My students need 21 physics materials, from Dynamics Carts and Friction Blocks to Tuning Forks and Diffraction Gratings.
FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Lopez del Castillo's classroom raised $1,093
This project is fully funded
Welcome to one of only 14 classrooms in my school district offering Physics to high school students, and the only classroom servicing an all-girls student body. In college, I remember being a minority in my engineering classes, I remember hearing about the lack of female participation in STEM careers, I remember struggling to understand how to manipulate equations to solve for velocity; 5 years later, I teach high school students who face those same struggles and odds every day. Not only do my students face the struggles of growing up in a high-needs community, but they have little to no hands-on experience in science due to a lack of lab supplies, and struggle to grasp the basic mathematical concepts needed to support their learning in my class. Please help me make this Physics class come to life by providing my students with basic, clear examples of how Physics works and by allowing them to explore hands-on.
I began the Physics program at my school last year, with nothing beyond the knick-knacks I put together from supplies at Home Depot to demonstrate these new and intriguing ideas to my students. I watched them struggle, with no concrete examples to bolster this exploration into a new realm of science. Towards the end of the year, I was able to conduct an inquiry-based experiment on Conservation of Energy, and I saw the light bulbs go off. My students had understood this so quickly, because they discovered it for themselves. Now in my second year teaching Physics, it is my goal to make these "ah-hah" moments a weekly occurrence in my Physics class. I hope that by inspiring my students to have a passion for Physics, they will pursue college careers in Science, Math, Engineering, and Technology. I also believe that the problem-solving skills they will learn through a more hands-on approach will help them be successful in their first years as university students, and help ensure that they do not become frustrated and drop out due to lack of experience with critical thinking projects.
It would cost thousands of dollars to equip a Physics laboratory with the state-of-the-art equipment needed to do accurate, in-depth Physics experiments. However, for less than $1000.00, you can purchase a small set of basics that will allow some of the more complex concepts of Physics, such as projectile motion, induction, resonance, and refraction, to come alive for the students. I have requested what I believe are the most essential pieces needed for students to attempt Physics for themselves, hands-on. Since I won't have enough for the whole class to work on them at once, I will employ stations when I introduce new topics, so that some students can use the equipment while others read or do problems related to the topic. Then students will rotate so that they can all have a chance to learn with their hands as well as their minds. If a student can see that two particles with like charges move away from each other, instead of just knowing this, you have just made Physics concrete for them, and often this will lead to passion and curiosity that will keep them motivated to succeed.
You can never really measure the impact that this proposal could have on my students, short of following them for a few years after they graduate and hearing their stories of how their High School Physics class inspired them to become the technological leaders of tomorrow. Physics is a mystery to most people in our country, and to make it real for our youth is an incredible, lasting gift that will enrich their lives forever. Please, take advantage of this chance to broaden the horizons and light a flame of curiosity in our most important natural resource; our students.
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 Ms. Lopez del Castillo and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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