"YOU are a scientist!" is the concept that I wish for all of my fifth graders to believe at the beginning of the school year. After drawing who and what a scientist does, students share their ideas; a scientist observes, asks questions, and writes reflectively. Every student can do this!
This past year, the fifth grade at our school was moved from the elementary side to the middle school side.
Over 65% of our students receive free or reduced lunch and about 40 of 70 fifth graders have reading and/or math interventions. The move to the middle school model has allowed the subject of science to be taught as a core subject, with every student having 50 minutes of science per day. This year, every student will have 75 minutes of science per day, which I am very excited about! Our students need repetition and practice to master science concepts - hands-on work with time for interpretation and reflection are essential elements for increased academic achievement. With little background knowledge and everyday life experiences, hands-on activities provide the basis for most of what we learn. It engages the student from the start, so they are better able to understand concepts after the experience. As a new program, the fifth grade needs basic lab equipment
My Project
A hotplate and triple beam balances are basic laboratory equipment that will enable my students to actively engage in hands-on experiences. Whether we are weighing increased/decreased growth of a plant in our garden compost study, describing rock characteristics in earth science, or comparing states of matter and/or change in physical science, these lab essentials will provide data necessary for student interpretation. In addition, math concepts will be used to further describe and explain trends in our observations. Such equipment will be used for students in years to come as well.
The impact of providing lab equipment for our fifth grade will be direct and immediate.
Students will have the opportunity to use these essential tools for answering questions collaboratively and interpreting data mathematically, skills that 21st century learners must master in the classroom. Ultimately, the tools will enable students to be SCIENTISTS, which is every science teacher's ideal main goal!
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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. Richardson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.