I wrapped up an awesome first week of school with my high school freshman environmental science honors classes. My students explored my room to learn about me and my class. We learned how human perception is easily fooled by optical illusions, investigated the amazing color changing card trick, and experienced our brains jumping to conclusions. Since my classroom rules all center on the word “respect,” students worked together to develop their own working definition of the word. And we prepared our Interactive Science Notebooks for a year full of environmental science investigations.
I supplied the 140+ composition science notebooks for my students because I want them all to be the same type (college ruled, 200 pages) and want them assembled and ready to go this week without waiting for students to bring in their own. I was able to pull this off because of a generous donation from a local business, Kermit’s Key West Key Lime Shoppe. But not every teacher can be that lucky, as this story makes clear: These Teachers Find Creative Ways to Economize on School Supplies. (You’ll see a familiar name in that story!) So, let’s help out some Florida teachers who really want to bring science alive for their students but lack the funds to fulfill their education dreams.
It’s time for the launch of the 5th Annual Florida Citizens for Science Fundraising Campaign!
One of our energetic and highly motivated members — Albert Melcolm, a student at Florida State College, Jacksonville — did the hard work of combing through the many projects on the Donors Choose website to select four dedicated teachers who requested science materials for their classrooms. Here’s a little bit about each:
Mrs. Wieman Starling at Mariner Middle School, Cape Coral
“Amazing Reactions in Science”
Many students struggle to comprehend the differences between chemical and physical properties, and how to recognize them. Without that knowledge, understanding all other concepts connected to matter can feel impossible, especially for my students with special needs. These kits will provide my students a hands-on opportunity to see and experiment with various elements and chemicals to experience the differences themselves. The students will work in small groups to design their own inquiry project using the supplies. After testing its complete, they will analyze their findings and present them to the class. Once this project is completed, we will build on their new knowledge to understand matter and its place in the natural world.
Mrs. B. at Eneida Massas Hartner Elementary School, Miami
“Enhancing Our Science Classroom”
When it comes to science, it is different than any other subject. In science, you get to learn by exploring nature, doing science labs, and experimenting with many different things. Being able to explore in these ways requires the right equipment. Trying to do science labs and experiments on a traditional desk are somewhat difficult because of the size of the desk and the possibility of the desk separating and materials falling. If my students were able to have tables instead of a desk, they would be able to explore science comfortably with the much-needed space that tables give. The tables would also make our classroom look and feel like a real science classroom.
Ms. Downing at Seminole High School, Sanford
“Building Bonds”
Modeling kits are essential. Whether aiding the kinesthetic learner or contributing to learning as a visual aid, models demonstrate the otherwise intangible to the students. By using models, such as the requested Biochemistry Student Sets, students will have an opportunity to create a 3-Dimensional replication of atoms and molecules. They will be able to simulate bonding structures. Having these opportunities will allow students to explore a microscopic world to see how atoms form elements that create the molecules that make up the world in which we live in. My students would sincerely appreciate the chance to have the opportunity to have access to modeling kits to further investigate chemical principles.
Mr. Christmas at Pinetta Elementary School, Pinetta
“DASH and Doodle”
Students will gain coding experience using the DASH robot and accessories, and gain valuable STEM experiences using the Wonder Workshop Sketch Kit helps to express their creativity & develop critical thinking skills as they draw shapes, patterns, words, & more. STEM and CODING experience will play a vital role in the lives of today’s young students. The items purchased through this project will help to inspire the young GIRLS and BOYS I teach to enter the vital STEM fields of the future. For many of my students, this will be their first exposure to this type of technology. Please help me bring this exciting experience to the lives of the children in my class.
How you can help
Would you like to help out these teachers and students? Go to our Giving Page and make a donation to the project of your choice. We’re going to run this campaign for a full month, until September 18. When the campaign is over, Florida Citizens for Science will match total donations up to $500! And if all four projects are funded before our deadline, we’ll add more!
We hope to keep our trend of increasing donations year to year. Our first campaign raised $1,507 and last year we generated $2,943. Can we top that?
