RAFT Blog, News, and Events

DreamBox Impact Series: Milpitas Unified School District

April 1, 2025

Engaging EL and SPED Learners Through Hands-On STEAM For the past two summers, RAFT has partnered with Milpitas Unified School District to bring hands-on STEAM learning to the district’s Extended School Year (ESY) summer program. This past summer, 230 fourth- through sixth-grade Special Education (SPED) and English Learner (EL) students became environmental engineers-designing water filtration…

Bringing Stories to Life: RAFT’s Intersession Program at Northwood Elementary

March 18, 2025

This winter, Northwood Elementary students in Berryessa School District embarked on a creative journey through RAFT’s three-day Intersession program. Designed to spark imagination and hands-on learning, the program engaged 66 students in grades K-5 in the art of puppet-making, storytelling, and performance, culminating in a special showcase for families. Student-made marionette puppets displayed with crafting…

DreamBox Impact Series: Oak Grove School District

February 27, 2025

Empowering Newcomers Through Hands-On STEAM Learning In Summer 2024, students at Oak Grove School District‘s Newcomer Summer Academy embarked on an innovative hands-on STEAM adventure. Through RAFT’s creative reuse materials and engaging activity kits, 75 students explored the mysteries of space while strengthening their English language skills, guided by 3 dedicated teachers. Hands-on learning is…

Sparking Curiosity through Hands-On Learning with Jeffrey and Maureen Fox

February 26, 2025

For over 30 years, RAFT has provided resources and support to local educators and students. RAFT’s commitment to hands-on learning for STEAM subjects has evolved to include activities such as STEAM Project Kits, as well as programs like our Makerspace and Maker Mobile activities, and most recently a STEAM Dream Summer Camp for students around…

RAFT Idea Sheets Link Math and Culture – Making Student Engagement Come Alive

Feb 23, 2016 | Comments Off

New RAFT Idea Sheets explore geometric models, helping students explore math concepts and their relation to culture. February 23, 2016 – Since 1994, central to RAFT’s (Resource Area for Teaching) mission is its belief that hands-on teaching builds and reinforces a deeper level of…

RAFT Launches Controlled Flight Design Challenge

Feb 9, 2016 | Comments Off

Kit for educators helps students solve real-world flight problems using hands-on learning. San Jose, California, February 9, 2016 – Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT) has launched a new tool for educators that puts students in the flight engineer’s seat. The Controlled Flight Design Challenge is…

RAFT Hires Director of Learning

Jan 26, 2016 | Comments Off

Resource Area for Teaching hires award winning educator Jason Pittman Jason Pittman is Resource Area for Teaching’s (RAFT) new Director of Learning. As a key member of the RAFT leadership team, the Director of Learning position embodies RAFT’s passion for hands-on learning and models…

Closing the Content Knowledge Gap

Jan 19, 2016 |

By Elisha Burns, RAFT Fellow Let me be one of the first to say there is an elephant in the room of education and it is called content knowledge. As a teacher that has spent a few years teaching I can honestly say that…

RAFT Hosts Public Review of the New California Science Curriculum on January 13th

Jan 11, 2016 | Comments Off

RAFT will host a public review of the new California Science Curriculum at their San Jose location co-sponsored by the California Science Teachers’ Association On January 13, 2016, Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT) will hold a public review of the CA Science Curriculum at…

Over 200 Cisco Employees Volunteer at RAFT During the Holiday Season

Jan 4, 2016 | Comments Off

Cisco employees donated time and money to RAFT during the holiday season to help support hands-on learning. Bay Area tech company Cisco volunteered by the masses during this holiday season at Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT). Seven groups led by department heads participated in…