My students need model volcanoes and model tornadoes to supplement the great materials provided by AMSTI to make their learning more real, meaningful, and lifelong.
My idea of science when I was in school was reading a book and answering questions. Needless to say, my learning was not meaningful and maximized. I want science to be fun, meaningful, and unforgettable! By using these great hands-on materials, my students and I can make that possible.
My school is in the same district as the school that I attended K-12.
I had always heard of it but never realized what a "hidden secret" it was. When I was hired there, it was clear to me why students who came from Underwood to my high school always excelled. The teachers put in 110% every day. We invest our time and money to make sure these kids experience the very best education. The materials I have requested will help us to maximize learning even more. The students in my room this year are incredible and more than eager to learn. It is already very evident that they learn best by hands-on experience. I want to be able to provide this for them in every way possible. Their interests are piqued during cooperative learning activities. Their little faces light up when we do these projects, and they are learning so much. What I love about these projects is that while they are learning, the kids don't even realize they are learning. They are perfect, eager hands-on learners.
My Project
Our 2 main units of study in our 6th grade science are catastrophic events and earth in space. The students are extremely interested in these topics. These kits will allow students to experience the effects of a volcano and watch how a tornado actually forms and rotates. The foam system I use is used to show chemical change. I love to watch how amazed they are when they witness this change right before their eyes. Yes, I do show videos of tornadoes, chemical changes, and hurricanes and do several other hands-on projects. However, for them to hold this model in their hands would be an amazing, unforgettable experience for them. We are a small school with only two 6th grade classes with 14 students each, so the possibilities are endless with projects like these that I can't personally afford to purchase. I get chills thinking about collaborating with the kids during these projects.
Donations to this project will help our students to become lovers of science.
They will look forward to coming to school to learn and do! These hands-on materials will be so memorable for them that they will be more inspired to be lifelong learners. I will group these students in collaborative groups so as they are learning about catastrophic events, they are also learning social skills and how to work as a team to succeed and to meet learning objectives. This is an important life skill.
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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. Hetrick and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.