This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
I'm so lucky to have a class of amazing and inquisitive 5th graders. It makes me so happy to come in each day and watch them question things and grow as learners. In particular, this is not a class that I will soon forget.
I am hoping that this school year will let us remain in person and have as much stability as possible.
Many of my students have parents and guardians who are frontline workers so our school has been disproportionately affected by shutdowns and quarantine in the past. Despite that, they carry on with positive attitudes.
My Project
Virtual Reality has started to permeate the market and become common among the gaming community as well as the community at large. It is a relatively new technology, and being a complete tech person, I would love to explore how it can be used in the classroom.
The Oculus offers a great deal of free apps and games, and I want to see how they can be used with my lessons.
Here are a few ways I see that happening.
There are apps for experiences that can enhance lessons in the core subject areas. For science, the student using VR can dive into the ocean to view sharks or go on a virtual tour of the International Space Station. For social studies, students can go see Stonehenge or the Pyramids of Giza all in a realistic 360 degree experience. During these experiences, I can also have student engage in academic discussions as well as provide inspiration for writing prompts.
For math and brain exercises there are all sorts of interactive puzzle games. There are also design apps that will appeal to the budding artists of the classroom. For social emotional learning, there are meditation apps that can help students regulate through breathing and being immersed in a calm, relaxing environment.
I'm incredibly excited at the prospect of integrating virtual reality in my classroom. The future is here!
More than three‑quarters of 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
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. Woodyard Banham and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
