As the waters finally begin to recede after the catastrophic flooding in Nebraska and Iowa, residents are beginning the long, laborious process of clean-up and rebuilding. Although a special fund has not yet been set up to help affected schools, I am featuring a project from each state as a symbolic gesture of solidarity and support for Nebraskans and Iowans.
We hope that readers who support quality public school education will help 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 never-before-funded teacher at a middle school in Nebraska has a tablets project that will expire tomorrow. On Friday, though, she posted another project that I know we can help complete with the assistance of a 3x match offer.
Donations to these projects are now being matched, thanks to support from Overdeck Family Foundation. Overdeck Family Foundation is thrilled to help bring the Boston Museum of Science's best-in-class STEM kits to classrooms across the country, and help facilitate exciting outside-of-school learning experiences for your students.
MAIN PROJECT
Resources: Help me give my students a Bubble Bonanza engineering kit for science class.
Economic need: More than three-quarters of students from low‑income households
Location: Bryan Middle School, Omaha, Nebraska
Total: $607.39 (3x match offer)
Still Needed: $607.39 Completed, thank you! Please consider project below.
Teacher’s Comments from Mrs. Mihai:
My Students: Our school focuses on developing the potential in all our students. We believe that each student has a unique personality that can be used to build a bright future. In my classroom, I see my main responsibility as training my students to be effective members of society by facilitating a gradual increase in leadership abilities and talents. I believe each child has specific capabilities, talents, and strengths which can only be developed in a positive group environment.
My class consists students of varying abilities and backgrounds.
Their science classroom is an inclusive environment where they can be explorers, scientist and teach their peers. As they develop positive learning skills, they will gain both precious critical thinking skills and specific academic insight.
My Project: Students are always at the peak of their excitement when they get to build things or take them apart to see how they work. All children start out as natural-born engineers, but in time they get directed towards other aspects of the educational process and lose some of their natural curiosity. The engineering kit requested for this project will ensure that students regain some of that in-born penchant for building things and engaging in fun activities. As my students get to experiment with the objects included in the kit, they will apply what they know about science and math and their learning will be enhanced as a result. And because engineering activities are based on real-world technologies and problems, they help children see how disciplines like math and science are relevant to their lives.
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
Another never-before funded teacher is requesting a grow kit for her class at an Iowa middle school.
On the projects that don’t already have a match offer, if you put code PWCBASICS in the box at the top of the checkout page, your donation will be DOUBLED!
There is a $500 per donor cap. Available while funds last.
LONG-TERM PROJECT
Resources: Help me give my students a grow kit for our classroom! I have an awesome space in my classroom to turn into a grow station to teach about life cycles, agriculture, carbon emissions, and air pollution.
Economic need: Nearly all students from low‑income households
Location: Harding Middle School, Des Moines, Iowa
Total: $361.27 (see match offer described above)
Still Needed: $361.27 $97.21
Teacher’s Comments from Ms. Leonard:
My Students: I teach an extremely diverse group of middle school students. Their life challenges, perseverance, and amazing ability to make me laugh through tricky classroom scenarios absolutely set this group apart.
I feel blessed to work with this awe-inspiring group of learners.
They have a deep seated desire to beat the odds and succeed. They are driven, competitive, spirited, and delightfully funny.
My students meet their challenges in incredible ways. They take the work presented to them and amaze me with their creativity and passion to change the trajectory of their lives. I couldn't be more proud to be their science teacher.
My Project: In my classroom is the perfect space for a grow station! I would love to begin next year's life science classes with opportunities to watch the process from germination through flowering/maturity.
My students have been asking for a more hands-on approach to life sciences classes, and I would love to work with them to improve the school grounds and courtyard.
As an inner-city school, my students haven't had many opportunities to see how farming and gardening work on a small scale. Our students are the future for caring for our planet. Their project for the year will be to design plant systems that will help clean carbon from the air and reduce pollution. I am excited for them to understand more about the importance of agriculture, energy, and clean air production.
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
Thanks to a huge assist from our donors, both of last week’s projects have already been completed! Here are the teachers’ thank you notes:
Prevention is Better than Cure!
I express my sincere gratitude for the great contribution and generous donation you have made to our science lab. I can't wait to see the excitement of my Students working in the Lab safely. I hope to develop Scientific Reasoning and understanding of the impact of chemistry in every day life.
Thank you for caring about the needs of others!
With gratitude,
Dr. SITRAM
Energy: Will We Run Out? What Is Our Alternative?
Thank you so much for all your support to help me bring awareness around climate change and renewable and nonrenewable energy sources to my students in a hands-on way! I'm excited to work with students to help them envision and fight for the world they want to live in.
With gratitude,
Ms. Hardin
Note: Ms. Hardin created an account here as well to thank us last Sunday.
Founded in 2009, The Inoculation Project combats the anti-science push in conservative America by funding science and math projects in 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 science or math projects, 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 730! The success-list diary also contains links and additional information about DonorsChoose.org.