Help me give my students microscopes so they can actually perform the science they keep reading about
FULLY FUNDED! Mr. Johnson's classroom raised $816
This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
My students absolutely LOVE learning by doing. The most engaging, challenging, and fun lessons are those rooted in inquiry and project based learning. Computers are wonderful tools that have completely transformed the classroom, but they cannot replace the value and experience gained by investigating, exploring, and learning-by-doing. My students CRAVE time away from their screens. They like to get dirty, take reasonable risks, and carry out investigations independently and collaboratively.
My Project
When you think back to your own experiences in Science class you probably don't recall the chemical formula for photosynthesis or the function of mitochondria. What you most likely remember are the times you performed an exciting experiment where you created your first chemical reaction, witnessed an amazing demonstration by your teacher, or dissected something with a partner. The lasting, impactful experiences that will travel with most of my 7th and 8th graders are those obtained during lab. Yes, they still learn about the reactants and products of photosynthesis. Yes, they still can tell you that 'The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell!' Where my students are falling behind their peers is in their chances to fully participate in lab experiences.
My students LOVE lab, but they don't realize how inadequate their lab equipment actually is for what they want to learn.
Like in many urban schools, there has been a major investment in Reading and Mathematics curriculum but there has not been a significant investment in Middle School Science materials since 2012. We make do with the materials we have, and a surprising number of investigations can be performed with readily available materials, but one cornerstone piece of the science lab is glaringly absent: microscopes.
Students are expected to read about, ponder, consider, and draw conclusions about the smallest building blocks and components of life, but never get the chance to see them for themselves. Pictures in books and virtual investigations are wonderful, but nothing replaces the actual experience of preparing a slide, inserting it onto the stage, adjusting the eyepieces, and seeing actual cells for the first time. I want to give my students the opportunity to perform the biggest investigations of the very small and allow them to feel like actual scientists by using microscopes.
Nearly all 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
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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. Johnson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
