This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
Our sweet southern town is home to a small section of a rural school district with 4,400 students total. The town is committed to the education of their children and are very involved in the school community. The majority of students in our school district come from low-income households; the average income in our district is $19,000 a year. All of our students receive free breakfast and lunch daily.
My students come to school with a wide array of backgrounds and experiences, and they are loving and eager to learn.
However, many of our students come to school without basic classroom supplies, and budgets for materials are limited.
My Project
Do you remember learning about the phases of the moon? Pointing out waxing vs waining on a chart? Chances are that 4 week standard that you revisited at least twice in your educational career has vanished from your memory. Orbit Earth tackles this challenge by using massive inflatable models of the earth and moon in an interactive presentation which makes abstract, difficult to teach concepts understandable. While interacting with the inflatable representations in a darkened gymnasium with a light to represent the sun, students manipulate the models to experience eclipses, seasons, phases of the moon, and more. These concepts are usually demonstrated to students with a video or a model using a flashlight and Styrofoam balls. Although we work with what we have, low-income students need hands on interactive lessons to fully understand abstract concepts.
One of the best parts about Orbit Earth is that they come to us, which is awesome because every student in our school will be invited to join their class and interact with their science standards in a massive way.
My students will remember a giant earth and moon in the gym for the rest of their lives, and the phases of the moon will finally make sense.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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. Hooper and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
