Our school is located in a rural area in VA surrounded by military bases. Our school is a Title I school, meaning a majority of our students come from a low socioeconomic status. Specifically, 30% of our students qualify for free or reduced rate lunch. We have a high military family presence, which welcomes a lot of turnover in student population. Many families come to our district after they retire from the military as well as to settle down and raise their family in a quiet and small town.
STEM Lab is still considered a new special for students in grades K - 6 to attend each week.
We are just starting our third year having a STEM Lab in our building. I try to bring a variety of experiences to our students when they visit our 40 minute class from building with Lego blocks to exploring computer science. With nearly 900 students in our building visiting the STEM Lab every week, we always have a wish-list.
My Project
Sphero SPRK+, tennis sized, spherical robots that students can control with code they “write!” These round robots come pre-programed to interact with drag and drop coding programs, as well as apps providing activities which teach the basics of controlling the Sphero, built right in. Once these apps are loaded onto the Kindle Fire 8s, the students could begin to write a customized Sphero program. Their unique code would give these small marvels instructions on how, and where, to move. In addition, these robots can be remotely navigated through student designed obstacle courses, mazes, maps, and many other creations.
Fine motor coordination and problem-solving skills will be challenged as students negotiate mazes and obstacle courses without dislodging the obstacles.
These versatile mechanical critters would even provide students opportunities to use research, mapping, and communication skills. One such opportunity would be to prepare for their role as a “Tour Guide.” In this scenario, students would research an interesting location and design a map of that area. They would give “Tours” while “driving” the Sphero to points of interest on their maps. The audience would listen as the “Tour Guide” shared interesting facts gleaned from their research. Geography, measurement, geometry, sequencing, writing, and oral communication skills are just a few of the endless examples of how Spheros could be integrated across the entire K-12 curriculum
Sphero SPRK+ Steam Educational Robot
• Amazon Business
$122.99
1
$122.99
All-New Fire HD 8 Tablet | Hands-Free with Alexa | 8" HD Display, 16 GB, Black - with Special Offers
• Amazon Business
$79.99
1
$79.99
MENZO Case for Amazon All-New Fire HD 8 2018/2017 - Shockproof Convertible Handle Light Weight Protective Stand Cover Kids Case for Fire HD 8" (2017 and 2018 Releases) Tablet, Green
• Amazon Business
$16.99
1
$16.99
Materials cost
$219.97
Vendor shipping charges
FREE
Sales tax
$0.00
3rd party payment processing fee
$3.30
Fulfillment labor & materials
$30.00
Total project cost
$253.27
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
$44.69
Total project goal
$297.96
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal
$297.96
3 Donors
-$294.44
Donations toward project cost
-$253.27
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
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. Richard and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
