My students need 195 preserved specimens to learn about the components of the eye and heart as they study the organs of the body and 3 boxes of gloves.
When our state science frameworks were revised in 2005, a life science component was included which focused on tissues and organs. One of the student learning expectations is to dissect eyes, hearts, etc. Most of my students have never had the experience of working with any kind of specimens!
I teach in a suburban middle school.
We house grades 6 - 8 and serve about 600 students. Most of my 6th grade students are from middle to lower middle class families and live in town. They have not had experiences with rural settings and most have never been around any type of livestock or agriculture, which has limited their experiences in life science. I also have inclusion science classes, with special education students mainstreamed into the general population. Two of my classes contain 5 and 7 special needs students who are only mainstreamed for science and social studies. While all of my students benefit from lab experiences, these students desperately need hands-on experiences in order to master the more difficult science concepts.
My Project
By obtaining the sheep eyes and sheep hearts, my students will be able to more fully understand the components that comprise these complex organs. It is very difficult for 6th grade students to fully understand how the eye works. Dissecting an eye that is similar in size to their own allows them to identify each of the components we are studying. They are amazed to find that the pupil is just an opening in the eye! Seeing the valves of the heart and exploring the motion of a valve opening and closing enables students to fully comprehend how blood flows through this amazing organ. Interest level is extremely high, which results in improved attendance rates as well as improved test scores. These activities are definitely worth the time, effort and expense!
Without donations to this request, my students would be unable to do this project.
The hands-on, minds-on nature of this activity enables my students to achieve a depth of understanding that is not possible by just using the science text book. Actually manipulating the materials, completing diagrams of the organs, and explaining the functions as each component is removed makes a lasting impression on the students which carries over into the assessments done both in class and on state exams.
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