Intermediate School Starts New Technology Program
This is the first year that Technology teacher Jennifer Rhoads has taught at North Tonawanda and so far she and her students are having a great time.
Not only are they getting to problem-solve with Ozobots and drones, it is helping them to bring real world problem-solving challenges to life with engineering solutions. They also learn about collaboration while encouraging them to be creative. “This is new for the sixth graders,” says Mrs. Rhoads. “It is a program that runs for a trimester and it is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) course. Students can get a third of their middle school credit as a sixth grader. Which is awesome.”
Mrs. Rhoads also works with the fourth and fifth graders instructing then in two to three week mini-units in engineering, design and problem-solving. Her classes focus on the four Cs: Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration and Creativity. She says the feedback has been great. “I have a lot of parents tell me how their kids talk about technology all the time. It is great because they are solving problems and they are being successful working together as a group.”
Above: From left, Allen LaPorte Jr., Isabelle Miron, Cole Heverin, Mrs. Rhoads, Emily Francis and Brielle Gorcheck.