"Mr. This is like one of those private-school classrooms!!"
This was the line I heard from one of my 8th graders as I introduced them to our school's brand new science lab. And, she's right. However, at most private schools, they have the science equipment necessary to do science labs. At my high-poverty, bilingual, school in the inner-city, we do not have these resources for our 8th and 7th graders. We have all the turkey (facility, students, and teacher), without the stuffing (lab materials).
I spent all afternoon preparing for their mass lab for the first day in the science lab. Screws, washers, magnets to put on the scale? Check! Triple-Beam Balances to find their mass? Uh-oh!
Density = Mass / Volume. Find Mass...without a triple-beam balance.
Force = Mass * Acceleration. Find Mass...without a triple-beam balance.
We're studying the properties of matter this term and will be further investigating the properties of matter (including their mass) throughout the year. However, it's challenging to find the mass (and teach students how to use common lab equipment) without having common lab equipment.
Mass is kind of a big deal.
Finding the mass is possible, if not easy, when students are given access to a triple-beam balance. I'm hoping with Donors Choose we can start with three. Here's how it will work:
Our class sizes are fortunately small enough that I can separate the students in a way that would allow small groups to work on a lab using triple-beam balances and rotate them in so that everyone gets a chance. Mass is such an important part of scientific investigation, students will be using them all of the time!
I was just transferred to my current school and was immediately empowered by a sense of possibility for my students. They can learn, and I can teach them. With your help, not only will our room look like that of a private-school, but our access to materials and education can compete, too.
Nearly all 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 Mr. Bensing and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.