I am a first year teacher and I would like to create as many lab opportunities as possible this year for my science students. My mission is to engage them in hands-on and inquiry based labs that allow them to think and act like real scientists.
My students attend a public middle school in the Oakland area.
The school has very little money at this time to supply my students with science and technology items. The students are extremely excited to work in the lab this year and I want to make that possible for them. Many come from low-income families and dense urban areas. They have had few opportunities to practice hands-on science, but they are very eager to learn. I have approximately 175 7th graders in my classes. Each class is very diverse and represents many cultures.
My Project
The items I have requested will support science labs I have planned for the school year. The document camera will allow my students to see microscopic images and organisms on the projector screen in my room. The petri dishes, inoculating loops, and agar will allow us to grow bacteria and other organisms in class. The Fossil Collection will allow my students to see and touch real fossils while studying evolution and the history of life on earth. The cow eyes will be for my students to dissect when we study the structure of the eye. The mushroom kit will allow us to grow mushrooms in class when we study fungi. Finally, the fiddler crab kit will be set up in the classroom so we can have a live animal to observe and care for. These items will contribute to the overall experience my students will have when learning about Life Science this year!
This donation will set my classes up with real, hands-on science experiments and lab equipment that they do not have available to them currently.
Due to the low funding at our urban school, the school cannot provide these items for our students. These donations will engage my students and hopefully inspire them to take a serious interest in science class and a future career in the sciences! They are so excited to experience the study of life with more than just papers, books, and pencils!
More than half of 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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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. Erickson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
