"Look at it go, Homer. This one is going to go for miles." October Sky, 1999.
There is nothing that gets a child more interested in learning that seeing that learning in action. In our school our teachers work hard to not only teach our students content, but to get them excited about learning.
Our school is located in the middle of one of the most populated cities in Arkansas.
We have a high percentage of poverty students, and very few of our students are able to pay for lunch. We are culturally diverse with many different ethnic groups and socioeconomic backgrounds in each classroom. In a school with a high number of below grade level, or "special education," students, we strive to bridge that learning gap by providing many opportunities for general education and special education classes to come together for projects and other learning activities. Our teachers are 100% dedicated to ensuring that every student is given every opportunity to succeed.
My Project
There is not much that will get a child more excited about science than building and setting off a rocket. What we will do is take this rocket building to another level. We will be incorporating lessons across the curriculum. We will read about the rocket program, discuss symbols and learn about rocket science. Our older students, 6th graders, will be building their own rockets and setting them off for the school to see. They will be writing about the entire process, and will create a presentation explaining the symbols they included on their rocket.
This is the small plan. Our ultimate goal is to make this a community wide event. With the high poverty rate in our community, it has become extremely difficult to get parents and guardians to attend school functions. Our plan is to take this unit and make it school wide. We will generate interest in the rockets using the 6th grades, and then we will invite families back to build their own versions of rockets with their kids (modified for age).
We live in a culture where most kids dream of being famous.
They don't care how it happens (famous athlete, famous actor, reality star). By placing the power of rocket science in their hands, and getting them excited about science at an early age, we will hopefully plant a seed that will grow into something bigger. Our community will see that school is not just a place where kids go because they have to; it is the place where their futures are being mapped out.
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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. Stephens and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
