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Project Manager: Julie McElaney-Gorman
School: All Elementary
Type of Grant: Education
Target Grade: K
Curriculum: STEAM
Start Date: Fall 2024
Makedo kits provide children with innovative and fun collaborative, problem solving opportunities. Building with a Makedo kit fosters:
-inquiry learning as students learn by doing,
-communication skills as students work together on building projects and
-confidence as children work to bring an imagined idea to fruition.
The Kindergarten Speaking and Listening standards are directly addressed as students will work together and be intrinsically motivated to practice the skills in the standards:
SL.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
SL.1.a.Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns speaking about the topics and texts under discussion).
SL.3.Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood.
The Science Practice Standards are addressed as students will begin by determining what useful product they will build and how they will build it. The students will then engage in the actual development
of the product:
1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering).
2. Developing and using models.
3. Planning and carrying out investigations
The Kindergarten Math Standards are addressed in an engaging real life situation as students build and discuss their structures:
K.MD.A.1 Describe measurable attributes of objects, such as length or weight. Describe several measurable attributes of a single object.
K.MD.A.2 Directly compare two objects with a measurable attribute in common, to see which object has “more of”/”less of” the attribute, and describe the difference.
K.G.A.1 Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes, and describe the relative positions of these objects using terms such as above, below, beside, in front of, behind, and next to.
K.G.A.2 Correctly name shapes regardless of their orientations or overall size.
K.G.A.3 Identify shapes as two-dimensional (lying in a plane, “flat”) or three-dimensional (“solid”).
K.G.B.4 Analyze and compare two- and three-dimensional shapes, in different sizes and orientations, using informal language to describe their similarities, differences, parts (e.g., number of sides and
vertices/”corners”) and other attributes (e.g., having sides of equal length).
K.G.B.5 Model shapes in the world by building shapes from components and drawing shapes.
K.G.B.6 Compose simple shapes to form larger shapes.
The goal of this project is to provide real-life problem solving experiences to our youngest elementary students. In addition to the opportunity to practice the academic standards listed above, students
will benefit from learning to work together to accomplish a goal that feels personally meaningful.
The materials we are seeking are made by Makedo
https://www.make.do/?srsltid=AfmBOoronNjg3fFZnGpOQt6UVjt6-9KRJj6CM-1kBMWyXsRCyIumk0Rp
Once we receive the materials, the kindergarten teachers and I will meet to explore them and for teachers to share their ideas for classroom implementation (logistics, guidelines for students, etc).
Teachers will introduce them to students and at subsequent kindergarten meetings, we will continue to share best practices and ideas for curriculum connections (eg. using Makedo to construct
materials for the kindergarten math Shape Town performance-based assessment and the floats for the Foot Parade performance-based assessment.)
We are consistently looking for real-life problem solving experiences for Winchester students. I find this gets increasingly easier as students get older but finding avenues for our 5 and 6 year old students
to put their meaningful stamp on the world is more challenging. Makedo projects allow our youngest students to use materials to create real products that will impact their worlds. From making a
cardboard backpack to a house for a favorite stuffy to a pencil case or a class-sized container to hold shared supplies these kindergarteners can find solution to real needs. The Makedo products are
durable, easy to make and “green” as they are made from recycled cardboard.
Total: $4608
