This week, we’re helping a Texas third grade teacher offer STEM games in her classroom when she can return there, and a Florida kindergarten keep learning at home while school is closed. 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.
Here is DonorsChoose.org’s message about the current situation:
Coronavirus Update: Thank you for your continued support of teachers; they need us right now! We are working closely with teachers and will fulfill all funded projects on the timeline that is best for their school.
We don’t usually do this, but since BOTH our projects this week have been fully funded, I’m adding another one for anyone who comes along late and wants to play! Some of the students in this middle school have had various good reasons to be struggling to begin with. When you add in distance learning AND some being without a computer at home, they really deserve help that we can give!
BONUS PROJECT!
Resources: Help me give my students that are not on grade level as well those who speak/read Spanish access to text to help them with Distance Learning through the Coronavirus Pandemic.
Economic need: More than half of students from low‑income households
Location: Sherwood Githens Middle School, Durham, North Carolina
Total: $170.25
Still Needed: $170.25 $145.25
Teacher’s Comments from Mrs. Burns:
My Students: My students are 7th graders in North Carolina. We have a completely diverse population and range from extremely high ability levels to extremely low ability levels. A lot of my students come from single-parent families, and therefore they might not always get the support that they need at home.
My students come in every day, eager for fun activities to help them remain engaged in the learning process.
My Project: We were all thrown for a loop with having little notice on school closures. Due to this, we did not have time to prepare adequate lessons for student learning for the rest of the year. Starting this coming week, I am rolling out new content with my students, which will mean some will be left behind if I do not have the proper resources for them. I have really worked to make sure that the in-print packets are almost identical to online work. There are somethings that just cannot be done without Internet, so they have an alternate resource that day.
For my kids who speak and read Spanish this is a struggle for them, as they are new to the country and are desperately trying to catch up and learn English as well as expected to learn all content taught.
By having an account to Science A-Z, it will allow me to not only ensure that I can send work home or include differentiated work for my kids that need help, but that I can also send home assignments that are completely in Spanish. I do have some resources in Spanish from our textbook, however, the reading content in the book cannot be found anywhere in Spanish.
Thank you in advance to those that donate in providing this resource for my kids!
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
This project for a never-before-funded teacher in Houston and her third-grade students did well last week, so today it’s moved up to be our main project.
MAIN PROJECT
Resources: Help me give my students engaging hands-on STEM activities and games for indoor recess
Economic need: Nearly all students from low‑income households
Location: Barbara Bush Elementary School, Houston, Texas
Total: $236.91
Still Needed: $171.91 Completed — thank you! Please see next project.
Teacher’s Comments from Ms. Nguyen:
My Students: I teach a lovely group of third graders who are full of curiosity! My students come to school each day ready to learn and be challenged. They are creative, out-of-the box thinkers who enjoy engaging lessons. Throughout my ten years of teaching, I must say that seeing my students grow is still the greatest reward a teacher can ask for. Our classroom is truly a family, we strive to push each other to be the best that we can be.
My Project: Science, technology, engineering, and math in the classroom, what's not to love? All students love engaging in hands-on activities! When the soccer field, basketball court, swing sets, or jungle gym are not accessible due to inclement weather, our kids are forced to be indoors. These STEM game sets are not only interactive but also educational. They will nourish the basic idea of what STEM is and it also help build the self-esteem that our students need. The game sets will also allow students to work with their friends, helping to create team players with strong leadership skills. These STEM sets will definitely be a game-changer for our classroom!! Thanks in advance for your generosity.
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
Our new longer-term project comes from an Orlando kindergarten teacher whose students are facing enormous obstacles because of school closure. This project currently enjoys 2x matching funds from Florida Citrus Sports, LIFT Orlando, and Fun Spot: The long-term vision of Florida Citrus Sports and LIFT Orlando is to create a neighborhood school for life: a high-quality, mixed-income community with a complete, high-performing school pipeline built in.
LONG-TERM PROJECT
Resources: Help me give my students tools and incentives to continue learning during this COVID-19 crisis.
Economic need: Nearly all students from low‑income households
Location: Palmetto Elementary School, Orlando, Florida
Total: $418.29 (2x matching funds!)
