For almost 20 years, San Jose’s Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT) has been providing donated and recycled supplies at reduced costs to its member educators. With schools closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, RAFT is making its learning kits and resources directly available to families for the first time.
Thanks to a donation from the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) 14,000 kits had been distributed at meal distribution sites throughout the county as of April 14. RAFT is looking for other sponsors to fund distribution of more than 30,000 free kits to Title 1 students throughout Northern California.
SCCOE staff has translated the project guide sheets included in the kits into Spanish and Vietnamese.
RAFT is also selling STEAM Project Kits online. Each kit includes assembly instructions, suggested activities and materials required for a hands-on lesson in science, technology, engineering, art or math.
Free online resources include STEAM Learning Activity sheets for home-based activities using common household items. Parents can find new activities on RAFT’s website every day for pre-K to eighth-grade students.
RAFT CEO Jason Morrella said in a statement that making these materials available online during the pandemic is in keeping with the nonprofit’s mission “to provide high-quality, standards-based education that is affordable and accessible to educators, and now students, everywhere.”
