Did you know that there are microscopic critters in a handful of compost? While studying decomposers, our 3rd-5th grade students will be able to view these organisms that are not visible with the naked eye.
We have over 300 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students at our suburban CA school.
They are eager to explore the microscopic world! Our school is nestled between two worlds: the inland, rural grasslands and ranches on one side with windmills lining the hills, and miles of suburbs stretching the other direction towards coastal cities. Students are enthusiastic, curious about science, and work well with their classmates during science investigations. An increasing number qualify for free lunch, but not enough to qualify for additional grants or funding. We want to fuel the spark in our students' love of learning, and love of science!
My Project
We have 11 classes of 3rd, 4th and 5th graders who attend science lab twice a week. We currently have a few working corded stereo microscopes, but there are safety concerns with the corded microscopes, and we don't have enough for all students to cycle through in one class period. (We have a limited number of outlets and cannot accommodate multiple corded microscopes.)
We are requesting one cordless stereo microscope at this time, with the hope of eventually having one scope for every pair of students to share. With enough microscopes, each 3rd, 4th and 5th grade student will have the opportunity to view the microscopic world!
Students at this age are excited to see more than the naked eye reveals.
Microscopes can excite and engage them now. This excitement can motivate them through the more rigorous scientific academic work ahead. Hopefully, this may spark an interest in pursuing a scientific field of study or career in the future!
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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. Gatty and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
