The first time a child sees something change before their eyes is always a memorable experience. Sometimes that change is so subtle and it's hard to see when it happens in the world around us. We'll use these plant growth supplies to observe the plant life cycle in a classroom environment.
My class is part of a wonderful Dual Immersion program that immerses children in Spanish from K through 5th grade.
My room is filled with 25 bright second and third grade students who come to school eager to learn. Fifty percent of the students in the program are native Spanish speakers and the rest are native English speakers. Seventy to eighty percent of the lessons I teach are taught in Spanish, including science and math. This program offers the children an opportunity to acquire a second language in the elementary environment, but it also represents a challenge.
Even though my school is located in an affluent community, it is the only school in our district to qualify for Title 1 grants because so many of our students are economically disadvantaged. There are more student on the free or reduced lunch program than anywhere else in the district. This also means fewer families are available to help provide necessary support to supplement recent budget short falls.
My Project
The plant growing kits and lighting system will allow my students to observe and record a plants growth in the classroom setting, deepening their knowledge of the plant life cycle. This is exactly the kinds of hands on learning experience that brings to life the theories in a text book and enables the students to retain their learning.
This is experience will deepening their understanding of their world around them by bringing front and center the subtle changes in the daily evolution of a seed to a plant. It is my hope that this experience will make them more mindful the role plants play in their lives. By experiencing this growth, they will become better stewards of plant life in many forms.
If this is funded by a one-time grant through the Chevron Classroom Challenge, it will be an investment that makes a lasting impact. The lighting systems will become an asset in my classroom for many years to come, making it possible to complete this process with classes for years to come.
Due to changes in the classes at our school last year, this is my first year teaching this unit.
I have few resources that I can draw on for this lesson. With funding drying up, there is no money to supplement this experience. This lighting system and plant growing kits will offer students an opportunity they won't have without this assistance. It will bring the outside world into the classroom, allowing the students to learn how magnificent nature can be and how we need to help protect it.
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. Sadler and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
