As a primary option to meet graduation requirements, my general chemistry classes bring together students from a diverse range of backgrounds. With class sizes of up to 40 students it can be an extra challenge to meet each of their needs, but it is something I continuously strive to accomplish. I have been humbled by their resilience and determination, and hope that this project acts as a way to show them my support for the hard work they put in everyday.
Many of my students have faced years of self-doubt when it comes to their potential to succeed in science.
I have experienced several instances where students enter my class with the mindset that chemistry is beyond their abilities and that they are destined for failure.
My goal is to breakdown this destructive way of thinking and help my students establish a sense of confidence in their abilities. Eliminating barriers, such as access to essential supplies, is one of the first steps I see necessary in accomplishing that goal. With your generous support, you can help make this a possibility.
My Project
Calculate...analyze...determine...apply...conduct...these are just a few of the verbs found in the MN state chemistry standards that can be directly linked to the need for a calculator. When it comes to chemistry it is easy to see that providing access to scientific calculators is essential to maintaining equity in the classroom.
To some of you, the need to provide students with an item that comes with a seemingly low price tag will seem unnecessary, but I am aware that for many families $15 can feel very out of reach.
In these cases, students are left to rely on the school to provide these necessary supplies or go without. With these scientific calculators we will be able to go further into essential areas of chemistry including: performing measurement conversions, exploring the mathematical relationships involved in chemical reactions, investigating properties of light, calculating pH using logarithms, and much more.
My goal is for each of my students to have a scientific calculator available to them. With the help of my friends and family I have been able to fund 20 of these calculators, but have requested an additional 20 through this project in hopes that I can complete the classroom set an equalize access for all. The calculators I have chosen for this project are solar-powered, which helps to minimize future costs. The kits also include storage cases that will help protect them from unnecessary damage, thus lengthening the amount of time they will be in use. This project not only has the ability to reach 140+ student's throughout a single school year but many more in years to come.
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 Mrs. Erickson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
