Batesville, In. — St. Louis Catholic School recently received grants from Shopco and the Southeastern Indiana REMC to purchase STEM materials for the primary classrooms.
Because our globally competitive economy demands workers skilled in science, technology, engineering, and math. Today’s children are tomorrow’s workforce and it is important to start fostering these skills in young children. After attending a conference at the University of Indianapolis, which stressed the importance of STEM in the classroom, I knew it was important to bring STEM to St. Louis Catholic School to foster that love of learning.
Using the grant money from Shopco and REMC, teachers were able to purchase the following materials: Incubators for the Kindergarten Chick Embryology Program, iPads to use with the Osmo kits, Bee Bots and mats, Cubetto Kits, Ozobots, Engineering and Design Playground kits, and Dash Robots. Many of the resources allow students to learn and experience the basics of computer programming through hands-on play; experience the life cycle of a chick; learn robotics fundamentals; plan, design, and build their own playground; use sequencing and problem-solving skills; directionality and planning, and customize and code with colors. All of these wonderful resources encourage students to build critical thinking and communication while using creativity and collaboration skills. We are so grateful for the generous donations from Shopco and the Southeastern Indiana REMC who helped turn our dream into a reality.
