Past projects 5
Safe Cardboard Engineering
Funded Aug 10, 2023Thank you so much for your donations to my "Safe Cardboard Engineering" project. Your donations enabled me to obtain 14 MakeDo safe-saws for my STEM classroom. These MakeDo safe-saws have allowed my students to effectively and safely cut, score, and saw all types of different cardboard when working on engineering projects without the fear of hurting themselves. The safe saws do not have sharp edges for small hands.
So far, my 3rd graders have used the safe-saws to construct model skier and snowboarders for our STEM Winter Olympics! Students used cardboard, tape, pipe-cleaners, and popsicle sticks to design a model rider that stands on a model snowboard or pair of skis. The goal was to have their rider remain upright as they race down a model mountain that we created with tables. Students had to use the engineering design process to plan, create, test, and improve their model Olympians!
Later on in the year, we will use the safe saws again to engineer racer cars made out of recycled materials like cereal boxes, CDs, and straws. The recycled racer project is one I do each year, and I am looking forward to not having to cut so much cardboard for my students, because they can now cut it all by themselves without fear of getting hurt.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Athearn
Sensory Tools, Fidgets, and Incentives for STEM Class
Funded Jun 15, 2022My students have been earning incentive prizes for following expectations in STEM class and having a great time using fidget toys to unwind, de-stress, and focus on learning. Students were amazed and excited by all the different prizes I was able to provide this year. Your donation has enabled me to give out over 100 prizes already this year. These gifts provide a little bit of joy and fun in an often dark world for these kids.
Students have also really enjoyed being able to use play-doh in our makerspace this year. This is a new material for our makerspace, but it has been very popular!
Thank you so much!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Athearn
Comfortable Carpet for the STEM Lab
Funded Sep 13, 2021I can't thank you enough for donating to my DonorsChoose project for a large and colorful area rug for my STEM lab. The new area rug provides a much-needed flexible working space for my students to use their Chromebooks, collaborate with one another, and take a much-needed break from sitting at a desk all day. My third graders appreciate a front-row seat to lessons and demonstrations at the interactive whiteboard, and my fourth graders have really enjoyed working on pair programming and collaborative 3D designing on the rug. Your donation has helped create a special space in this tiled lab that now feels cozier and student-centered to support the needs of learning through a pandemic. Your generosity is truly appreciated!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Athearn
Young Engineers Need More LittleBits for Their Invention Projects
Funded Dec 11, 2018Thank you so much for supporting my students' learning in STEM class. The additional LittleBits electronics kits allowed us to have smaller groups sizes for our Engineering and Inventing unit with LittleBits. The learning goal was to use the engineering design process to imagine, plan, create, test, and improve a unique robotic model that utilized the LittleBits input and output electronics. Students first learned how to put a basic LittleBits circuit together. Next, they came up with a plan for their model including a sketch and list of materials. Students had to decide what unique purpose or function their robotic model would serve, design how their LittleBits would be integrated, and also plan out how they would use craft materials to create the model. It took us about 9 weeks to finish creating and improving their models. My students learned the powerful experiences of productive failure, perseverance, collaboration, communication and creativity. Our motto is FAIL stands for First Attempt In Learning, and it is an important step on the road to success.
This is always the most popular and engaging hands-on project I do with my STEM students each year, and this year blew me away. Here are some of the amazing robotic models that students designed and created: toys that could light up or rotate for younger siblings, model medevac helicopters with rotating propellers, a snow-cone shop with rotating snow-cone on the roof, sail boats that simulated movement through the waves, cave minors with light-up helmets, and one of my favorites---the World's Slowest Car---a stationary car with a functioning hood that could open and close.
None of this would have been possible without your generous donations. Thank you again for supporting my students.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Athearn
Computer Mice for Elementary STEM Class
Funded Oct 4, 2017Your donation towards my grant to fund a class set of computer mice for my elementary STEM class has had an incredible impact on the way my students engage with their laptops. Students are more confident with their computing skills, because their mouse has enabled them to navigate a desktop and online platforms with ease and comfort.
My 3rd and 4th graders passed their Google Driver's Permit tests and went on to earn their Class C Google Driver's Licenses, because their mouse made it possible to drag and drop, copy and paste, right-click, and scroll like a pro! My 5th graders were able to manage the complex button configurations that are necessary in the 3D design program Tinkercad, and created the most amazing 3D designs that we 3D printed and then painted as part of a culminating 3D design choice project.
My students come right in to class, sit down, and get their mice out at the start of each class. They are eager and excited to use their mouse which helps me to be able to teach them the skills they need for the 21st century. Also, when I have students who are not in my regular STEM classes visit my classroom, they are pleasantly surprised that each student gets to use a mouse, and not just the ones whose parents can buy them their own. You've really helped me to level the technology playing field in my classroom! Thank you very much!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Athearn