My students are a group of energetic first graders who come to school each day eager to learn. They attend a high poverty, Title I school in rural Georgia. Over 85% of my children live in poverty. Our elementary school is a low income, rural, poverty school.
Regardless of our socioeconomic status, these students are young, ambitious, and smart.
Despite their hardships, my students are eager to learn and do their best. They want to be in school because they want to learn as much as they can so they can be successful. I teach an amazing group of first graders who come to school each day with smiles on their faces.
My Project
First graders love to learn about insects with STEM activities. First, I will read books about ants to my children. Then, we will go over the life cycle of an ant using the 3D model. The children will write in the journals what they have learned about ants. Then draw the life cycle of ants in their journal.
My children will be learning from the ants.
My children will help set up an ant farm in our classroom. The ant farm will enable the children to take a peek and see inside an ant colony. They will see the construction of the ant colony, the entry points, the ventilation of the nest, and how the ants expand their farm. The children will keep a notebook journal on their ant observations noting how ants interact, egg observations, and tunnel observations. My children will then be given Kinetic sand to make their own ant habitat with paths.
Next will be the engineering and design process for the children. They will be given the "Build an Ant Challenge!" In their journal they will have to draw a diagram, brainstorms ways to complete the task, then write how they are going to build their ant. They will be given Play-Doh to make their ant model.
This project will bring STEM activities into our classroom. The children will have fun learning from the ants!
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. Miller and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.