Classroom Project

home > search > results > project

I teach 7th grade life science to public school students with a wide range of abilities. Our community is a small agricultural community in the state of Colorado, but lies close enough to larger tow... " MORE

I teach 7th grade life science to public school students with a wide range of abilities. Our community is a small agricultural community in the state of Colorado, but lies close enough to larger towns to also be called a bedroom community. We are growing at a tremendous rate each year.

Each Spring I teach an Ecology Unit in which the main focus is the students designing and implementing a scientific field investigation in the outdoors. We first visit our school district's Outdoor Learning Center to discover the natural environment and learn how to take scientific measurements of that environment. The students study water quality, soils, plants, and the local wildlife and the protocols needed to scientifically measure those factors of the environment. They then return to the classroom and design their own investigation to show how these factors influence each other. Once they design their investigation, they return to the site to conduct their plan, then present their results to the class. The sharing and learning that happens is amazing!

In order to study the water quality of the local river and lake at the Outdoor Learning Center, the students need actual science equipment, such as a water quality testing kit. This allows the students to really "feel like a scientist" and use actual science equipment in their investigations. After testing, they become curious about the measurements and can then understand how chemicals in the water, like dissolved oxygen, nitrates and pH, can affect the wildlife that live in and around the water.

Your help will make it possible for my students to do "real" science and participate in the design and implementation of a true science investigation. Their understanding of the natural environment will be changed forever!

My students need to test water quality using 1 complete Limnology Water Test Kit.