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
I teach at a Title I school in AZ. More than 50% of the students are on free/reduced lunch. I have on average 32 students in each class period. My chemistry students are in their sophomore and junior years, most of which are enthusiastic about science.
They love to move and present their findings.
I teach a very dynamic chemistry class through the Modeling Instruction where students are required to go up, present and defend their findings. My students are all engaged all the time, it is sometimes more difficult to control the engagement than initiating it.
My Project
Students hate chemistry because of the math that comes along with it.
Chemistry is much more manageable with a calculator.
Students might even like chemistry because they are no longer held back with all the math they have to do. Scientific thinking should not fall short because of mathematical difficulties. Getting a calculator for each student will fast-forward students through the arithmetic and focus on scientific thinking.
My students will not only use these calculators for chemistry in my class but also for SAT/ACT and other high-stakes exams. In an age where students can now use their phones to calculate, but we teachers struggle to retain their attention if students are using their phones, it is important that students have calculators specific for learning to achieve this balance!
Half 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
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 Ms. Penullar and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
