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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Liimatainen from N. Las Vegas, NV is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Liimatainen is requesting

Words to Widgets: Bridging LITERACY and STEM for Future Innovators

Help me give my students books about STEM to help them learn more about careers they may choose for their future!

  • $658 goal

This project expired on August 29, 2025.

This project expired on August 29, 2025.

My Project

My students need books! I teach Design and Modeling to about one hundred and eighty sixth-grade students. In my class, we focus on Computer Science and App Creation, along with Design and Modeling. I try to design all lessons to include cross-curricular activities so students can see how important each subject area is to their future.

Strong literacy skills are essential for students to succeed in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) because communication is at the core of every scientific and technical endeavor.

Whether students are reading complex word problems in math, analyzing scientific texts, or following detailed instructions in engineering projects, they must be able to comprehend and process information effectively. Literacy helps students make sense of abstract concepts and apply them in practical ways, building a stronger foundation for STEM learning.

In STEM subjects, students are not just expected to understand content—they're also expected to explain, argue, and justify their reasoning. This requires the ability to write clearly, speak confidently, and read critically. Without strong literacy skills, even the most mathematically or scientifically inclined students can struggle to express their ideas or solve problems clearly.

Literacy empowers students to become independent learners and critical thinkers. As they encounter new technologies and rapidly evolving scientific information, the ability to read technical documents, interpret data, and stay informed becomes increasingly important. Literacy bridges the gap between knowledge and application, helping students not only consume information but also contribute meaningfully to the world of STEM. In this way, literacy is not separate from STEM—it is the key that unlocks its full potential.

Please help me purchase a variety of books about Engineering and Computer Science to help my students unlock THEIR full potential!

Ms. Liimatainen Carroll M Johnston Middle School Grades 6-8

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

N. Las Vegas, NV View local requests

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

180 students impacted

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Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. Liimatainen is requesting.

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
5 Book Set Lil' Libros: Dr. Ochoa's Stellar World STEAM Bundle (Math, Arts, Engineering) (bilingual Spanish English, STEM books for classroom library) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $60.00 1 $60.00
Computer Science for Kids: A Storytelling Approach • Amazon Business $24.74 1 $24.74
Creative Coding: Lessons and Strategies to Integrate Computer Science Across the 6-8 Curriculum (Computational Thinking and Coding in the Curriculum) • Amazon Business $22.48 1 $22.48
Ada Twist, Scientist (hardcover STEM picture book, ages 4-8) x MahoganyBooks - books for classroom library • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $20.00 1 $20.00
The International Space Station • Amazon Business $19.69 1 $19.69
Think Smart, Be Fearless: A Biography of Bill Gates • Amazon Business $18.99 1 $18.99
The Fascinating Engineering Book for Kids: 500 Dynamic Facts! (Fascinating Facts) • Amazon Business $9.09 2 $18.18
Robot salvaje - The Wild Robot (paperback STEM, Spanish edition) • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $18.00 1 $18.00
Hedy Lamarr's Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor (People Who Shaped Our World, 4) • Amazon Business $16.96 1 $16.96
Artificial Intelligence (STEAM & Me) • Amazon Business $8.20 2 $16.40
The Inventor's Secret: What Thomas Edison Told Henry Ford • Amazon Business $16.30 1 $16.30
Breakthrough: How One Teen Innovator Is Changing the World • Amazon Business $15.19 1 $15.19
Coding and Logic Workbook!: 101 Challenging Fun Coding Activities and Logic Puzzles For Kids Ages 7-10 • Amazon Business $14.99 1 $14.99
Ada's Ideas: The Story of Ada Lovelace, the World's First Computer Programmer • Amazon Business $13.87 1 $13.87
The Amazing World of Video Game Development • Amazon Business $13.01 1 $13.01
Kid Engineers (stem books for kids) • Amazon Business $12.95 1 $12.95
Dr. Maya, Ice Cream Scientist: Real Women in STEAM (The Look Up Series) • Amazon Business $12.84 1 $12.84
The History of the Computer: People, Inventions, and Technology that Changed Our World • Amazon Business $12.30 1 $12.30
Black Inventors: 15 Inventions that Changed the World (paperback) - featured Black History books for classroom library • DonorsChoose Featured Favorites $12.00 1 $12.00
A Computer Called Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Helped Put America on the Moon • Amazon Business $11.69 1 $11.69
Ellen Takes Flight: The Life of Astronaut Ellen Ochoa (A Big Words Book, 12) • Amazon Business $11.23 1 $11.23
What Can I Be? Career Ideas for Kids: [Career Exploration for Children] • Amazon Business $10.98 1 $10.98
Everything You Need to Ace Computer Science and Coding in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide (Big Fat Notebooks) • Amazon Business $10.98 1 $10.98
Coding Capers: Luci and the Missing Robot: A STEM Picture Book About Coding and the Power of Persistence • Amazon Business $10.95 1 $10.95
Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race • Amazon Business $10.18 1 $10.18
Careers: The Ultimate Guide to Planning Your Future • Amazon Business $10.06 1 $10.06
Savannah's Smartphone Safety Tips for Kids (Cybersecurity Guidelines Preschool and Elementary (Cyber City Book Series)) • Amazon Business $9.99 1 $9.99
How Do Computers Follow Instructions?: A Book About Programming • Amazon Business $9.99 1 $9.99
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin (Amazing Scientists, 1) • Amazon Business $9.74 1 $9.74
Rebel Girls Awesome Entrepreneurs: 25 Tales of Women Building Businesses • Amazon Business $8.99 1 $8.99
Team BFF: Race to the Finish! #2 (Girls Who Code) • Amazon Business $8.83 1 $8.83
Human Computer: Mary Jackson, Engineer • Amazon Business $7.99 1 $7.99
Computer Decoder: Dorothy Vaughan, Computer Scientist • Amazon Business $7.99 1 $7.99
Basher Science Mini: Artificial Intelligence: When Computers Get Smart! • Amazon Business $7.81 1 $7.81
Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World • Amazon Business $7.49 1 $7.49
Black Inventors: 15 Inventions that Changed the World (Biographies for Kids) • Amazon Business $7.42 1 $7.42

Materials cost

$521.20

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$7.82

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$559.02

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$98.65

Total project goal

$657.67

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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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. Liimatainen and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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