My students need a mystery chemical reaction set, a STEM challenge balloon race car kit, beakers, graduated cylinders, and gloves to allow them to engage in inquiry based scientific learning in class.
Our school is located in the heart of the Spring Branch community, which sits on the northwest side of the Houston metro area. We are a campus full of culture, life, and college-bound learners. Though many of our students are considered "economically disadvantaged" by the state of Texas, they perform on-level with many of their more affluent peers.
At KIPP, we often use the phrase "students are climbing the mountain to and through college." Their mountain may be steep, treacherous hike or it might be a rolling hill, but it is still a climb..
My Project
Inquiry based science approaches allow students to learn key scientific processes and phenomena through investigating a problem and working to find possible solutions. Students reach this through observation, questioning, testing of ideas, and much more. Utilizing an inquiry based approach in class has allowed my students to continuously practice and think like scientists while allowing them success in our given units. When teaching inquiry based lessons my students are afforded the chance to have an immersive learning experience with minimal teacher interference. This in turn has allowed my students to become fully immersed in their learning and has held them accountable for their learning goals for the day. This has greatly increased student learning and engagement in my class.
My student are eager and innovative learners who love to get messy and brainstorm innovative ideas in order to solve real-world problems.
With the mystery chemical reactions kit I can take an inquiry based approach to teaching chemical reactions that will allow students to be in the driver's seat for their own learning. With this kit students can "get messy" while learning key topics that they can apply to real-world situations. This kit in addition to my other requested supplies will continue to challenge my students thinking and drive them to solve problems both in class and in the real-world. Additionally, these materials will drive my students to continuously utilize key scientific processes and skills in a world that is increasingly shifting focus to inquiry-based learning and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math).
Inquiry-based learning is increasingly becoming a go-to instructional method that has been proven to increase student learning and outcomes. With these materials under my teacher toolkit I am confident that they will facilitate inquiry-ing minds in my class and a lifelong love for science and STEAM.
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