Scroll down for this week's project. On tap this week: Understanding Math Through Reading!
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.
This week, we have a project that has 10 days before it expires. Sometimes the pickin's get a little slim toward the end of the school year and through the summer, so we relax the rules a bit!
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This Week's Project
Project: Math: To Understand or Not To Understand
Resources Needed: Math literature books to give them an alternative way to understand math concepts
School Poverty Level: High
State: Utah
Total Cost: $166.41
Still Needed: $87.00 FUNDED! (See Bonus Project in comments.)
Expires: Jun 13, 2011
Click to Donate
Teacher's Comments:
My Students
Did you ever have the problem when you were in school with other students telling you 'That's easy! Don't you get it?' And remember how embarrassed you felt because no matter how hard you tried, you just could not understand how to do the math problems?
Well, I have students every year that do not understand certain concepts in math. And it is getting worse, because our school is now considered 'low income', and the kids just do not have the opportunity for enriching experiences that can give them an adequate math foundation for learning. So they need to have another way to understand math. And literature in math is the answer for many of them. Read them a book about Sir Cumference, and they can understand angles, and how they relate to real life. Teach them about pigs, and they will remember how to multiply and use numbers in the real world.
My Project
By using math in literature, the world is opened to the possibilities of understanding math in their personal lives. Kids can grasp the importance of learning fractions when they get to make recipes with them. Those students who are more proficient in reading than in math all at once can relate to the literature teaching method, and feel more comfortable with this alternative learning style.
So as you can see, so many students will benefit from having these math books, rich in literature, available for their learning. With these valuable resources in use in my classroom, the students will have a greater understanding of the world around them, and why math is so important in their world.
Please consider rescuing this project by making a small donation to it. Small dollars make a big difference.
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Good News
We had several funded projects emerge from last week's Choose-a-Palooza. Here are just a couple of notes from teachers whose projects involved learning about food and nutrition:
I was so happy to see that a healthy garden will be in my students' future. My mind is full of plans for making the most of your contribution to our classroom.
Your generosity will bring a wonderful experience to my first graders. I look forward to unwrapping the materials with them. They will love growing their own vegetables and, of course, playing the nutrition games and presenting the reader's theater. What is fun for them now, will hopefully help them become more healthy adults. Your love and concern for children is inspiring. Thank you so much.
Thanks so much for supporting this project and helping to bring learning materials to my classroom! This powerful learning tool will help engage my students in science as they learn about the food they eat. It is amazingly gratifying to have support to our schools through the community. Without community support, the children would not be as well supported. I appreciate all you do. The children appreciate all you do!
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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 108 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.
