My students need Bloxels, headphones, headphone splitters, and tablets to collaboratively program video games connected to innovative project based learning objectives in 4th grade.
In Two-Way Dual Language programs, students who are native Spanish and students who are native English speakers are taught together in both languages in order to become academically bilingual by the end of the fifth grade: able to speak, write, and think in both languages. English-speaking and Spanish-speaking children in dual language classrooms outperform English-speaking students not in dual language programs on all academic tests, including tests of reading and writing in English.
My class is a blend of students participating in Two-Way Dual Language, ESL, special education, and gifted and talented education programs.
I am an inclusive teacher, teaching at an inclusive school. My students come from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, socio-economic statuses, and ability levels. With the support of social/emotional learning curriculum, creative learning initiatives, Maker Education, gardening, and many more programs available, students are united in a No Place for Hate environment.
This year, I looped up to 4th grade with my previous 3rd grade group. We’re focused on a growth mindset and innovating in the classroom with Maker Education. My students have big dreams and I hope to work with Donors Choose to reach for the stars this school year!
My Project
This year, students will collaborate more on projects and explore different technological applications that foster making and creating in the classroom. Bloxels is a hands-on platform for kids to build, collaborate, and tell stories through video game creation. Headphones will help students focus and minimize distractions. Headphone splitters will help students work in partners to collaborate on projects. Tablets are needed to transfer the games students build out of Bloxel blocks to the digital platform.
My students want to play video games and I want to challenge them to create one.
I want to challenge students to learn programming skills, work together, and to think critically about their game development. I want to provide opportunities for my students to learn new things in a fun, innovative, exciting way with Bloxels.
Bloxels is not just another tech-enabled toy. It’s a hands-on, brains-on, creativity and technology experience. Bloxels uniquely unlocks students’ innate creativity by leveraging something they love: video games. Students can play fun games and channel their creative potential as they gain greater understanding of important topics like design logic, and computer science and demonstrate their knowledge of history, science and mathematics and more through the games they create.
Most activities are scale-able in complexity, so it’s appropriate for all grades, K through 8. Plus, it encourages collaboration, so players of all ages — parents, relatives, teachers, students and their friends — can build and play games together.
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 Ms. Dull and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
