My students need balances that work properly and are easy to use.
$936 goal
This project expired on March 30, 2011.
This project expired on March 30, 2011.
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My frustrated students are using balances that are very old and are not in proper working order. Most of the balances are "out of balance" or just plain broken. These balances can not be repaired, either because of budget cuts or because they are beyond repair.
My students are 7th and 8th graders (mostly 8th).
Our school has a high percentage of free and reduced lunch students. We may be an old school, but we have lots of enthusiasm about learning science. They love to do labs and other hands on science activities. Much of our time is spent "doing" science, not just reading about science. My students are learning science skills, as well as concepts, that will better prepare them to be successful in high school science.
My Project
Currently, my students are trying to use balances that are not in proper working order. They vie for the few that do work properly. Some models have been cannibalized in a vain attempt to "repair" other models. The students have a difficult time learning how to use our 4 beam balances and receive the correct mass of an object. Too many students must "share" a balance. This results in the same few students using and understanding the balance while the others watch. I want ALL of my students to get their hands on the balance and FULLY understand how to use it correctly. The balances used in high school are 3 beam and therefore read differently. This confuses students even more. Therefore, they are not as prepared for success in high school as they should be. They must learn all over again.
3 beam balances are the "work horse" of classroom balances.
These models are easier to learn and are much tougher than 4 beam balances. Therefore, 3 beams hold up better to the use (and abuse) of untrained middle school students. 3 beams also better prepare the students for success in high school. Four 3-beam balances will help to eventually build a class set, so that ALL students can personally experience successful and proper use of finding mass by use of a balance.
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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 Mrs. Ewing and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
