My project needs 1 aquarium, 1 set of Marine fish, 1 marine Protein Skimmer, 2 bags of Instant Ocean, 1 bag of gravel, 1 marine Teacher's textbook, 1 aquarium manual,and 1 marine water test kit.
FULLY FUNDED! Mr. D.'s classroom raised $649
This project is fully funded
Rare Species: Salt Water Fishing in a bottle Grant
Needham Broughton High School is a Magnet school that enriches the lives of students in Wake County and the surrounding areas of Raleigh, North Carolina. Needham Broughton High School is the one of the oldest of 17 high schools in Wake County that services 20% of its students with free lunch. Students studying Biology in the Living Zone experience a variety of aquatic, terrestrial, flying, and creeping living species from many regions of the world. 10th & 11th graders primarily discover and explore new information about living organisms and experience hands-on lab exercises with a variety of living creatures. The primary goal of students studying Biology is to learn how to analyze the broad patterns of animal behavior as adaptations to the environment, innate behavior, social behavior, and animal learned behavior. Students have the opportunity interact with living creatures and observe their behaviors through scientific testing and patterns of growth. Biology students develop the ability to assess the sensitivity of saltwater species by observing saltwater fish in their natural environment living in the classroom.
The Situation: The Rare Species project provides hands on scientific observation of saltwater fish rarely seen living and striving in a classroom. Students gain the capacity to learn how to prepare salt water with minerals, take chemical testing parameters such as salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen level, alkalinity, nitrates, nitrites, as well as allowing students to observe slight environmental modifications inside an aquarium needed for the survival of salt water fish. The project Rare Species offers students the chance to gain knowledge about the organization of fish, how to prepare detailed descriptions about the gross anatomy of salt water fish; assess, describe and explain adaptations affecting survival and reproductive success in salt water species living in oceans.
The Solution: The main obstacles facing students studying and raising saltwater fish is learning how to condition and prepare saltwater from using Instant Ocean mix with minerals. Students will have to plan what they intend to keep in their aquarium starting with the selection species, then the other inhabitants that will be compatible with the salt water fish. The solution to stabilizing a marine aquarium has been said to be "patience". This is certainly true when it comes to marine aquarium. Good things don't happen quickly in this project and rushing often causes serious problems. Having patience is not always fun, but the rewards are great. Students will learn to resist the temptation of stocking their aquarium too quickly. In the long run, you will have a fully stocked well running aquarium with healthy animals. Prevention is key to avoiding costly pitfalls and losing animals. Students can prevent problems from sneaking up on them by regularly testing the parameters of their tank. Students will keep a log of their tests and maintenance routines.
Empowerment and Closing: Goals: The focus of the Rare Species is to allow students to observe, grow, develop, and monitor living species within a controlled aquarium. Students will be assessed through classroom assessments by exam and quizzes. Students will have the opportunity to focus their primary attention on learning how to distinguish specific adaptive features of marine fish needed to improve for survival in various regions around the world.
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
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. D. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.