Still Needed: $418.29 $255.65 ($128 from us)
Teacher’s Comments from Mrs. Mindermann:
My Students: I have a phenomenal group of 19 kindergartners at a Title I school. I have a large population of homeless classified students. I have nine boys, nine girls. Fifteen of these students are English Language Learners. My students deserve the absolute best materials in the classroom in all areas of learning to help them grow. They are engaged, eager learners and look forward to coming to school and learning every single day.
I want my students to be successful learners every single day.
Allowing students to have plenty of resources in the classroom that helps them learn is very important to me. Growing and thriving as learners is an amazing thing to witness!
My Project: All schools are currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we do not know when they will reopen. My students are in desperate need of resources to continue learning. My goal is to mail Phonics and Math workbooks at this time to them so they can continue learning.
Unfortunately, some students are not receiving the education they desperately need and deserve due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Most of my students don't have access to WI-FI or digital tools for online learning.
Please help my students receive these resources and continue feeding their minds and love of learning. Please stay safe and thank you!!
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
DonorsChoose.org has set up a special coronavirus relief effort to help teachers in highest poverty areas send educational materials to students who are trying to learn from home. This effort isn’t limited to math and science projects, but we thought our readers might be interested in hearing about it. The fund has raised over $2 million so far.
Urgent Coronavirus Response: Help teachers get key resources to students at home.
Coronavirus has closed schools across the country. Right now, teachers need to get supplies in the hands of students at home to keep them learning, especially in our country’s highest-need communities. We surveyed over 3,000 teachers, and 97% of them are worried that school closings are going to hurt their students’ learning.
Teachers need your help now to get the technology, basic supplies, and hands-on activities they need to keep kids learning at home.
Here’s how it will work:
- You make a donation of any amount to Keep Kids Learning.
- All donations go to teachers at schools serving low-income communities where most students are eligible for free and reduced lunch.
- Teachers select the materials they need and distribute them to students at home.
DonorsChoose, the classroom funding site for public school teachers, is committed to getting teachers what they need to give every student a great education. Usually, funded supplies are shipped directly to classrooms in need. With schools closed, this new pilot program for delivering on our mission empowers teachers to get supplies directly to students at home.
We’ve automatically waived our 15% optional donation for this program, so 100% of your gift will go to supplies for teachers and their students.
DonorsChoose.org is a 501(c)3 nonprofit with Charity Navigator's highest 4-star rating. Visit our help center for details on how Keep Kids Learning works, or for more information on how we're responding to teachers impacted by coronavirus.
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Our main project from last week was completed, with a big assist from our readers!
Ms. Gray’s Georgia third grade class consists mostly of English-language learners. That’s why a library of books related to math will do double duty to help the students learn, thanks to the project Learn Math Through Literature - What Could Be Better!
She writes: Thank you so much for your help with our math library project! My students are below grade level in math but they love reading stories. This will help us connect some of those much needed math concepts when reading. And now more than ever, we will really need it and use it when we get back in school.
I appreciate each and every one of you! My students will appreciate it too! Thank you again very much.
Our Dollars at Work
In January, we helped Mrs. Oyervides’ Texas kindergarten. They are learning English in addition to other challenges, so these building toys help them with social and language skills as well as their creative and analytical thought. The project was Learning and Creating. (More photos at the link.)
Since my project was funded, my students have been exercising their creativity by building anything and everything they can imagine. My students had a blast building their own concept of a home by cooperating and using each other's ideas to create the best possible building. Students have also built race cars, bridges, buildings, robots of all shapes and sizes, along with items they believe will improve their everyday lives.
When my students saw these materials they were ecstatic! They just couldn't wait to get their creative little hands on them. They took turns and worked together in small groups to practice learning through STEM. They leaned so much all while having fun!
Our next step in the classroom is to create projects that will stimulate social development and critical thinking skills that will forever benefit our students in their educational journey. Thank you so much for contributing to my classroom! My students and myself will be forever grateful!
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 813! The success-list diary also contains links and additional information about DonorsChoose.org.
Thanks for joining us during Women’s History Month!