My students need Science, Technology, Engineering and Math supplies for our GEMS (girls excelling in math and science) club. These supplies include, lab coats, goggles, beakers, tools, gloves, microscope slides, and snacks for our meetings.
I teach at a middle school in a 90% poverty district with a high minority and special education population. We often struggle to get just the basic materials for our students. This often places us at decided disadvantage where STEM (science, technology, math and engineering) is concerned. Our students are not often afforded the STEM opportunities given to students in more affluent districts.
This STEM project will benefit the girls in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade with special emphasis placed on recruiting girls from the special education population.
According to the National Institute of Science, while women minorities, and persons with disabilities, constitute a substantial portion of the U.S. population; they are vastly underrepresented in STEM education and employment. This is very concerning to me as a special education teacher in a school with a high poverty, high minority, and high special education population. Working with these girls has demonstrated to me that it is not because they lack the ability or intelligence, just the opportunities to "tinker" with things like boys.
My Project
With the help of two other very dedicated teachers, we plan to try and change this one girl at a time. Our GEMS club of up to 30 girls will meet twice a month for an hour, after school. Girls function better in single gender groups when it comes to experiencing things that are intimidating such as science or technology. Girls need more than one invitation, more than one encouraging voice and they like to do things with their friends. They also need to feel that they can try new things without risk, without fear of “breaking it.” GEMS club gives girls the chance to try new things with their friends and to succeed without the pressure of grades, test scores or boys watching.
GEMS Club will prove hands-on opportunities like performing experiments, exploring chemical reactions, having female guest speakers from STEM fields, and providing opportunities to take things (like computers) apart and engineer designs.
The girls will use the permanent markers to for chromatography for the girls to make their own club t-shirts. We will use the lab coats, gloves, and goggles for lab safety as we perform experiments. The sodium, beakers, and test tubes will be used to perform experiments as well. We have microscopes but we need the slides for the students to have something to view. We will use the tools to take things apart and make mechanical design projects with the magnets as well. GEM teaches girls wonder about the natural world, to do the science, and to think critically, logically and skeptically.
Our school has agreed to let GEMS use available STEM resources along. Snacks will be provided because the meetings take place after school and his is very important in a high poverty school. Tutoring will also be available weekly for GEMS members.
TK11078625T White Tyvek 400 Disposable Lab Coat Size L
• Grainger
$137.80
1
$137.80
GLASS LAB SET
• Frey Scientific
$75.14
1
$75.14
Blue Ribbon Care Package 45 Count Ultimate Sampler Mixed Bars, Cookies, Chips, Candy Snacks Box for Office, Meetings, Schools, Friends & Family, Military, College, Fun Variety Pack
• Amazon Business
$19.99
3
$59.97
GOGGLE DIRECT VENT SG2125
• Frey Scientific
$1.97
25
$49.25
Sharpie Color Burst Permanent Markers, Fine Point, Assorted Colors, 24-Count
• Amazon Business
$10.63
4
$42.52
VonHaus Pink Homeowner Tool Set (39-piece) - General Household Hand Tools Kit with Plastic Toolbox Storage Case
• Amazon Business
$20.95
2
$41.90
TK11078624T White Tyvek 400 Disposable Lab Coat Size M
• Grainger
$40.80
1
$40.80
AmScope PS25 Prepared Microscope Slide Set for Basic Biological Science Education, 25 Slides, Includes Fitted Wooden Case
• Amazon Business
$18.98
2
$37.96
Sodium Metal Cubes 10G�
• Sargent-Welch
$36.32
1
$36.32
Georgia-Pacific Preference 27300 White 2-ply Perforated Paper Towel Roll, (WxL) 11.000" x 8.800" (Case of 30 Rolls, 100 Towels per Roll)
• Amazon Business
$36.25
1
$36.25
BEAKER ASSORTMENT SET OF 30
• Frey Scientific
$27.17
1
$27.17
TEST TUBES- PLASTIC WITH RACK
• Frey Scientific
$11.78
2
$23.56
X-bet MAGNET ™ - Ceramic Industrial Magnets - for Refrigerator (Fridge), School Science Projects, Crafts, Teachers, Around The Office - Tiny Round Disc - 1 Inch (25mm) - Bulk Lot of 50 Pcs
• Amazon Business
$16.65
1
$16.65
Duck Brand Outdoor Duct Tape, Silver, 1.88 Inches x 30 Yards, 1 Roll (240183)
• Amazon Business
$11.37
1
$11.37
Kimberly-Clark Professional 55083 PURPLE NITRILE Exam Gloves, Large, Purple, 100 Per Box
• Amazon Business
$10.48
1
$10.48
Superior RDCNPF KeepKleen Contour Work Nitrile Gloves, Latex Free Glove, Disposable Gloves, Powder Free, 4 mil Thickness, 9" Length, Medium (Box of 100)
• Amazon Business
$8.55
1
$8.55
Materials cost
$655.69
Vendor shipping charges
$38.87
Sales tax
$46.23
3rd party payment processing fee
$9.84
Fulfillment labor & materials
$30.00
Total project cost
$780.63
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
$137.76
Total project goal
$918.39
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal
$918.39
4 Donors
-$918.39
Donations toward project cost
-$780.63
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
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. Kathleen Heinemann and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
