The cost of five student geiger counters is $1481, including shipping and <a target="new" href="http://www.donorschoose.org/html/fulfillment.htm" onclick="g_openWindow('http://www.donorschoose.org/html/fulfillment.htm', 300, 800, 'fulfillwindow');return false;">fulfillment</a>.
This proposal is for a class-set of student geiger counters as part of a Nuclear Chemistry unit I developed in collaboration with another science teacher last year.
I teach at Oakland Technical High School in Oakland, California. This proposal is for my four 9th grade Physical Science classes and would be shared with another teacher teaching five periods of Physical Science. My classes are about 85% African American, 10% Latino, and 5% Asian or White.
The Physical Science class for 9th graders in Oakland is a repeat of the Physical Science that all students take in 8th grade. My students are forced to take this class not necessarily because they have failed science but because their math skills are extremely low and because they need additional support with reading and writing. The purpose of the nuclear chemistry unit is to introduce them to topics in science that are completely new to them while integrating activities that build math and writing skills.
The geiger counters will be used to measure the radiation for two separate activities. In one activity, the geiger counters will be used to measure the radiation coming from a small radioactive source that decreases over time. This data will be used to create a plot of amount of radioactive material versus time. The graph will give students experience making and interpreting graphs and the ultimate goal will be to determine the half-life of the material.
The second activity for which the geiger counters will be used is for measuring the amount of radiation coming from common household objects that happen to be slightly radioactive. The purpose of this activity relates to the writing component of the nuclear chemistry unit. The students are assigned the task of writing a persuasive letter to a politician giving their views on nuclear power. We watch a number of videos showing the dangers of nuclear power, but this activity with the geiger counter will be used to show that small amounts of radiation are natural and not to be feared. I believe it's extremely important to show students as many positives and negatives as I can to allow them to form their own opinion about nuclear power and to give them as much information as possible for their essays.
This unit last year was extremely well-received by students because it's completely new to them and it's applicable to real-world events, and it also provides excellent opportunities for much needed improvements with their math and writing skills. Thank you for considering my proposal.
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