K-5 STEM Classroom grants seek to promote equitable access to and increased quality of STEM programs in elementary schools in order to better prepare students for a career pathway to success in Nevada's growing STEM economy. This grant program aligns with three key strategies identified in the State STEM Strategic Plan.
- To increase the use of hands-on, evidence-based, experiential STEM learning in grades K-5.
- To increase the percentage of elementary schools that teach science three-plus hours per week.
- To increase interest in, awareness of, and achievement in the subjects of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in grades K-5, particularly amongst demographic groups that are traditionally underrepresented in STEM.
K-5 STEM Classroom grants are micro-grants of up to $1,500 targeted at elementary educators to purchase small classroom equipment for innovative and creative STEM projects that align with the Academic Standards and increase students’ exposure to STEM.
K-5 STEM Classroom Grant Round III Awardees
Bordewich Bray Elementary School in Carson City was awarded $1,519.89 for a fourth grade Coding Challenge STEM project. The school will use STEM in Action and Botley robots to develop a real-world problem scenario. Students are challenged to collect minerals from an unsafe-for-humans location using robots. Students learn about the minerals and coding to solve the problem. Students will also develop their own scenarios. The project also incorporates social studies, mathematics, and language arts concepts.
Hannah Marie Brown Elementary in Henderson was awarded $1,500.00 to purchase lab personal protective equipment for K-5 students. Goggles, aprons, and gloves will allow students to engage, safely, in specialized and authentic laboratory experiences. All classes at the school will access the materials and laboratory to enhance science learning.
Joseph Neal STEAM Academy in Las Vegas was awarded $1,459.97 to purchase Sphero robots and Magnatiles. The materials will enhance STEAM learning and play-based learning for kindergarten and first grade students. Students will tinker, make, and engineering with the materials. The materials will be used during the STEAM special and will be available for all teachers on a check-out system.
Manse Elementary School in Pahrump was awarded $4,500 for three 3D printers. The printers will enhance student engineering experiences by allowing students to design and test solutions that are more complex than typical classroom supplies could support. Students will engage in iterative problem-solving, determining trade-offs, and improving designs with the support of the 3D printers. The teachers at Manse will also share lessons plans, experiences, and tips with OSIT to support other schools’ effective use and maintenance of 3D printers.
McGill Elementary School in McGill was awarded $1,695.57 for materials to enhance the school’s existing science curriculum. The school will purchase neodymium magnets, bar magnets, graphite, safety goggles, and Engineering is Elementary’s Designing Maglev Systems kit. These materials will allow for hands-on exploration of physics concepts in 3rd grade.
Natchez Elementary School in Wadsworth was awarded $1,509.84 for materials that support culturally relevant project-based learning in fourth grade. Students at the school will develop engineering challenges grounded in Native culture, such as a project designing a yata (basket). Students will create engineering challenges to share with younger grades. Funds will also be used to purchase STEM books to spark curiosity and interest.