My students need fun, low-pressure ways to learn and enjoy science, which means I need enough sets of these card games so that all students can play at the same time!
All IB schools strive to develop students who are balanced, reflective, open-minded, knowledgable, principled, and caring inquirers, communicators, thinkers, and risk-takers. Learning these 10 traits requires repeated practice doing a wide variety of activities in a Biology class.
My students bring a wide variety of experiences, languages, cultures, and passions to my classroom.
Many of my students are refugees, immigrants, and English language learners who work tirelessly to stay caught up on all the new vocabulary. Many of my students are African Americans who have stayed resilient even in the midst of social injustices that lead to underfunded schools and communities. Some students want to become doctors, nurses, environmental scientists, or physical therapists. Some want to get into competitive colleges to study other fields. Some are talented athletes who want to learn more about how their bodies work. But ALL of my students have chosen to take a class that isn't required, because they want to challenge themselves and learn more about the natural world. Each student is already motivated and ambitious, and each one hopes to be successful in a class with high expectations and demanding coursework.
My Project
These card games are easy to learn and quick to play, yet they are solidly founded in science. The Chemistry Fluxx and Valence Plus games teach the element names and symbols, chemical bonding, and laboratory equipment. The Anatomy Fluxx and Organs Attack teach the organs and diseases of the major organ systems.
Because these games are so fun, students ask to play them over and over, meaning they are learning through repetition without even realizing it.
Students who have played these games have later referenced them as sources of their deeper understanding or quick recall of science terms. ("I remember that from playing that card game with you!") These games can be used as an introduction to certain units, as review before a test, or as team-building activities.
All the students I've played these games with have loved them, but I only have my personal games. This means that only 5 people can play at a time. Without having a class set of these games, the fun learning experiences are limited to students who spend their lunchtime in my room or who stay after school.
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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. Nyquist and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
