Focusing on STEM and problem-based learning in my class allows me to place the responsibility of learning in the students' hands, empowering the at-risk students in my classroom.
At my Title I school, over 90 percent of the students receive free or reduced-price lunch.
Many speak English as a second language and are recent migrants to the US or are first-generation US citizens. My students are charismatic, hard-working teenagers who are struggling to overcome the restraints that growing up in poverty has placed on them. While attending my school, each student receives vocational training. This prepares them for careers after high school.
However, for many of the students in my class, post-secondary education is what will provide them with the necessary skills to move out of that lowest 20% income bracket. Between the cost of maintaining a 40-year-old school and deep budget cuts for public schools, my extremely supportive administrative team can only approve the bare essentials for our classroom. I know that the students in my class would benefit from having up-to-date technology that allows them to learn about our world and to develop solutions to 21st-century problems.
My Project
With access to the Fast Plants monohybrid genetics kits, students enrolled in my Biotechnology classes will be able to explore the genetics of agriculture. The students in my class are preparing for an industry certification exam in Agricultural Biotechnology and understanding artificial selection is essential to their success.
Hands-on learning about genetics will make the lesson memorable and will ensure that students will succeed on their certification exam.
Too often genetics is taught through rote memorization and packets of worksheets. These materials will bring the lesson to life and will encourage a love of plants in the students in my class.
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. Hess Shamdasani and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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