Help Them Explore Geometry of Chemistry: 3D Molecule Models
My students need 20 molecular model sets.
FULLY FUNDED! Mr. V.'s classroom raised $495
This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
Chemistry is a difficult and abstract subject to study without visual models. Unlike Biology, chemists cannot look into a microscope to study atoms and molecules the way that biologists can actually see cells - atoms and molecules are too small- TRILLIONS of times smaller than a human cell!
The urban public high school where I teach Chemistry is as diverse racially, culturally, and economically as our large metropolitan city.
Our student population is by majority Hispanic (70 %), followed by Asian, White, Black, Pacific Islander, and various other groups. Almost all my students classify in our state’s lowest economic category, which qualifies them for financial assistance such as reduced lunch and free tutoring programs.
For nearly 50% of my students, the primary language that their family speak at home is not English. Many of our students wer classified as ESL students (English as a Second Language, when they began high school, but have now been reclassified as English Proficient.
Since we are not a private school, our science lab programs truly survive from donations or grants-our state and local education funds are facing their worse cuts in over 20 years.
Chemistry classes at our public high school have recently increased to average sizes of 42 students per class.
My Project
Which has a higher melting temperature: H2O, CO2, or NH3? Which is most likely a gas? Which will dissolve best in water? A Chemistry student needs to be able to answer questions like these, but not just by memorizing the answers!
Students will be better prepared to be problem-solvers if they develop a a skill, a method to analyze any chemical formula- like H2O, CO2, NH3- Perhaps you remember drawing Lewis dot diagrams in Chemistry class? With models, the students go the next steps- they will actually build a 3-D model of each molecule, so they can visualize the differences that cause their different chemical properties- melting temperature, solubility..etc.
Practicing with the molecular model sets helps them develop problem-solving skills that will be prepare and lead them one day in college level study; possibly even into careers in Engineering and Medicine. The pieces are specially designed according to the Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Chemical Theory (VSEPR).
Unfortunately, our state and local education funds are facing their worse cuts in over 20 years.
My Chemistry classes at our public high school - with average sizes at 42 per class- are budgeted only about $40 per class per year!
Our Science Department lab inventory needs to be updated, replaced, or expanded.
Our labs truly rely on and survive on donations or grants- anything that you can do to help sustain and improve our Chemistry program will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
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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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 Mr. V. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
