My students need 6 hand crank generators, 10 radiometers, 10 weight sets, 20 spring scales, 12 flashlights, 4 solar robot kits, and 6 inclined plane kits.
FULLY FUNDED! Mrs. Tate's classroom raised $1,499
This project is fully funded
My Students
My students have a very high level of energy, which is why a unit all about energy is the perfect topic for them! My goal is to create an interactive unit that teaches my students many different concepts about energy.
I have been teaching science for 12 years.
Teaching science at an inner-city school can be challenging and rewarding at the same time. I believe in being persistent in showing genuine concern for my students. On a daily bases I strive to create a stimulating environment that is loving, conducive to learning, nurturing and safe. I try to instill self worth and confidence within each of my students.
On of the biggest hindrances I face at my school is that we are very low on funding. My school cannot afford to purchase all the necessary scientific equipment for the different lab investigations listed in the new Next Generation Science Standards. As a science department, we have nothing. The teachers have come together to donate supplies but the financial burden is becoming to much.
I want to make sure that all my students have the supplies necessary to properly learn science and become competitive on a global scale. I want them to have what they need to succeed.
My Project
My 8th grade students have a range of prior knowledge, skill sets, and abilities. They have a strong desire for scientific inquiry, labs and hands on learning activities. For our next unit (energy), I would love to have lab based and hands on learning materials for my students.
I want my students to be able to study the difference between potential and kinetic energy and the factors that affect energy. They can do this by investigating how adding weights to a car changes how fast in will go down an incline plane. Next, we can use the flashlight, radiometers, and hand generators to study how one type of energy can be converted into another . Finally, they will be able to build different robots that run off solar energy. This will lead to a discussion about alternative energy sources outside of the common ones we use today.
These materials will allow me to take a topic that my students have never really studied before and make it more accessible, interactive, and hands on for them.
By the time my students reach me in the 8th grade, their scientific background is very limited.
Also, because of the way our district approaches science, my students lack the basic lab investigation skills. These items will help to expand the horizon of my student's scientific background. I will be able to take a difficult concept like energy and make it more real for them.
More than three‑quarters 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
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