My students need clear storage containers to organize and better locate their newly acquired STEAM kits, art supplies, batteries, screwdrivers and recycled materials.
My 630 kindergarten through fifth grade students are definitely a diverse group of enthusiastic kids with varied home experiences and academic abilities. They are motivated to invent and problem-solve when using newly acquired technology devices. They thoroughly enjoy sharing their knowledge with friends, younger students, teachers and, whenever possible, with their families.
Often, their curiosity extends beyond their weekly STEAM Lab experience to independent application in our school's "Think, Make, Share" MakerSpace instead of taking recess.
While in this MakerSpace, students work with a variety of technology devices, recycled materials, art supplies, K'Nex & Legos, math manipulatives, circuit kits, and other items to blend science, technology, engineering, the arts and math.
We are a Title I School, which means that we receive financial assistance due to a high percentage of students from low-income families. Currently, 68% of our students receive free or reduced breakfast and lunch. Many face personal challenges outside of our learning environment, while others face challenges that require placement in learning support, autistic support or emotional support classrooms. I teach every child in our school building, and all participate during my STEAM Lab class and crave new learning experiences that our MakerSpace has to offer.
My Project
The STEAM movement encompasses using information and techniques learned within traditional curriculum as a departure point for students to create new ideas and to solve real-world problems through the use of design and technology. My MakerSpace is an area in our school where innovation truly comes alive! We have acquired many new items from generous DonorsChoose.org donors that it is time for my student assistants to better organize our materials in clear storage containers. We need to be sure that all of our "makers" are able to quickly locate the items needed while they create and invent in a 1-week period during their 15-20 minute daily recess.
Our young learners are our future scientists and engineers, so they need as many STEAM experiences as we can give them with the ease of locating items requested in the MakerSpace Proposal.
I believe that supporting learning opportunities beyond the regularly scheduled classes supports my professional goal of fulfilling a child's potential. One of my fourth grade students, who truly struggles with reading, finds great success while tinkering with various circuit kits. Without reading a manual, he was able to discover how to make a circuit that included an LED light. He used a paper towel tube, a box and art supplies to make "a lamp to use when it is dark and (he) has to practice reading." He shared his lamp with probably every adult he knows within the school. Of course, there were smiles on all of our faces!
Integrating STEAM concepts meets the needs of diverse learning styles and multiple intelligences. Brain research demonstrates that learning activities which stimulate the cognitive and affective areas of the mind are vital to its optimal development. What better place to foster these type of activities than in our elementary school’s MakerSpace!
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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. Wiltrout and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
