During the 2023-24 school year, the Appleton Education Foundation (AEF) funded five grant requests to field test hands-on STEM experiences in AASD elementary classrooms. These explorations are helping AASD educators develop curriculum that will be implemented in new elementary STEM classes beginning in the 2025-26 school year. More than $9,700 from AEF’s Stan and Phyllis Thatcher Family Fund for STEM supported these initiatives.
Project Highlights:
3Doodler for Little Designers:
- Introduced 3D printing pens to early elementary students.
- Tested in classes of 20-25 students allowing teachers to assess pens’ durability and usability.
- Student feedback: “This is like 3D printing and drawing mixed!”
- AASD will purchase 3Doodler pens for all new STEM classrooms.
Storybook STEM:
- Introduced Picasso Tiles and Makedo tools in kindergarten and 1st-grade classrooms.
- Combined literature with STEM activities. Students built structures and created zoo animals.
- Enhanced student engagement and understanding of the engineering design process.
- AASD will purchase materials to make storybook STEM a permanent part of the new elementary STEM curriculum.
Early Learner Coding & Robotics in STEM:
- Introduced Tale-Bot and Indi-robots to early elementary students.
- Emphasized importance of small group collaboration.
- Student feedback: “This is like learning, but way more fun!”
- AASD will purchase Tale-Bots to be used in all new elementary STEM classrooms and Indi-robots to be used in library skills classes.
Humanoid Robotics and Coding in the STEM Classroom:
- Introduced Marty, the humanoid robot, to elementary students.
- Made learning more relatable and engaging for students of all backgrounds and abilities.
- Student feedback: “Coding Marty to dance is a lot like learning, but way more fun!”
- AASD will provide further support for Marty’s integration into the new STEM curriculum.
STEM Experience – Circuits and Robotics:
- Introduced new circuit and drone technologies to 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders using Circuit Cubes and coded drones.
- Connected learning to real-world applications.
- Student feedback: “Can we skip lunch and recess and continue to work on our drone challenges?”
- AASD will purchase Drones and Circuit Cubes to be integrated into the new STEM curriculum.
These innovative pilot projects will transform STEM learning in the Appleton Area School District, inspiring the next generation of creators and problem-solvers. AEF is proud to support these initiatives which exemplify its mission of creatively enhancing education in our community.
