Bondurant Farrar Schools Use Facebook Grant for STEM Learning

Osmo for Schools announces that it has supplied Bondurant Farrar Community School District with Osmo for Schools learning systems to outfit every classroom between pre-Kindergarten and fifth grade in its district, thanks to an Altoona Facebook Data Center Community Action Grant obtained by the district in March, 2020. The Facebook Data Center Grant awards yearly grants to local school districts and nonprofits with the goal of improving STEM education, requiring funding to be spent within one calendar year of receiving the grant.

“We had already test-driven the Osmo educational systems in our classrooms two years prior to applying for a grant, and were extremely impressed by how much students benefited from hands-on STEM learning, in addition to the interest they piqued in the students, while integrating smoothly with our teaching style and curriculum,” says Donovan Hill, former STEM Teacher Leader and current Career Readiness Teacher Leader at Bondurant-Farrar Community School District. “Earlier, we didn’t have enough funding to purchase anything beyond 10 Osmo units, and we needed hundreds more units to really grow our computer science program in a meaningful way that impacts all pre-K and elementary students.”

“Thanks to the $52,000 grant received, we were able to purchase 2 Osmo systems for each classroom Pre-K to 2, and 1 Osmo system for each classroom grades 3 to 5,” says Hill. “It took some time to purchase all the equipment, and teachers started using them in fall of 2020.” Teachers currently have small groups of students using the Osmo systems during reading and math rotations. In early January, the district resumed full-time, in-person learning.

Osmo for Schools learning bundles include software apps, such as Words, Tangram, and Pizza Co., plus various manipulatives that go along with each app like Words letter tiles, Tangram puzzle pieces, Sticks & Rings, and Pizza Co. toppings with a set of bills and coins. This combination of digital software and physical manipulatives helps students with letter recognition, phonetics, spelling, reading, writing, number recognition, various aspects of math, and even coding. The teachers quickly noticed that Osmo’s hands-on learning motivated young students to participate in the learning activities, and engaged them for longer periods of time, in comparison to traditional methods of learning (i.e. using worksheets). “Osmo’s games allow students to be self-directed to a point, and teachers are able to work with smaller groups of students,” notes Hill.

Impact of Osmo’s STEM Learning on Students
The impact of using Osmo has been significant on both teachers and students in the district. Says third grade teacher Jennifer Cook, “I have seen Osmo make an everlasting impact on my third-graders this year. My students are motivated and challenged in their problem solving skills through literacy and math concepts. I enjoy how the Osmo allows for individual and partner collaboration practice to enforce previous taught skills through engaging games, activities, and puzzles!”

Alexis Wiltgen, who teaches first grade at Morris Elementary, says “Our Osmo’s have allowed students to engage in more purposeful learning during our literacy and math centers. They are able to work with partners to improve their spelling and basic fact skills.”

Adds STEM Teacher Leader Molly Rockefeller, “Osmos have given our elementary teachers a way to incorporate computer science and independent learning into their daily routine. Students are utilizing the devices to better practice and learn their daily content through play.”

“We are thrilled that Bondurant Farrar was able to expand its Osmo usage into all classrooms pre-K to 5, which is really amazing,” says Jan Richards, head of Osmo for Schools. “It really says something about how teachers hold Osmo’s learning systems in high regard.”

Learn more about Bondurant Farrar Community School District at their website. For more information about Osmo for Schools and its products, visit schools.playosmo.com.