Jennifer Wilkinson and Paula Dagnon

Wilkinson’s and Dagnon’s innovative teaching idea, “Fostering Multimodal Literacy in 2nd Grade,” is focused on creating an inclusive learning environment. With universal design for learning, Alderwood Elementary School provides diverse ways for students to express themselves. Cubelets and other technology tools enhance multimodal literacy, allowing students to communicate, collaborate and think critically. A collaboration with teachers-in-training from Western Washington University has yielded remarkable results, with students actively engaged and demonstrating complex design thinking. With the help of the Voya Unsung Heroes grant, the school will be able to purchase Cubelets so that students can learn programming, design thinking, communication skills and perseverance in the engineering unit and other units through sophisticated combinations of cubes.