My students come from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds. Despite language barriers and experiences, they are always ready to learn and to broaden their skill sets. We are a tiny school in an urban area, where it's often difficult to find funding for the things that will really take our students' learning to new heights.
Our community wants to see our students learn and grow and to give them as many opportunities as possible to gain new experiences, to explore science and technology, and to truly develop 21st-century skills.
My Project
My students need a QIDI 3D Printer, 1 kilogram of filament, and paints to tell stories about their learning. My students thrive when they are given opportunities to complete projects that force them to dive deeper into the curriculum and guide their own learning. When incorporating STEM into the classroom, it is easy to think that the technology portion is digital research or incorporating an app or program into a student's final product. While these are certainly great ways to get kids using technology, having them create, design, and print will not only get them using technology, it will require them to think critically about the product they are creating and problem-solve as they go through the 3D design process.
"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower" (Steve Jobs).
With a 3D printer, filament, and paints, students will create tangible objects that they will use to tell a story. Whether it's creating an artifact from the Civil War or American Revolution, or parts of a flower or weather instruments, students will then use an app or program that allows them to tell their story using their 3D object. It might be a green screen advertisement, stop-motion video, or even creating a digital book using one of multiple apps, students will be engaged and invested in each step of the process.
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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 Ms. Szakal and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
