Past projects 12
Put the T in STEM Education!
Funded Nov 6, 2017I thank you from the bottom of my heart for providing the Lego materials so that my students could experience building and coding first hand. The students participated in a First Lego League with the materials and were very proud of their creations. Their task was to design and build a water system which transported the water and stored it, in the most effective and clean way possible. They were able to rise to the challenge and design systems, working cooperatively and collaborating.
The students were thrilled with the Lego 2.0 version, which was wireless. They used a tablet to code and run their designs, This freed them from being tied to a computer and expanded the possibilities of what they could do with the materials.
The students I worked with have a range of abilities and challenges ranging from gifted to autism. They were able to work together using these materials as a common experience and their talents shone through. The academic and social skills gained are immeasurable!
Thank you again for your generous support. It is deeply appreciated!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. P.
This classroom project was brought to life by 3M and 2 other donors.Robotic Creatures in Second Grade
Funded Dec 28, 2015We have been busy creating robotic creatures for the UMass Lowell BotFest, which will be held at the end of April. Once the materials arrived, an after school club was created, and 12 students were invited to join to test out the materials and pilot the program. So far, the students have been learning how the components work, how to assemble the pieces and how to use the programming software. When the first team got their creation to move, the excitement was unbelievable! It was harder to tell who was more excited, the students or myself! Our next step is to begin to design their own creations. Together they have decided on having a zoo/circus theme, and making robotic components to coordinate with each other.
We have a volunteer graduate student from UMass who has been helping the student teams. This has helped both myself and the students learn from a person with expertise, as well as show them the future possibilities of the robotic field. One student with autism has emerged as a leader, and his peers have a new respect and admiration for his skills. We are all inspired to learn more!
The other building kits will be used with the entire class in the science lab. I have been working on learning about the kits and designing experiments over vacation, and I have designed some STEAM activities for every second grade student to participate. I am learning as much as the students, if not more!
Thank you again for your very generous donation! These experiences would not have been possible without your support. It is very greatly appreciated! If you are able to attend the BotFest on April 30th, please look for our exhibition table!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. P.