Toshiba awards more than $42,000 in grants for innovative classroom STEM projects

Toshiba America Foundation (TAF) announced that it has awarded more than $42,000 in grants for 12 innovative classroom Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematic (STEM) projects in grades 6-12.

The grants enrich the current curriculum and allows students to delve deeper into vital STEM subjects, such as: biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, math, and environmental science including robotics, coding, and 3D printing.

Additionally, the grants will address community issues with an innovative hands-on lesson approach, such as community sustainability, social justice, and an unconventional way of learning human anatomy — the common thread across all 12 projects is that they incorporate novel ways to introduce STEM disciplines into the classroom.

For example, students in Mrs. Eagen’s class at Mcintosh Middle School in Sarasota, FL. will use the TAF grant to purchase Sphero kits, which will allow her students to explore coding, while demonstrating their understanding of the human body. The students will write program code to instruct the Sphero to travel around their illustrated body system, stopping at each organ, and describing to students the function of the organs.

“STEM occupations play a vital role in the sustained growth and stability of the U.S. economy,” said John Anderson, president, TAF. “STEM education creates critical thinkers, increases science literacy, and enables the next generation of innovators. The grants being awarded by TAF will make the STEM classroom more exciting for both teachers and students — and result in more students becoming engaged in this crucial field.”

TAF’s grants take a “direct-to-teacher” approach by aiming to fund projects designed by innovative classroom teachers, which brings immediate results. Teachers are able to enhance the way they teach STEM subjects because the grant supports equipment for hands-on experiments and project-based learning in the curriculum. TAF believes that learning STEM subjects through this type of experience is a lot more fun and engaging than just reading a textbook.

STEM educators interested in applying for a K-5 TAF grant should apply here by Oct. 1. STEM educators interested in applying for a 6-12 TAF grant can apply here. The deadlines for > $5K are May 1 and Nov. 1. The deadlines for < $5K are March 1, June 1, Sept. 1, and Dec. 1.