Scroll down for this week's project. On tap this week: DNA Modeling!
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 traditionally red state classroom. These are projects whose funding requests are expiring within the next week. If the projects are not funded by their expiration date, they die.
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This Week's Project
Project: Do You Know What Your DNA Looks Like? Neither Do They!
Resources Needed: 2 DNA model kits in order to be able to see a very difficult concept for most of them come to life before their eyes
School Poverty Level: Moderate
State: North Carolina
Total Cost: $192.51
Still Needed: $132.51
Expires: May 12, 2011
Click to Donate
Teacher's Comments:
My Students
Have you ever seen your DNA? I love to show my students their DNA in numerous ways. Biology students at all levels in High School have to study about DNA and show an understanding of what it is made up of and how it controls protein synthesis. There is no better way than using a hands on model.
I teach in all Biology to all levels (CP, Honors and AP)in a high school in North Carolina. The majority of my students are highly motivated (but some are re-taking the class in order to graduate), but all share one thing in common - they love doing labs and being able to see biology coming to life in front of them.
The structure, function and working of DNA (and how it controls protein synthesis) can be a very difficult concept for some students to grasp off the page as the majority of students nowadays are visual and kinesthetic learners.
I love grabbing their attention and getting their enthusiasm to flow for Biology in a multitude of ways. To see my classes open up and become so excited about any area of Biology is worth its weight in gold to me.
My Project
I am requesting classroom model sets of DNA that students can manipulate to show its shape, transcription and translation. These are difficult ideas for some pupils, especially at the AP level, so the ability to build a model of DNA themselves will prove invaluable. This will help both the top end student to review their prior knowledge and build on it, and the lower level student to cement a difficult concept with visual cues.
Donations to this request will help my students no end as this is something my school does not currently have. My pupils deserve the best possible chance to not only pass their Biology class and EOC, but it is my aim as a Biology teacher to inspire as many pupils as possible to enter the field of Biology or Biomedical Science as possible. For this I need your help. Thank you so much in advance.
Please consider rescuing this project by making a small donation to it. Small dollars make a big difference.
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Good News
Our last project, Jellyfish are Oohey Gooey!, got rescued!
Here's what the teacher had to say:
I cannot thank you enough for your generous donation that will allow my children to have an experience they will never forget. I absolutely believe that children need to see and touch science in order to obtain long term understanding and ownership of the concepts.
I have been fortunate enough to have had jellyfish that were so generously funded by donors choose and I still have former students who tell me "that was so cool are you doing it again this year because you have my brother and I told him all about it" what better way to know that what you are doing in the classroom indeed works.
Again, I cannot thank you enough for your generous donation.
And, while we can't take credit for finishing it, we definitely gave last week's bonus project, You Be The Doctor a boost on its way to full funding!
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Projects Funded So Far
Our list of successfully funded projects has gotten so huge, I gave it its own separate diary!
We're up to 99 funded projects.
Go check it out! (And be sure to click on the links for pictures of the kids working with the resources we provided for them.)
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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.
