My students need a really good microscope and a digital student camera to project the image from the microscopic world onto the big screen for all to see.
I teach science to junior high school students in a rural district in southwest Mississippi. My district is majority low income households. This makes the tax base low, and thus the available funds for the school are "tight", to say the least.
I stress to my students that their ticket to a better life for themselves and their future children is a solid education. While there is no lack of desire to learn, there is a distinct lack of materials to augment the learning process. Some subjects can be taught effectively "on a shoestring" but science is not one of them.
To truly understand the concepts of cells and the microscopic world, the kids need to actually see what we're talking about. To accomplish this, we need a really good microscope. The ones we have are old and low power - 10X magnification is the max. Couple that low power with the poor light source on the scopes, and trying to actually see a really good slide is pretty much an exercise in futility.
One really good microscope and a "pupilcam" to hook it to the projector will make all the difference in the world. With this set up, I can project a high quality, clear image to the projector for all the students to see simultaneously. I can then physically point out the various structures of a cell, or identify the different microscopic creatures found in a sample of pond water. Each child can see the example, take part in the discussion, and actively learn from the experience. And that, my friends, is what school is all about - active learning!
Your generous contribution toward funding this proposal will continue to excite students in years to come. An educated child grows up to be a productive citizen, and we all reap the benefits of that. Thank you for your consideration.
Nearly all 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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