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Mr. Bentley from Elk Grove, CA is requesting technology through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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Fully Funded

Mr. Bentley's classroom raised $1,456

Wa$te Ed: A Documentary About Trash & Our Environment

My students need two GoPro Cameras, memory cards, and mounting hardware to shoot HD footage and time-lapse sequences for film projects.

This project expired on June 1, 2014.

Mr. Bentley Foulks Ranch Elementary School

Elk Grove, CA Grades 3-5

My Students

"We should do a film about that!" is a phrase heard in our classroom on a daily basis. My students LOVE using cameras, software, and computers to express their learning. And the best part: they are motivated to engage in the research, reading, and writing it takes to make a great film!

Our suburban school is 20 years old with almost 1,000 kids speaking 14 different languages.

The student population is diverse: 12% African American, 27% Latino, 11% Asian, 36% white, and the remainder a mixture of different ethnicities. We're a California Distinguished School and National Blue Ribbon School. But labels don't erase the fact that one third of our students are socioeconomically disadvantaged. Our school has seen a distinct "achievement gap" emerge over the years within subgroups of students. So how best to meet the needs of my gifted and on-level and struggling students? By tapping into their natural sense of curiosity, their love of fun, and their eagerness to tackle BIG projects that make a difference in their community. My students LOVE project based learning. They've created 6 commercials and 1 film for our city to teach residents how to be green. And they've now started an even bigger task...creating a feature length science documentary film on where our trash goes.

My Project

This year we are embracing project based learning like never before. Instead of learning science with a single textbook, my students are using textbooks plus the internet, library books, peer-reviewed-journals, and interviewing experts, and taking field trips to answer two questions: Where does our trash go after we throw it away? And why do we generate so much trash in the first place? Rather than write an essay or create a Power Point, students will use GoPro cameras to capture time lapse sequences and HD footage from a variety of angles and locations. They'll combine this "b-roll" with scripts they write based on their research. Film food waste generated in the cafeteria from inside a garbage can? Sure. Strap a camera onto a garbage truck arm as it empties recycle bins? No problem. Take 9,000 pictures over 4 hours at a landfill or recycling facility and turn it into a time lapse? My students can do this. And they'll turn all this into a film that showcases their learning!

Making a film involves researching, reading, writing, critical thinking, creativity...and of course cameras.

It's bigger than a book. It's more complex than a test. It's a way to make school and academics relevant and memorable and fun. When kids understand that all of our trash, recyclables, and green waste don't just get thrown "away" but have to go somewhere...AND they can make a film about the subject to educate others...THAT is a project-based learning opportunity of a lifetime.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More than a third of students from low‑income households

975 students impacted 16 donors

Project tagged as

Elk Grove, CA
Grades 3-5
Climate & The Environment
Visual Arts
Traditional School
Technology
More than a third of students from low‑income households

Mr. Bentley Foulks Ranch Elementary School Grades 3-5

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Elk Grove, CA View local requests

More than a third of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

975 students impacted 16donors

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes

Materials Cost Quantity Total

GoPro HERO3+: Black Edition • Amazon $399.99 2 $799.98

GoPro Battery BacPac • Amazon $49.99 2 $99.98

SanDisk Ultra 64 GB microSDXC Class 10 UHS-1 Memory Card 30MB/s with Adapter SDSDQU-064G-AFFP-A • Amazon $48.62 2 $97.24

Manfrotto 196B-2 143BKT 2-Section Single Articulated Arm with Camera Bracket (Black) • Amazon $44.19 1 $44.19

Manfrotto 035RL Super Clamp with 2908 Standard Stud - Replaces 2900 - Black • Amazon $29.99 1 $29.99

GoPro HERO3 Caps and Doors • Amazon $9.99 2 $19.98

Materials cost			$1,091.36
Vendor shipping charges			FREE
Sales tax			$99.86
3rd party payment processing fee			$16.37
Fulfillment labor & materials			$30.00
Total project cost			$1,237.59
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			$218.40
Total project goal			$1,455.99
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal			$1,455.99
12 Donors			-$897.00
Donations toward project cost			-$763.95
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			-$133.05
match offer			-$557.22
Match offer toward project cost			-$473.64
Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms			-$83.58
Excluded support for DonorsChoose			-$1.76
Still needed View calculation Hide calculation			$0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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Project Activity

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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 Mr. Bentley and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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This teacher needs your help!

Wa$te Ed: A Documentary About Trash & Our Environment

This project expired on June 1, 2014.

My Students

My Project

Project tagged as

Boost your odds

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes

How we calculate what's needed

Project Activity

Project Activity

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.