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Goal

My goal is to provide STEM activities through the integration of Blue-Bot robots to equip our students to compete in the global society with the tools necessary to prepare them for the 21st Century. My using this technology is unique to student learning because it will highly motivate my students to think critically even in kindergarten and prepare them for the future by allowing them to get ahead of the game and by incorporating these skills at such an early age which will ultimately increase student achievement dramatically. This technology will support the needs of my students by helping to close the achievement gap in my low-socio economic school and provide for them the same types of tools other schools already have to help their students succeed. 

What will be done with my students

I plan to continue to introduce my kinder students to STEM activities and engineering through an exciting new robot called Blue-Bot. Blue-Bots are small robot that looks just like a little bee. It takes very simple commands. Forward, back, turn right and turn left. That's it Simple. But oh, the possibilities are endless. Kindergarteners will learn to code using this new and exciting robot called Blue-Bot. Students will learn to entered up to 40 commands with directional keys and be taught how to follow commands and enter commands. This colorful easy to operate and friendly robot is the perfect tool for also teaching sequencing, estimation, problem- solving and it will be fun for the students as well as motivation! The Blue-Bot will inspire my young learners to become more creative and provide more complex commands. It will really transform their learning and it will enable them to transfer those skills learned into all other areas of their curriculum. Bluebot robots will take this learning to a whole new level. Blue-Bot, the new Bee-Bot robot has a Bluetooth connection! Using the buttons on the back to program. Kinder students can connect Blue-Bot to their iPad via Bluetooth, using free apps, and then program Blue-Bot remotely. Students press the command keys to send Blue-Bot forward and back, left and right and learn counting, sequencing, directionality, problem-solving, and estimation. Imagine how anxious my kinder students will be to put Blue-Bot through its paces and develop important thinking skills while they are having fun. Blue-Bot blinks and beeps engagingly to provide feedback as it follows a program. With its clear shell, Blue-Bot is literally transparent so that its components can be seen, helping to demystify technology. Blue-Bot brings science, technology, engineering, and math into the classroom for even the youngest students and helps build foundational skills for lifelong learning.

 

Benefits to my students

The learning and skill development from this project are students engaging in critical thinking, coding, programming, collaboration, communication, creativity, problem-solving, while also motivating students to be thinkers and work together to achieve a common goal. The academic achievement goals that are aligned with the state standards are closely aligned with the ISTE standards of Robotics and Engineering Design Standards:
1. Creativity and innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
2. Communication and collaboration: Students use digital media to communicate and work collaboratively to support student learning.
3. Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making: Students use critical thinking skills to manage projects, solve problems and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. The goals that are aligned with the standards to develop 21st Century learners that can think critically, solve problems, work together collaboratively while introducing them to STEM and coding activities so that they are equipped to meet the needs of the 21st Century. This project addresses the gap of NOT having enough STEM and coding activities in kindergarten curriculum. Academic Improvement will continue to be measured with their access to project-based learning where the students are learning to use iPads to document their learning and explain their thinking through videos and sharing their learning on social media. The immediate impact this will have on my kinder engineers is to be able to demonstrate creative thinking, problem-solving and decision making by working together collaboratively through the use of the iPads with a program called Seesaw where they use their voice to document their learning and explain their thinking while video-taping their project-based learning in action! They are then able to share on social media as well as with their peers using the learning mats as well.
 

Budget Narrative

This budget is providing access to 130 kindergarten students with 5 iPads to connect the Blue-Bots via Bluetooth technology. It also includes coding mats for extended learning experiences. The District require Air Watch security which I will ask my PTO to cover. 

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