This week, we're finishing up a Tennessee 6th grade science project featuring hands-on water quality tests, and starting a Texas project to help a 1st grade eliminate single-use plastics from their school meals, and understand why that’s important. We hope that readers who support quality public school education will help these teachers and students by sharing or supporting our featured projects.
The Inoculation Project is an ongoing, volunteer effort to crowdfund science and math projects for red-state public schools in low-income neighborhoods. As always, our conduit is DonorsChoose.org, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation that facilitates tax-deductible donations to specific, vetted projects in public schools.
This great project to help rural 6th graders learn about water quality and pollution was our long-term project last week. I’ve moved it up because it’s SO close to completion!
MAIN PROJECT
Resources: My students need water testing materials for our environmental science investigations.
Economic need: More than three-quarters of students from low‑income households
Location: North Elementary School, Altamont, Tennessee
Total: $232.79
Still Needed: $96.91 Completed! Thank you! Please see project below.
Teacher’s Comments from Ms. Rymer:
My Students: I work in a small, rural PreK-8 school in Tennessee with some awesome kiddos. I teach 6th grade math and science because those are the greatest subjects! 6th Grade is peculiar because my students range in their growth rates with some students standing 4'8" tall and other standing 6'2" tall.
While they look quite different, all my 6th graders enjoy learning about real life math and science in a hands-on way.
I want to give them a year they will never forget.
My Project: The science lab materials I have requested will allow my 6th grade students to collect, measure, and test local water samples from our faucets, ponds, rivers, and streams. We will test for water quality and pollution.
My students need to realize the impact humans have on the water we depend on daily for survival.
I want my students to see how plants, animals, and people have affected our water supply. Allowing them to be environmental scientists will encourage conservation and eco-friendly habits while also helping them learn their science standards. We may even discover things about our water supply along the way!
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
Here’s a project that ties in well with today’s theme. Mrs. M. is determined to teach her impressionable first graders lifelong habits of sustainable use, while eliminating a surprising amount of pollution her class is involuntarily producing every day.
LONG-TERM PROJECT
Resources: Reusable straws, forks, and spoons in order to avoid the waste of 160 pieces of plastic a day, and a picnic blanket for enjoying picnics and outdoor activities.
Economic need: Nearly all students from low‑income households
Location: L A Morgan Elementary School, Galveston, Texas
Total: $286.38
Still Needed: $256.38 $151.96
Teacher’s Comments from Mrs. M:
My Students: My students live in Galveston County, where 100% of our students receive free lunch. The administration and teachers are wonderful, but our district lacks some of the resources that would aid in learning and enrichment. As a teacher, I inspire my students' attitudes towards learning and their perception of the world they live in. By the end of the year, the kids have soared! They become independent, responsible, well mannered, considerate, and compassionate kids who care for the environment and love to learn. I work on building the students as individuals, by celebrating their success, and treating mistakes as learning opportunities.
They are bright, excited students who truly love to learn.
I am honored to be their guide in the learning experience!
My Project: Our Earth is quickly becoming a poisonous and deadly environment for the creatures that live here. Sadly, most of this is due to careless human behavior.
I would love for my students to have reusable utensils in order to limit the plastics that make it to landfills and eventually end up in the oceans, ultimately injuring and killing vital sea life.
According to strawlessocean.org, by the year 2050, if we have not made enough change, there will be more straws in the ocean than fish. "An estimated 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have been found with plastics in their stomachs. When they ingest plastic, marine life has a 50% mortality rate.” (stawlessocean.org/faq.)
In an attempt to not only create environmental awareness for the future generations, but also to create a positive change in this harrowing dynamic, I aim to purchase reusable stainless steel straws, sporks, and tableware bags for storage. The picnic blankets will be used for field trips, picnics, and outdoor activities.
At our school, our students use plastic straws, forks, and spoons that come packaged in a plastic bag. They use these twice a day. That means in just my class of 20 students, we use 160 pieces of plastic a day. Ideally, the state would make a change and provide reusable utensils for all schools in the state of Texas. However, this is not the case.
As an educator, I am in a vital position where I can inspire future populations to change their behavior in order to positively impact the Earth and all the creatures that live here. If you can help me with this critical lesson, we would greatly appreciate your support. Thank you.
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
Last week, we completed our main project with the help of a matching offer! In Young Minds of Tomorrow, Ms. Christmas’s Norfolk, Virginia kindergarten will get some learning games and practice materials to help them improve their reading and math abilities.
She writes: Hooray! My students will be so excited to use the materials in their learning centers. The students will be able to work independently on math skills and reading skills. I am expecting wonderful accomplishments and growth in my students! I will be sure to post photos of my students using the materials. Because of your support my students will have a better opportunity to become future leaders of tomorrow!
Our Dollars at Work
Back in January, we helped Mrs. LaCasse’s Arizona fourth grade assemble their own weather stations and learn to read various weather instruments. The project was What's the Weather? (More photos at the link.)
Thank you for providing weather instruments so that my students can learn how the instruments work and have a hands on experience. Your donation has them very excited about what they have learned and eager to use their knowledge. Weather is a very exciting thing for 4th grade students. They are eager to know more about the impact of weather. Using the tools that we purchased will help them understand more clearly. We are eagerly awaiting the next breezy day at our school!
We appreciate your generosity and will enjoy using these instruments this year, as well as years to follow. Thank you for your kindness.
Founded in 2009, The Inoculation Project combats the anti-science push in conservative America by funding science and math projects in traditionally red-state classrooms and libraries. Our conduit is DonorsChoose.org, a crowdfunding charity founded in 2000 and highly rated by both Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau.
Every Sunday, we focus on helping to fund two science or math projects in red states, preferably in neighborhood public schools where the overwhelming majority of students come from low-income households. We welcome everyone who supports public school education — no money is required!
Finally, here’s our list of successfully funded projects — our series total is 688! The success-list diary also contains links and additional information about DonorsChoose.org.