STEM-Junior Innovators

Funded Oct 19, 2018

Thank you for donating and providing our students with the experience of using the Lego WeDo. I have previously obtained a robot set at a STEM professionally development and with the two sets you have provided, the students in our small special education class were able to learn how to build and code. Our students had to create a robots that can transfer their resource supplies from the space shuttle to their moon base, if they were to live on the moon for a year. They first created a moon base on the moon. Then, created a robot with a cargo that they can code and retrieve supplies from the space shuttle. They were not allowed to touch the supplies throughout the transport. There were moments where the supplies had fallen off and times when the robot did not reach their moon base. The students had a lot of problems to solve and changes that had to be made. It gave them a learning hands-on experience that can relate to the real world. Of course we discussed about the recent news, that we lost contact with the NASA Rover on the moon, and how things are different from our planet. With that information, the students created robots that overcome problems that can occur on the moon.

Most students are familiar with Legos. However, many of them never had the opportunity to use Legos with motors and bluetooth. With the Lego sets that you provided us, the students were able to build and learn in a different level. They were amazed how building blocks, can be programmed and controlled by them. I remembered seeing the glow from the student's faces when they first saw what a Lego Remover can do (Lego Removers are only provided in the large Lego sets). Even though, the removers are only a minor part of the WeDo set, it brought joy and motivation for the students to learn.

With the knowledge of programming basic robots, our next steps are to create machines that can resolve other challenges. Thank you again for giving our students the opportunity to learn while having fun. Your donation provided our students to interact in a group, enhance learning, be creative, and brought out their curiosity in a realistic way. Your donation gave me the opportunity to teach a group of students that may not be on the top, academically, but they are no different from other students. They had many questions and eager to find answers. With your donation, I was able to grasp these students and guide them into becoming thinkers and encounter challenges. The "Aha!" moments are what brings joy to my teaching. Thanks to you, it was accomplished.

Thank you again for all your support.”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Lau