My students love designing experiments and sharing nature experiences in their science journals and art. We have a science wall of student experiments, science facts, and more! My students need opportunities to see science up close to encourage their love of it and their desire to become scientists.
Several of my students started the year never having conducted their own science experiment and never having been to a zoo to explore our world's wildlife.
They get legitimately excited when they hear about what they are going to do in science every day. I want all of my students to know that they can use science to solve many of their own questions about the world right now and that they don't have to wait until they are older to become scientists; they are scientists now! I also want to introduce them to different scientists and science opportunities, so they can know what it really means to be a scientist. This will hopefully spark an interest now in a career in the sciences.
Many of my students have voluntarily joined the environmental club where they get weekly outdoor experiences and an appreciation for our local wildlife. We are planning several student-led activities throughout the school year aimed at making our school a greener place.
My Project
Several of the students in our environmental club have never even been to a zoo! However, many of the students in the club have expressed interest in becoming wildlife biologists and other scientists. I want to give these students the opportunity to not only see animals up close but to let them see different scientists and what they do every day. The Wilds is a safari park with animals like bison, camels, cheetahs, rhinos, and zebras. The Wilds has also been part of many conservation efforts that the students would learn about such as the release of the endangered American Burying Beetle.
My students need a field trip to this safari park to be inspired by wildlife to help protect it. This would be a great place for students to design and conduct their own informal experiments into the habits of different animals and to learn about conservation and conservation careers. Hopefully, these students will come back from the trip with a desire to make a difference globally to save different species and a lifelong commitment to learning about science and conservation.
Do you remember the first time you saw a cheetah or a zebra?
I remember going to the zoo as a kid and how seeing the animals got me excited about learning more. These experiences make people want to protect our world's species and habitats. My students need the opportunity to see these wild animals up close, so they will have the desire to make a difference in the world for conservation.
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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. Germano and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
