This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
Helping students EXPERIENCE something in a new way can bring deeper understanding. Science concepts are often abstract, until kids EXPERIENCE those abstract ideas in a memorable and tangible way. Seeing thermal energy allows students to interact with thermal energy in a new and exciting way.
My classroom consists of struggling students that prefer to DO rather than listen.
Reading content specific vocabulary words in science text books is difficult for students who are academically deficient in reading skills. Science text offers little to no understand of vital science concepts, like thermal energy and how it is transferred between matter unless the concepts jumps out of the book and can be experienced first hand.
However, when hyperactive and text challenged students can see and observe scientific laws in a personal and interactive way, they can relate to what is studied.
Research shows that if students can talk about something, they can write about it. If they can then write about something, they can read about it.
Unfortunately, not all students can start with reading about something and end up being able to talk about it with understanding.
A thermal imaging camera will help my kids start with an experience through interactive projects.
My Project
A Flir thermal imaging camera will allow us to SEE heat energy being transferred between matter.
For example, students can see their warm footprints appear and remain left behind as they walk across cool tile floors.
We would conduct experiments to explore conduction, convection, and radiation.
A thermal imaging camera will help us see the invisible.
We would also be given the opportunity to conduct comparison experiments, such as determining who has a coat that traps in heat better than their peers? How much energy is converted to heat when we exercise compared to sitting still? Does cleaning the internal components of a computer from dust really help it operate at cooler temperatures? Do certain materials absorb heat faster than others? Do certain materials transfer heat faster, such as steel vs. aluminum?
We all remember what we experience, especially when it comes to complicated and abstract science concepts.
A Flir thermal imaging camera could very well make science exciting, challenging (positively), motivating, and memorable.
The more kids can recall personal experiences, the more they can connect new information to their memory banks.
The more excited they are, the more they will talk about science. The more they speak science vocabulary the faster they can write and read about it.
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 Mr. Lovell and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
