Engineering Toys and STEAM Library grant request aims to provide approximately 25 students each year with open-ended, hands-on sensory experiences that foster engineering concepts, fine motor skills, and peer communication. The materials include a STEM bundle from Lakeshore Learning and a STEAM-focused book collection. These materials will integrate with math and science curriculum by allowing students to construct, test, and modify their own creations.
This grant will enhance my classroom by offering students hands-on, sensory experiences that will allow them to explore several different engineering concepts. This would support the 2nd grade curriculum by introducing science concepts and giving opportunities for students to construct, test, and modify. I would measure the success of these materials by observing the students in their hands-on play time. I would apply this knowledge to their science and math lessons.
The STEAM books will provide inspirational stories for students, focusing on exploring topics of science, technology, engineering, art, and math. These books include stories inspired by historical figures in this field, fictional stories, as well as stories which focus on aspects of the STEAM fields. These stories will help students to see possibilities and inspiration in the STEAM fields.
Open-ended and engineering play is beneficial for all of our students and gives opportunities to explore and improve fine motor skills. Additionally, this type of play helps students develop their language skills by giving them opportunities to communicate with their peers as they plan and solve problems together.
Success will be measured through observations of students interactions with these materials in the classroom, as well as their ability to connect their learning through these materials to our classroom learning in other areas of study.
I will put these materials to use right away. They will become a regular part of our math, science, art, and free play activities.
Yes, often students rotate to different classrooms during "Fun Friday" time, so students from other 2nd grade classrooms can use these items. I can also lend them to the other 2nd grade teachers.