A typical day in my classroom sees between three and four classes of students in grades K-2 coming in for 21st Technology lessons. We mostly use Chromebooks to learn beginning skills like how to use the mouse, how to navigate the Internet, and how to use Google Tools. But we want to reach for more!
My students are in grades K-2.
I teach all of the students in our school, which is diverse both economically and culturally. They are eager to learn and LOVE technology. Of course they like games, but they also love to learn new skills, like typing and using drawing applications. They LOVE to learn!
Our school draws students that are both familiar with technology, and who are not. Some students have access to technology at home, and some do not.. Those who do not have to work extra hard to catch up to their peers, so I try to provide rich and interesting experiences for all the students where everyone can learn something new.
We also have many military families that make up our school family, as we are near a military base. This diversity makes for both an exciting and challenging environment. We are also a small town, where everyone knows each other and students attend school with the same group of friends from Kindergarten through Middle School. We are, in many ways, family!
My Project
We are lucky enough to have the Dash and Dot robots in our classroom (funded through Donors Choose!), and the iPad to make them run. I envision being able to demonstrate the different apps to the students with the iPad on the SMART board, using the adapter. The different accessories will be attached to our existing robots, where students will use the apps to program the robots to pick up and push the blocks. The launcher will help them learn about physics as they use the robots to launch balls, for distance and maybe try to knock down a structure or reach a cup. Students will expand their knowledge of computer programming and beginning physics with these real-life and hands-on experiences.
Donations to this project will expand our curriculum.
Students will be exposed to technology beyond the screen, where they will learn how systems work and how they can program a computer and a robot to do what they want, as well as the limitations of such things. Expanding their knowledge could open up many opportunities for the future, inspiring them to seek out possibilities they hadn't before considered. This is the ground floor for them, and I want them to go as high as they can dream!
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. Norris and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
