STEM Explorations... New Spaces = New Opportunities
My students need an Engineering in Action book set, KEVA planks for creating various structures, and a STEM exploration kit to allow them to imagine, create and design in our NEW space we will be getting!
We are a 6-8 middle school in Western WI that is transforming the media center and some classroom space into maker space for students to imagine, create, design and troubleshoot ideas they come up with to answer everyday questions or problems that are in our world. I am looking for items that can help enhance this experience for them. Seventh grade students will have this opportunity during a class they take for nine weeks, while everyone in the school will have time before, during and after school as well.
While we do get the new physical space, I am looking for things to bring into it to help students have the ability to use within those spaces, which is why I am asking for help.
We can use many every day supplies that may be laying around others houses, yet could also use some new and bigger materials to enhance their learning.
My Project
Hands-on is the way many of us learn, and having resources to do so gives students a whole new vision and reason to bring back the imagination, creativity and great ideas we all have as young children.
Keva Planks, various types of building sets, engineering books and other materials will be put into middle schooler's hands, which will give them the understanding of design as well as the "ok" to take control of their learning, and therefore the opportunities for them and their ideas are endless!
One focus point/goals is to make my students learning relevant by connecting examples of engineering within their community (Swinging Bridge in River Falls) to close destinations (St. Croix Crossing which connects WI to MN) to other destinations such as the Golden Gate Bridge (CA) and other places around the world.
Having students up, excited, moving and sharing their own ideas are what learning and our future are all about and I am excited to bring this into our school with your help. With our new space, students will be able to be up and moving so they are able to collaborate with each other to support and give each other ideas for designing new things as well as with solving problems. Having these items for them to use will make their learning even more "real" for them.
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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. Zuber and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
