Scroll down for this week's project. On tap this week: Art + Math! Success! This week's project has been funded! Scroll down to the comments for a Bonus Project to work on!
Reminder: Look for "The Inoculation Project" every Friday afternoon!
The Inoculation Project: Math & Science in Red State Schools
Solid science education is the best inoculation against ignorance.
The objective of this weekly project is to combat the anti-science push in conservative America by providing direct funding each week to math and science projects in red state classrooms.
Fortunately, a conduit organization for achieving this direct funding already exists: DonorsChoose.org. DonorsChoose.org allows you to make direct contributions to specific classroom projects (all vetted), resulting in tremendous and immediate impacts from small dollar donations.
Each week we focus on funding a single small-dollar project in a red state classroom. These are projects whose funding requests are expiring within the next 7 days. If the projects are not funded by their expiration date, they die.
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This Week's Project
(It was yet another slim pickin's kind of week for urgent small dollar projects, so the project below is one that still has awhile before it expires. Have at it! I'm assuming we'll have more urgent projects to choose from as we get closer to the return of the school year.)
Project: VaVaVaVoom Vibrant Math in Art
Resources: String art to be engaging, enhance vocabulary, and combine math & art.
School Poverty Level: High
State: Alabama
Total Cost: $216.79
Still Needed: $57.79 FUNDED! (see comments below for bonus project)
Expires: Dec 05, 2010
Teacher's Comments:
My Students
Think back to all of your Middle School years. I bet the first thing that comes to mind is all of the fun math projects you got to do, right? That is not the case for everyone. I want to create an exciting, challenging, memorable experience for my students!
I teach 80 students math and exploratory. Our school has 61% of students who receive free or reduced lunch. Currently, our classrooms are not receiving funds to purchase supplies; however, my students learn best when they are able to express their creativity, work with others, and dive into hands-on activities.
My Project
Each of my math students also has an Exploratory class with me. This a great time to explore new and creative ways of learning. The String Art Kits will be a fun way for students to learn about vocabulary words such as symmetry, lines, regular and irregular polygons. By actually creating a variety of shapes in this hands-on activity students will become Artists instead of just memorizing vocab! It will be fun and increase comprehension and retention!
Working together on this exciting project of creating mathematical art will emphasize to our students how evident math is in art and the world around us. Middle school students need this chance to work together to build team-work skills and have positive, fun experiences in the classroom.
Please consider rescuing this project by making a small donation to it. Small dollars make a big difference.
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Good News
Last week's The week before last week's project, Macro Micro Nano: The Minuscule World Revealed, got rescued!
Here's a thank-you note from the teacher:
July 15
I am so excited to receive full funding for our project, "Macro, Micro, Nano: The Miniscule World Revealed. I teach gifted and talented students at a multicultural Title 1 school. My students are very intelligent, but they have not always had the resources to fully engage in explorations which ignite their passions. Our focus this year will center around different types of explorations. By your funding of this project, you will be providing students with microscopes and slides so that they can begin their explorations with hands-on approach to science.
Through this project, students will first learn how to use a microscope, and then will learn how to observe, analyze, and apply their learning. We will move from the tiniest things on to bigger explorations, always connecting the big to the small. We will also use our observations of the microscopic world as a springboard into understanding nanotechnology and the implications for our world and its future.
Thank you again for your support. Your generosity will make great things possible in our classroom!
With gratitude,
Mrs. O.
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Projects Funded So Far
Can we grow this list of successes?
The Viking Shark Project
Weight Our Learning
Complications - Reading to Learn About the Human Body
The Colorful World of Science
Fill Our Display Case!
Magnetic Learning
Caught By A Kiss
Add, Subtract, Write, and Save the Trees!
Math Mania!
AVID Style Interactive Notebooks
Human Body Study for my Science Class
Physics Visuals
Rocks Rock at Knox
Owl Pellet Fun!
To the Front of the Class
Help A Fishy Cause
Microscopes for Illumination
What Day is it? I Forgot!
Absent Scientists
Math Centers Full of Learning!
Time For Kids?
Extend Our Learning
We've Got the Power to Learn Math (Help Us Get Charged Up)
We Are "Mac-ing!"
Help CreateNew Experiences & LearningThrough Nonfiction Text
Projecting Success!
Help Us See. Help Us Learn
Save The World ... Make It A Better Place!
Feathered Friends
Write and Stick Learning
Leading Through Learning
Hands on ESL Scientists
Electricity Shock!
Up and Atom...A Chemistry and Math Experience!
Sun Power!
Erupting With Excitement!
I Believe I Can Fly!
Art and Science Team Up!
Bringing the Earth Up Close and Personal
Fixing the Ditch
Creepy, Crawly, Critters!
Macro Micro Nano: The Minuscule World Revealed
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Helpful Links
DonorsChoose.org
DonorsChoose.org Blog
DonorsChoose.org Donor FAQ
All DonorsChoose.org Math & Science Projects
Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with DonorsChoose.org, or any of the classroom projects presented for funding. I'm just volunteering my time and pixels to make a difference.