The World at Our Fingertips: Classroom Solar System Model
My students need a Planets Videolab DVD set.
FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Ramirez's classroom raised $316
This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
Teaching Astronomy to Bronx high school students is a challenge. Even if stars and planets ARE visible in the night sky (which they mostly are not), my students live in an environment that focuses attention away from the sky. They have a very limited awareness of their place in the universe.
Students in my Astronomy class come from countries all over the world - Bangladesh, Jamaica, Guinea, Mexico, Dominican Republic.
About half are English Language Learners and two of 15 have special education needs. Most students live at or below the poverty level and several live in some of the worst neighborhoods in the Bronx but travel up to 1.5 hours to attend my school. These students WANT a good education. They WANT to go to college. They are rich in cultural and ethnic identity, however they struggle to reach national academic benchmarks of achievement.
My school is a unique high school in the Bronx. We are truly an international community of teachers and students. Our students hail from over 40 countries and our staff have all spent significant time abroad, mostly as Peace Corps volunteers. MHSIS strives to support all students in meeting and exceeding academic standards so that they can go to college and succeed in mainstream America.
My Project
With this kit, I will be able to bring the solar system to my students. Rather than visualizing the positions and movement of the planets in their head or on paper, this kit will allow my students to create a scaled model of the solar system and even a comet! This will help them understand:
1) Their place in the Universe (many of my students came to class not knowing the names or order of the planets)
2) The vast size of our solar system and, relatedly, the universe.
3) Understand and appreciate the uniqueness of Earth (the existence of life in all its iterations!) when compared with the other planets.
When teaching Astronomy, pictures and words are not enough!
My students live in an environment which determines that they have almost NO reference for the topics I am teaching. I need to educate them by allowing them to create that frame of reference right there in my classroom. Help them have the universe at their fingertips!
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
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. Ramirez and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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