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Mrs. Efird from Wadesboro NC is requesting supplies through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

Help Us Float Our Boat! - Solar Bottle Boats

My students need 30 solar boat kits to build and experience their efforts through a hands-on trip for boat races.

  • $1,008 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Celebrate Black Teachers and Students

This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.

My Students

As we move toward alternative energy sources, students must learn to experience the basic knowledge of how solar energy works and its harnessing capabilities. My project will allow students to work collaboratively in building a solar boat out of 2 liter bottles and test it in a nearby lake.

I teach 5th grade classes within a county that struggles economically and academically.

Many of the students do not have the opportunities to travel and experience various types of hands-on field trips that other districts are able to provide their students. Many come from single parent families that are struggling with unemployment issues. I try to provide them as many science experiments that could possibly be replicated at home to make the subject of science come alive. They are eager to learn as teachers are faced with the task of preparing our learners for the 21st century. The reality of it all is that students must face the cold facts that alternative energy sources are now eupon us. They must understand the concepts behind them as they may possibly have to make a choice one day on what would best accommodate their needs as adults. After building the boats, I would like to take the students out so that they can race their boats at athe nearby lake.

My Project

The Solar Bottle Boat activity will broaden my students educational background. Within this rural community, students do not have opportunities to view solar panels on buildings and signs and most have no concept on how they work and what advantages they provide as an alternative energy source. Students will be able to complete the project and utilize the solar panels within the kits to expand to other science experiments. These kits can also be expanded to build cars and other materials that could help justify the usage of solar energy as opposed to fuel energy. These kits are re-usable so extending them beyond this year will be able to provide learning experiences for others next year.

I would like to encourage electrical companies to help support our project.

Most students take for granted our "endless supply of power". It is important that students become aware of alternative energy and its implications for us in the future.

Mrs. Efird
Grades 3-5

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Where Your Donation Goes

Materials Cost Quantity Total
Solar Bottle Boat Kit • Nasco $22.95 30 $688.50

Materials cost

$688.50

Vendor shipping charges

$68.85

Sales tax

$53.70

3rd party payment processing fee

$10.33

Fulfillment labor & materials

$35.00

Total project cost

$856.38

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$151.13

Total project goal

$1,007.51

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

$1,007.51

2 Donors

-$97.00

Donations toward project cost

-$82.45

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$14.55

match offer

-$910.51

Match offer toward project cost

-$773.93

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$136.58

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

$0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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Project Activity

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