Help me give my students access to a gaming system that allows them to increase their engineering design abilities and find applications for tools in the school's makerspace.
Although our school is located in the center of the Silicon Valley, about 50% of our students are socio-economically disadvantaged, about 25% are English Language Learners, and about 50% qualify for free and reduced price lunches. Less than 50% of the parents have had some college or graduated from college.
My students are full of energy, creativity, passion, perseverance, and diversity.
Working with middle school students keeps me up with the latest clothing, music, and video game trends. I am forced to be a lifelong learner when trying to incorporate their interests into my classroom.
My Project
If you can't beat them, join them. When presented with technology, students look for ways to outsmart the adults. Their comfort, joy, excitement with video games far surpasses most educators. The Nintendo Switch system combined with their Labo kits allow teachers to integrate engineering design without the students recognizing they are learning.
Students will use computational thinking, collaboration, troubleshooting, and prototyping to create products that integrate with the gaming systems.
Disciplinary core ideas like Forces and Motion can be taught with race car driving and Sound waves with the creation of musical instruments. Students can create their own products with the Toy-Con Garage which will require a basic understanding of input/output programming. The potential for learning by both teacher and student engagement will be contagious. Students can showcase their creations at the district's STEAM Expo.
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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. Scilingo and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
