This week, we’re focusing on books for fourth- and fifth-grade students — novels in Cleveland, and science books in Oklahoma City. 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.
Our long-term project from last week did so well, I am moving it up here this week. This Cleveland fourth-grade teacher knows everyone will be back in the classroom in the fall, with or without vaccinations. She needs enough books for everyone to get their own copy.
MAIN PROJECT
Resources: Help me give my students the books, Clean Get Away and Regarding the Fountain so they have their own individual copy.
Economic need: Nearly all students from low‑income households
Location: Campus International School K-8, Cleveland, Ohio
Total: $422.79
Still Needed: $144.55 Completed, thank you! Please see next project.
Teacher’s Comments from Ms. Kaminski:
My Students: I love working at our school because the student population is diverse. We educate students from different socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, belief systems, and skill levels. We are an International Baccalaureate School. Our goal is to prepare our students to become global citizens through inquiry and exploring global perspectives. The majority of our learning is through cooperative experiences that are inclusive. All students have gifts to offer and actively participate. While furthering their understanding of content areas, students also further their understanding of self and others. It is magical to watch our students learn.
My Project: When the pandemic began, I never dreamed the effects it is having on education would linger for so long. There are still many uncertainties about what teaching will look like in the future. One thing for sure, is that not all students will be vaccinated by our return to school in the fall. Individual copies of books are going to be a necessity.
Students are craving lighthearted and humorous reading materials to help them deal with the effects of the pandemic.
Reading novels is a powerful and constructive way to teach reading skills. Students show a higher interest in reading books that they can relate to and that appeal to their sense of adventure and humor. Both of these books match that criteria. These books will help students learn about people with unique personalities and how to build relationships with them.
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
We have plenty of time to work on this big project! This Oklahoma City teacher wants her students to have every opportunity to read about science.
LONG-TERM PROJECT
Resources: Help me give my students an entire set of books about a variety of science topics that they will love!
Economic need: Nearly all students from low‑income households
Location: Taft Fifth Grade Center at Linwood, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Total: $498.40
Still Needed: $498.40 $313.87
Teacher’s Comments from Ms. Epler:
My Students: My class consists of 45 hard-working students who put their heart into everything they do! Most of them are English language learners meaning that their primary language is not English. Because of this, they learn best through visual representation and hands-on activities. The students that will benefit from this project are super dedicated and want to learn. They love math and science and they have the greatest personalities!
My Project: As an educator I am constantly trying to find ways to teach my students the things they need to know using learning strategies that they enjoy. This is exactly why this Learning Science Libraries book set will be so helpful to our classroom. I am wanting to provide my students with grade level books about the science topics we are discussing in class. My students love to read and will tackle any book that they can get their hands on. With a library of books from a variety of science topics they will not only have the opportunity to develop their reading skills, but they will also be learning in a way that they enjoy.
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
The requested set of 40 science books comprises these eight collections:
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Our main project from last week was completed, with a big assist from our readers!
Mrs. Dorminey’s Florida fifth grade needed some books about space exploration, including some that show the diversity of people involved in the sciences. The project was Space On The Book Shelf.
She writes: Thank you so much for funding this project to fill my bookshelves with science books! My students love math and science. I am so glad to share with them the exciting and curious world of science. I want to represent ALL people who have contributed to the scientific advancements in the past 100 years. There will be something for everyone with these books!
Our Dollars at Work
In October, we helped Mr. Suber’s gifted and talented elementary school students in Georgia. They needed materials to do some microscope labs to learn about cells, including an iconic lab with red onion cells in salt water vs. fresh water. The project was Cell-A-Brate Microscopic Knowledge! (More photos at the link.)
Thank you so much for your support! With your generosity, my students are learning leaps and bounds when it comes to cells. We completed a lab comparing the surface area and volume of model cells, and compared our results. We then used the microscopes and made wet mounts of onion cells. We compared salt and fresh water on the size of the vacuoles. The vacuoles expanded and stored fresh water and shrank with salt water. This lab was worth cell-ebrating. My students were excited and learned a lot about cells. I appreciate you all!
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 897! The success-list diary also contains links and additional information about DonorsChoose.org.