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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Bitner from San Antonio, TX is requesting lab equipment through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Bitner is requesting

Photogates for Physics: Measuring Speed the New Way

Help me give my students the opportunity to learn about speed and motion with the use of a photogate.

  • 1 donor
  • $968 still needed

expires May 06

  • 1 donor
  • $968 still needed
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Ms. Bitner Somerset Academy - Brooks
San Antonio, TX Grades 9-12

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

Celebrate Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Project

Photogates will allow my students to move beyond approximation and frustration to real scientific analysis. These tools directly support hands-on learning, data-driven reasoning, and equitable access to high-quality physics instruction. By investing in photogates, we are investing in student confidence, curiosity, and genuine understanding of physics.

Photogates will significantly enhance student learning by transforming abstract physics concepts into measurable, visible, and trustworthy data.

Many of my students struggle with physics because it relies heavily on timing, precision, and interpretation of motion—skills that are difficult to master using stopwatches and human reaction time alone.

The goals of this project are to:

1. Increase conceptual understanding of motion.

2. Improve data literacy and scientific reasoning.

3. Increase student engagement through hands-on learning.

4. Support equitable access to high-quality science experiences.

My students are primarily lower-performing, hands-on learners who will benefit from:

Concrete experiences rather than abstract instruction

Immediate feedback

Visual and physical evidence

Structured, gamified learning environments

Many of these students struggle with confidence in math and science. When labs rely on stopwatches and estimation, students often blame themselves for inconsistent results and disengage. Photogates remove that barrier and allow students to experience success through evidence, not guesswork.

Thank you for your consideration.

Equity Focus

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households

Never Before Funded 120 students impacted 1 donor
Ms. Bitner Somerset Academy - Brooks Grades 9-12

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

San Antonio, TX View local requests

More than three‑quarters 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

Never Before Funded 120 students impacted 1donor

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Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. Bitner is requesting.

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Visual Scientifics Photogate • Carolina Biological Supply Company $355.14 2 $710.28

Materials cost

$710.28

Vendor shipping charges

 $92.34

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$10.65

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$843.27

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$148.81

Total project goal

$992.08

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $992.08

1 Donor

-$25.00

Donations toward project cost

-$21.25

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$3.75

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $967.08

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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Project Activity

Project Activity
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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 Ms. Bitner and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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