COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – A College Station ISD teacher got the surprise of a lifetime last December when Amazon and Illumination gifted her and Southwood Valley Elementary School a truckload of high-tech learning tools.
Maggie Tran teaches dual language math and science. Since this surprise, her fourth graders have built robots, participated in a virtual field trip to Antarctica, and used 3D printers.
Tran said this has made a huge difference for students with different learning styles. She has seen students who previously barely raised their hands now excitedly show off their knowledge.
“It's just blooming with this. They're so excited and for the first time they wanted to come in and help,” she said.
Her students can't wait to start class each day.
“School is great and life is great!” said fourth grader Tabitha.
Their days are filled with explosive science experiments, stargazing through telescopes, and seeing the world through virtual reality headsets.
“It’s just awesome to be here,” said Benjamin, a fourth-year student.
Tran said students are more excited about learning than ever because of these tools. This is how she makes her lessons more interactive and engaging.
“We want to involve kids in making weather maps, so I think a 3D printer would be really cool,” she said.
Her students are reaching for the stars.
“I like the telescope because it’s so fun to see the phases every day,” said Max, a fourth-grader.
They are paving the way for future academic success.
“If you put your mind to it, you can create something amazing,” said Sophia, a fourth-year student.
Almost every student at Southwood Valley Elementary School had the opportunity to experiment with technology.
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