My students need two Chromebooks to implement the technology aspect of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) in the Next Generation Science Standards.
In the continually evolving world of science, students need to be just as comfortable behind a computer as they do sitting at a lab table. The journey of implementing technology to support our field/lab findings not only prepares the students for the future, it grants them ownership of their future.
Our school is a smaller pre-k to 8 building with approximately 350 students.
The demographics suggest that the socioeconomic makeup of the district population be described as less than affluent. The district constantly relies on year-round fundraising to provide a few inter-mural sports and field trips. Despite the lack of funds for resources that many schools consider the norm, the students are resilient and persevere. The teachers do an outstanding job working with a very small budget to stay up to date with the changes that are required year in and year out. The generosity of the teachers coupled with the hunger of the students makes the school a wonderful place to work. The addition of resources such as Chromebook's would make a tremendous impact as the need for our students to be career ready becomes more and more important.
My Project
Our daily routines revolve around students developing an understanding of a specific science concept. They are then assessed on their ability to comprehend the topic through activities of their choice, such as developing puppet shows, designing labs, or building working models. The addition of these Chromebook's would be used to research and connect the materials being studied with functional real-world applications. If asked to build a bridge, students with little resources may be able to build a model of a bridge that they have experienced. However, with technology the students can further research the aspects that make that bridge functional and apply that knowledge to their design. Using technology to scaffold their learning also builds skill that are useful in other areas like language arts, math, and history.
The bottom line is that donations that result in the purchase of two Chromebook's will vastly improve the opportunities of my students.
The middle school students who will use this needed technology will not only be building a skill set necessary for a successful transition into high school, but will be building their confidence as they take ownership of their learning experiences. As their teacher it is my responsibility to provide any and all tools to make this a reality.
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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 Mr. Wilkin and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.