My students need 12 different materials to collect data to conduct scientific experiements on our local river's water quality and create an action plan for water quality improvement.
Think about what you ate and drank today. It probably has some connection to water. Wouldn't you like to know whether the water is healthy or not? We all hope that the water we ingest each day is of good quality. Is there a way to make sure? Is there a way we can take action if it's not?
I am a gifted and talented teacher at two elementary schools in my district.
My students already possess strong academic and leadership qualities. They come to me so that I may expand their understanding of the world around them and ignite passions in them. I strive to supply my students with experiences they wouldn't normally receive in a regular classroom.
The majority of the students at my school live at or below poverty level and have not had as many opportunities and experiences as other students from higher income families in our district.
I want my students to have a leg up in school and learn things they may otherwise not have the opportunity to learn. With such a focus on raising reading and math test scores in our low-performing school, science is not one of the subjects on the fore front of teachers' minds, even though it is just as important and can tie across all curricular areas. The potential of my top students is being restricted.
My Project
Recently some of my students came to me with concerns over the quality of the water that runs through our local river. The river is located right across the street from our school. They want to make sure that they are drinking clean, safe water at school and at home. To determine this, my students want to investigate our river through experimentation and data collection. Materials such as water testing supplies, microscope slides, petri dishes and safety goggles will help achieve this. Our project will be ongoing over the months and years to come, so materials will continually be used. Data collected by the students will be shared with local officials.
My students ultimately hope to make a difference in our community and help improve the quality of our local drinking water.
By supplying these materials to my students, you will be giving them the reassurance that they can do anything, be anything, and make a difference in their community, no matter their background or race.
Students will be learning skills that will be required of them in middle school, high school and beyond. By giving them these opportunities now, they will be better prepared and more advanced in their thinking. You will be supporting our future scientists!
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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. Jambura and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.