tools they utilize in their everyday lives.
More than half of 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
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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 Mrs. Vanderheiden and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
