This upcoming school year will be the first time I have the opportunity to teach all 25 of my students face to face for the entire year. My incoming 3rd grade class missed out on the spring of their 1st grade year and most spent the entirety of their 2nd grade year on Zoom at home. Despite the stressors these students have gone through in the pandemic, they are resilient. We call our students Sharks. My Sharks strive to be safe, high achieving, accountable, respectful, and kind. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to teach many of them as 2nd graders, so I know some of my incoming 3rd graders personally. That doesn't always get to be the case in a school of 450 kids!
My Sharks are curious, gentle, and have learned to be flexible because there were challenges and changes every day in the pandemic.
Some days were hard. There were tears I couldn't hug away on a screen. We also had amazing days where they did things with technology I never imagined they could. I am so proud of my students for everything they managed to do with just a laptop last year.
My Project
Experiences like going to museums, watching live theatre, and traveling to new places give students a special kind of knowledge called background knowledge. Background knowledge is sometimes thought of as the glue that makes "learning" stick. Students who have more experiences do better in school. For many of my students, the opportunity to have these experiences is limited to our school trips and our school is limited by funding.
Our 3rd grade and even our entire school would be able to use these VR headsets to visit places that were not possible before.
Using Google Expeditions, we could launch every unit by taking a trip together. We could go to Plymouth Rock, The White House, and the moon all in the same afternoon if we wanted and the expense would never be a barrier. Our Kindergarten could put on the headsets after their exploration of birds to see what it looks like to fly. Our 4th graders could create their own guided tours to show their learning in new and creative ways. The possibilities are extraordinary.
My students are very motivated by technology because for many of them, technology has been their lifeline in the pandemic. It has been their connection to the outside world. I want them to have the opportunity to see the world around them instead of reading about it in a book or seeing it passively on a screen. VR is one step closer to actually experiencing these things because it is interactive. I hope it inspires them to set goals for themselves to one day visit these places. The first step is to show them what's out there waiting.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
Tracfone Samsung Galaxy A10e 4G LTE Prepaid Smartphone (Locked) - Black - 32GB - SIM Card Included - CDMA
• Amazon Business
$75.14
30
$2,254.20
Google Cardboard,2 Pack VR Headsets 3D Box Virtual Reality Glasses with Big Clear 3D Optical Lens and Comfortable Head Strap for All 3-6 Inch Smartphones (VR2.0 Yellow, 2 Pack)
• Amazon Business
$16.99
15
$254.85
Materials cost
$2,509.05
Vendor shipping charges
FREE
Sales tax
$0.00
3rd party payment processing fee
$37.64
Fulfillment labor & materials
$30.00
Total project cost
$2,576.69
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
$454.71
Total project goal
$3,031.40
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal
$3,031.40
1 Donor
-$2,928.06
Donations toward project cost
-$2,576.69
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
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 Mrs. Wallace and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
