Teacher: Amy Roberts

School: Penrose Elementary School

Website: www.re-2.org

Address: 100 Illinois St. Penrose, CO 81240

Grade Level: Third grade

Region: Central Mountains

Project Title: Science & Engineering

Category: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)

Funding Amount Requested: $1,780

Project Description:
Penrose Elementary is a Title 1 school in Penrose, Colorado, with many students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. My project aims to bridge technology gaps by providing headphones and wireless mice for students, as these are not always supplied by families. Additionally, my class is thoroughly enjoying the book *The Wild Robot*, and I would love to enrich this experience by organizing a classroom trip to a theater to watch the movie adaptation. Many of my students have never been to a theater before, and this would be a rewarding conclusion to our reading. To further spark their curiosity, I would like to purchase classroom sets of robot crawlers for students to build. This ties in with the robot in the book and would provide a hands-on engineering experience. Students could write about their creations, ask and answer questions, and develop STEM-related skills like problem-solving and creativity.

Photos:
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Impact:
Providing students with headphones and wireless mice will enhance their ability to use their Chromebooks for assessments and classwork more effectively. The robot crawlers will encourage curiosity and build students' confidence and problem-solving skills through hands-on STEM learning. A theater trip will be a novel and enriching experience for students, rewarding their hard work and fostering a love for reading and learning.

Use of Funds:
- Headphones: $80
- Kiwico robot crawlers classroom kits (for 40 students): $930
- Wireless mouse sets: $130
- Movie tickets (for 40 students): $320
- Transportation: $330