What do light bulbs, drums and the Sun have in common with my students? ENERGY! Energy use and its impact are central to our lives, yet not always easy to comprehend. This project would "bring to light" energy, its use and its impact, in inspiring and engaging ways for my students.
My students represent a diverse group of PS through 5th graders in Northeast Washington, DC.
Our DC Public School is one that truly values inquiry and learning by doing and our students continue to rise to our expectations every day. From the youngest preschool student to the oldest 5th grade student, all receive science instruction in the classroom and practice in Habits of Mind using their Multiple Intelligences in my Think Tank/STEM program. Our unique school is a special one, with over 350 unique and eager learners who thrive on hands-on, inquiry-based learning.
My Project
My classroom will be BUZZZZZZZing with learning when this unit is in action! Various grade-levels will participate in energy units, each exploring various aspects of sound, light, electric and magnetic energy. The materials and kits in this project will guide students to explore the concepts while building their own personal projects and creating their own designs. Not only will they begin to grasp the concepts behind energy and energy transfer, they will see the connection between many of the forms, and, importantly, how they impact our daily lives and our environment
While many grades will participate, our 4th graders will collaborate and use these materials to design, test and refine a device that converts one form to another while solving a real-world problem that THEY identify! Imagine the inventions and possibilities that these young minds will create!
Finally, these materials are not single use and will live on each year in our Think Tank lab making their impact even greater!
Not only will they gain the knowledge of various forms of energy, but they will understand the impact energy use has on our daily lives and our environment.
Students will be inspired to look for ways to change, improve, redesign and create things that use energy in new and inventive ways, all while building important scientific and engineering skills. With that combination, there is no doubt that access to these materials will change the lives of our students-- and possibly the world someday!
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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. Ford and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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