The cost of a variety of science supplies and manipulatives, including a complete set of graduated cylinders, plastic beakers, an earth model, and a student microscope, is $1258, including shipping and <a target="new" href="http://www.donorschoose.org/html/fulfillment.htm" onclick="g_openWindow('http://www.donorschoose.org/html/fulfillment.htm', 300, 800, 'fulfillwindow');return false;">fulfillment</a>.
On a recent vacation flight, I had the opportunity to sit behind a dad and his young son. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the little boy ask his father questions. They ranged from "Why can a plane fly and a car can't?", to
"Why are there bumps in the air?", to "Why are the clouds white?", to "Why are there not any birds up here?" and so on.
As a fourth grade teacher, I thought of how I would love my students to ask more of the "why" questions, like these of this young boy. I realized that this child was asking these questions because he was put in a hands-on situation that sparked his interest and created these questions. This experience was a revelation to me. My job as a teacher is not just to teach students the material, but to put students in situations that help them experience the material and make them ask the "why" questions. Then together we can discover the answers, rather than merely read about them. If a child is asking the "why" questions, then the opportunity and willingness for learning is there.
To bring this approach into my classroom, naturally I can not take my class for an airplane ride. Also, my students live in a rural community, greatly impacted by Hurricane Katrina, and most are from the lower income bracket that does not provide them with such an opportunity. Therefore, the best way I can give them such experiences to spark the "why" questions is to create a hands on science lab within my classroom. This lab will allow students the opportunity to experience the curriculum and
see, touch, and feel the outcomes.
This lab will consist of simple machine sets, weather kits, electricity labs, plant labs, living science kits, and solar system models. Other materials needed will include: microscopes/slides, petri dishes, tuning forks, magnets, beakers/cylinders, thermometers, scales/balances, hot plates, charts/easel, and a utility cart.
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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 Ms. Wease and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.