My students need acid and bases kit, graduated cylinders, goggles, test tubes and thermometers for access to real lab equipment to support the 8th grade science curriculum.
"Wouldn't it be cool if we had a real science lab?" Although my 8th grade special needs students are enjoying learning about science and love doing hands on activities, my biggest challenge is that I have little lab equipment to make them feel that they are truly doing science.
I have 13 8th graders this year with mild to moderate learning disabilities.
I deliver all of their core academic content such as Language Arts, Social Studies, Math and Science. Many of my students are highly motivated in subjects that interest them, especially science, and are improving their skills enough to move out into general education. The majority of my students are on track to get a diploma as our local high school has a high graduation rate for our students who need small group instruction. Middle school students don't like being "different" from their peers and they are always asking me if we are going to do a particular project or experiment they hear their general education peers talking about.
My Project
We need acid and bases kit, graduated cylinders, goggles, test tubes and thermometers for access to real lab equipment to support the 8th grade science curriculum. With real lab equipment, my students will be able to gain a deeper understanding of the 8th grade core science curriculum through experimentation. The topics covered in 8th grade include states of matter, density, solubility, molecules, atoms, elements, energy, space science, and forces and motion.
This will improve my science class by making it look more like a science classroom.
My students will feel that they are getting a more equal experience to their general education peers when they are using test tubes instead of empty sauce jars and wearing safety goggles like the students in the laboratory classroom. This donation will also better prepare my students for their high school science curriculum which will take place in a laboratory classroom.
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