I am a first grade teacher at a brand new charter school. We will have an all-inclusive classroom with special education, English language learners and gifted and talented learners with minimal to no pull-outs.
What makes my class unique is that we are the first military academy in Colorado- 75% of our student population comes from military families, with an emphasis on military education, Civil Air Patrol, character education, project-based learning, service to our community and STEM education.
While we are a STEM-based school, we are in the beginning days of getting our school launched. Resources are at a minimum and funding is tight. My students will only be able to participate in the STEM lab a few times each quarter. I am searching out ways to bring STEM resources into my classroom to enhance the learning of my students in the amazing field with endless possibilities.
My Project
It has been proven several times over that many students learn best through hands on, experiential learning opportunities. By providing my students with multiple examples of animal life cycles, students are able to engage in critical thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation.
While a student might have access to books, or even videos, nothing quite compares to the experience of watching a baby chick gasp its first breath after hatching, or the beauty of a newly emerged butterfly.
My classroom of 20 budding scientists will be enamored with the opportunity to observe chickens and butterflies as they journey through their life cycles. Using the incubator, students will be able to participate in real life observations and candling experiments. We will track the life cycle of the chicks as we candle and observe the changes. Using the the nonfiction books and 3-D models of both butterflies and chickens, students will be able to have a more concrete example to use as they write expository paragraphs to teach others about these life cycles.
Along with the ability to watch this in action, students will be participating in observations, analysis of each stage, and following the scientific method. This is another wonderful opportunity to integrate science, mathematics, and literacy together into an amazing experience that students will remember for years.
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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 Mrs. Hall and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.