My name is Barbara Myshak and for the last five years I have had the privilege of being the Library Media Assistant for the greatest little school in Beaverton, McKay Elementary!  Three years ago I started a Maker Space in our library, and I'm continually working to make sure it serves our students.  McKay Elementary is a Title I school, home to 350 students in grades K-5.  McKay's students have the opportunity to learn coding through a variety of tools and programs, all of them requiring screens and the ability to read, which exclude our youngest emerging readers.

Cubetto’s friendly face and durable construction will enable McKay’s youngest students to explore coding through tactile interaction, without the need for screens or the ability to read. Students code Cubetto by positioning tactile coding blocks on the control board to navigate Cubetto around his mat. Students can explore the International Space station, Mars and Jupiter, or learn map skills negotiating traffic on a busy city street, or study ancient Egypt and long-lost civilizations, or anything else you wish to incorporate on the mat! While coding Cubetto to move to specific spaces on his mat, reading, math, and other essential skills can be integrated into the experience.

Presently McKay has grades Kindergarten through fifth, but next year we will also have Pre-K. Cubetto is ideal for Pre-K through first, but can also be functional for older students and our more tactile learners. We are currently borrowing two Cubettos to see if they’ll fit our needs. Our students have been very successful and productive with them! With your help, we will purchase two “Cubetto and Directional Blocks” sets for $250 each, giving our students and teachers unlimited, anytime access to Cubetto’s unique learning experience. Thank you for your consideration!

Watch how they work for our youngest students! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2avlslrP_C4