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Ms. Summers's classroom raised $744

Recycling, Research & Red Worms

My classroom needs these observational loupes to complete our eco-research projects that are already supplied. These loupes will help students to look more closely at the world around them and will foster good hand/eye coordination.

Ms. Summers Fairview Elementary School

Klamath Falls, OR Grades 3-5

4/5th grade class Recycling, Research & Red Worms Introduction: In my classroom, students are learning about their carbon footprint, why recycling is important and relevant in their lives, and new vocabulary and goals for living responsibly. I would like to incorporate a wildlife and art perspective and as well. Students will be involved in a hands-on curriculum that will integrate conservation and eco-responsibility with art, science, writing, and reading. 5 or more lessons will be taught from Project Wild (Gold medal winner for Education and Communication in the President’s Environment and Conservation Challenge Award program – www.projectwild.org) on school grounds, or in surrounding neighborhoods. Many lessons will take place outdoors. A culminating walking field trip will be held in the spring at the Wing Watcher’s trail for final observations and note-taking. Lessons from The Private Eye curriculum will also be used, along with botanical observation tools (a classroom set of loops on adjustable strings). Students will be asked to give a small speech and presentation on one aspect they have learned about their responsibility to wildlife and environmental conservation. The curriculum will be designed to be fun and relevant to the lives of my students and their community. Students will design, take and conduct an opinion poll about environment and conservation issues that are locally relevant. Goals & Sequence for Students: There will be three topics students will be given to study and research groups created from those; animal habitat/needs, recycling/conservation, and compost/decomposer group. Each group will be comprised of 8-10 members, then broken into two smaller groups, which make it possible to concentrate on different interests within each group. We will use library materials, books and materials purchased with the grant funding, and lessons from Project Wild to complete the studies. Students will complete research together and share ideas with their group members, then complete an individual writing project and present their findings to the rest of the class and other classes in the school. We will go on neighborhood walks to collect and classify garbage into recyclable or non-recyclable items and create a neighborhood “Trash Monster” which will hang in the school hallway and travel to the Oregon Institute of Technology Recycled Art Show. Leslie (i.e. “The Worm Lady”) will come into our classroom in January and deliver a lesson on composting, and will provide the red worms to complete our worm bin as we will be collecting compost at lunch and doing experiments on what is compostable/not compostable (including bio-degradable food containers & corn plastics). We will also have the “Tree Lady” talk about wood and tree facts, then create a hand made paper earth on Earth Day. For Cinco De Mayo, we will make Papel Amates and not only learn about another culture’s art, but re-use paper bags to do it (along with a mini-lesson that paper comes from trees). The students will use their Link River Trail guides to choose a local animal or plant to paint on their Papels. Student Tasks: The animal group will research what living things need, habitat and life cycle. They will create a “bio-rama” of an animal habitat for their final project as well as the writing and speech. They will also be expected to write summaries of their learning and illustrate them for a presentation board that will be on display for the school. One half of the recycling/conservation group will research what to recycle, how to recycle and the importance of recycling including affects on animals, while the second group will focus on air pollutants and water conservation. They will interview other classrooms, the principal, the custodian, lunch workers and others around the school to see what they are doing to recycle. They will collect recycling from other classrooms and promote recycling with posters. They will be in charge of maintaining the classroom’s recycling bin; monitoring whether other students are recycling the right kinds of things and if they are mistakenly disposing of recycling in the garbage. They will maintain the classroom crayon-melter, (which reuses pieces of crayons by melting them into a regular sized usable crayon). The compost group will research the life cycle of worms, and the importance of worms and other decomposers in the food chain. They will connect ideas of decomposers with waste management; that what we put into the soil affects living things. They will be responsible for collecting food scraps from cafeteria lunch and feed the classroom’s red worm compost bin. Assessment Changes in student knowledge will be expected as a result of this curriculum and growth shown through their research, writing and speech. In the beginning, students will create and take an opinion poll on attitudes about wildlife, the environment, uses of natural resources, and lifestyles involving natural resources and the environment. They will take the same poll at the end of the year and compare how their attitudes have changed about these issues over the course of the year. Students will present a final presentation board that will also be used to score student understanding, ideas and learning. Classroom materials & supplies (include, but are not limited to; class set of biology loops (on adjustable strings) for observation.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households

28 students impacted 18 donors

Project tagged as

Klamath Falls, OR
Grades 3-5
Climate & The Environment
Supplies
More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households

Ms. Summers Fairview Elementary School Grades 3-5

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Klamath Falls, OR View local requests

More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

28 students impacted 18donors

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Materials Cost Quantity Total

Doublet Magnifier 23 mm 10 x • Carolina Biological Supply Company $17.96 30 $538.80

Materials cost			$538.80
Vendor shipping charges			$53.88
Sales tax			$0.00
3rd party payment processing fee			$8.08
Fulfillment labor & materials			$9.00
Total project cost			$609.76
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			$133.85
Total project goal			$743.61
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal			$743.61
12 Donors			-$275.00
Donations toward project cost			-$230.90
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			-$44.10
match offer			-$462.02
Match offer toward project cost			-$378.86
Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			-$83.16
Excluded support for DonorsChoose			-$6.59
Still needed View calculation Hide calculation			$0.00

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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Summers and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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This teacher needs your help!

Recycling, Research & Red Worms

Project tagged as

Boost your odds

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes

How we calculate what's needed

Project Activity

Project Activity

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.