My students need a projection microscope to maximize their exploration into the world of microorganisms.
FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Johnson's classroom raised $390
This project is fully funded
My Students
Seeing the microscopic world is fascinating...especially to 4th and 5th graders! BUT....how do they know that what they are viewing is the microscopic world or dust on the lens?
My 4th and 5th grade students love Science!
They are interested in all aspects of everything that we do. They are very hands on and love exploring the world around them, Using Microscopes is the one area that causes them frustration. At this age, using a microscope is a difficult skill. They get easily frustrated if they can't locate the specimen or they think they have a it and it turns out that they don't. My students come from a wide range of sociol-economic backgrounds. I have several students that get learning support in their other classes. I love that Science levels the playing field for everyone! The projection microscope will keep that playing field level as they will all be using the same views. That doesn't mean that they all will have the same conclusions and that's great! Any claim that they make can be supported by evidence that everyone has seen.
My Project
Using microscopes with 9 and 10 year olds can be a challenge. They are not proficient in using microscopes so they often run in to problems focusing on the organisms. As a teacher, I spend a lot time going from group to group to locate the specimens on the microscope. The result is a lot of time that could be better spent discussing their findings. Often there are groups that can't find what they are supposed to be looking for or find something but when I check to see if they are viewing the correct thing, it turns out that they are viewing the edge of the cover slip or a water bubble. Students get frustrated when they can't find the specimen. This frustration can lead to students giving up. Having a projection microscope will allow the class to view the micro-organisms or the cells as a whole while learning HOW to use a microscope through demonstrations and practice. They will be able to focus on the Science and not the frustration.
A Projection microscope will allow students to spend more time examining and less time trying to figure out if they have the right thing in focus.
Closer examination will lead to more thorough analyzing and help them make better connections and claims. This will allow for deeper discussion supported by evidence to which they all have access. This will help my students get so much more out of the microscope labs without the frustration call of "I can't find it!".
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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 Ms. Johnson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
