The students are 8th graders in a small rural New Jersey elementary school.
They have recently been introduced to project-based learning and are looking for a new stimulating venture that will challenge their abilities and have lasting impact for the school.
My students recognize that their future jobs will require them to be tech savvy and want to prepare for this. They have learned how to code in different formats and are familiar with the design process, but lack hands-on experience in coding/designing projects that exist outside the computer screen.
Our status as a small school in a modest community gives us very limited opportunities for funding special projects. However in this instance our community is giving these students access to a space in which to both design and build a "makerspace" as well as use that space to engage in hands-on projects. We just need to have the materials for that space funded!
My Project
My students are excited about being able to get hands-on experience on how coding is used to program robotics to do a variety of tasks. The Mindstorm EV3 kits would allow my students to not only build a robot, but also be challenged to develop and expand their computer skills.
My students are hungry for "real world experiences" which teach them "better problem-solving" and other 21st century skills - the Mindstorm units would provide these opportunities.
Coding the EV3 would give them firsthand experience within a meaningful context, while developing 21st century skills such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking and problem solving.
Additionally, the community is giving us an opportunity to develop a space to create a school and community "Makerspace," this is space that is not available within the school building. If we can fund the EV3 Mindstorm project, we can begin to develop and utilize that area which will benefit the entire school and later the community.
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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 Teacher Klapper and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.