Walton Education Foundation

Our names are Meri Mollitor and Sheryl Evans. We are two of the Maude Saunders FIRST Lego League team coaches. FIRST Lego League offers students a hands-on approach to STEM learning.
Our MSE Lego Club is one that offers fun learning opportunities using the FIRST Lego League annual themed kit and a Lego Education computer programming kit. They will use the skills they learn in the Lego Club throughout their lives. Such talents include innovatively learning to develop ideas, creatively solving problems in small groups, and sharing ideas while respecting each other’s differences. In addition to these life skills, they also learn computer research, computer coding, and presentation skills, all while having fun and supporting each other as a team.

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MSE Lego Club

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School:
Maude Saunders Elementary 
Subject:
STEM Education 
Teacher:
Sheryl Evans 
 
Meri Mollitor 
Students Impacted:
44 
Grade:
K-5 
Date:
October 9, 2023

Investor

Thank you to the following investor for funding this grant.

 

CHELCO - Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative - $1,032.93

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Impact to My Classroom

# of Students Impacted: 44

As a result of the iPad, Lego sets, and storage that we were able to purchase with this grant, students have become skilled at building and coding a Lego structure after researching the FIRST Lego League assigned challenge. The year first started with students researching "The Arts" which is the Lego challenge for the year. Our new iPad which we were able to purchase using this grant will be a valuable resource for students for years to come. Next, students created a build using their new Legos which we were able to purchase with this grant. After finishing their build, students used the new SPIKE coding kit which we were able to purchase with this grant. This, as well as the iPad, allowed students to learn to attach a motor to their build and code it to move. This was very challenging for them, and the students really came together as a team to help each other overcome their obstacles. It was very rewarding to see the students successfully working together to solve problems to help their fellow peers. In the pictures you will see that each student's build was coded to move. Students for years to come will benefit from these resources. Furthermore, next year students are hoping to learn to make an iMovie using their iPad to showcase their year long journey. For many years’ students will benefit from the use of the iPad, Legos and SPIKE kit purchased with this grant. In addition, from the beginning of the year until the end, student’s independent coding skills went from 0% to 100%!  On behave of these students and the many students to come, thank you for this opportunity!!

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Students building using Legos

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Students exploring their new SPIKE kit

 

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Students problem solving together

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Students problem solving

 

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learning to attach a motor

 

Original Grant Overview

Goal

Our names are Meri Mollitor and Sheryl Evans. We are two of the Maude Saunders FIRST Lego League team coaches. FIRST Lego League offers students a hands-on approach to STEM learning.
Our MSE Lego Club is one that offers fun learning opportunities using the FIRST Lego League annual themed kit and a Lego Education computer programming kit. They will use the skills they learn in the Lego Club throughout their lives. Such talents include innovatively learning to develop ideas, creatively solving problems in small groups, and sharing ideas while respecting each other’s differences. In addition to these life skills, they also learn computer research, computer coding, and presentation skills, all while having fun and supporting each other as a team.  

 

What will be done with my students

Each year in August, FIRST Lego League presents a new themed international challenge. Each Lego group then purchases a kit with the challenge directions. For example, 2022-2023 challenge theme was Energize. Lego Explore groups were asked to research and create a team model showing the different types of energy and how they can improve its impact on our economy. Ultimately, they then shared what they learned at a local festival with judges and other teams.
The 2023-2024 season's arts and entertainment theme challenges FIRST teams to discover the roles STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills play in the arts and empowers them to bring their ideas to life.  

 

Benefits to my students

The Maude Saunders Explore Lego Club currently has 44 students (with the hope of more each year) in six groups. FIRST Lego League Explore allows no more than 6 members on an Explore team (grades k-4) and 10 members on a Challenge team (grades 4-8). Currently we have 44 students in grades 1st through 5th. In 2019 we started the MSE Lego Club with six students. All but one of these students are now on our fifth grade team. It is our hope that we will be able to continue growing the MSE Lego Club until all students who are interested in FIRST Lego League will have the opportunity to participate in our MSE Lego Club. This grant will help to allow Maude Saunders Elementary School the opportunity to continue expanding our club next school year.
This grant will allow students the opportunity to be successful at this year's competition and festival. Please see picture.
A summary of items we plan to purchase with the grant
funds are Legos, a Spike computer programming set and an approved iPad to use for coding. As a result, students will be equipped to advance to the more challenging divisions and continue participating in the FIRST Lego League throughout their educational career. Furthermore, if approved this grant will not only equip the 44 students in our MSE Lego Club, but will also allow many future generations of MSE Lego Club members to be able to participate in this incredible opportunity. 

 

Budget Narrative

To help the MSE Lego Club students be successful we would use this grant to buy the Spike kit, an iPad to code the Spike computer, and Legos to give the students the opportunity to build their creations. 

 

Items

# Item Cost
1 Apple-10.2-inch-iPad-Wi-Fi-tablet-64-GB $419.00
2 LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Essential Set 45345 $319.95
3 LEGO Classic 10717 Bricks 1500 Piece $121.99
4 LEGO Classic 10717 Bricks 1500 Piece $121.99
5 Shipping $50.00
  Total: $1,032.93

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Special Thanks to Our Presenting Partners

CHELCO

The Alys Foundation

St. Joe Community Foundation

Florida Power & Light

30a10k