This week, we're taking advantage of matching offers to provide hands-on science materials for never-before-funded teachers in Texas and Alabama. This is part of our ongoing effort to help fund science and math projects in red-state public schools in low-income neighborhoods.
As always, our conduit is DonorsChoose.org, an organization founded in 2000 and highly rated by both Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau.
Today’s main project will provide safety equipment for a never-before-funded science classroom in San Antonio. Donations to this project are now being matched, thanks to support from Tom’s of Maine. The Tom’s of Maine Green Your School Fund is giving $1 million directly to classrooms so students can learn about the world around them.
THIS WEEK’S MAIN PROJECT
Resources: My students need safety aprons, safety goggles, safety gloves, and lab equipment to complete their hands-on investigative labs everyday throughout the school year.
School Poverty Level: Nearly all students from low‑income households
Location: Bob Hope Elementary School, San Antonio, Texas
Total: $860.19 (matching donations from Tom’s of Maine)
Still Needed: $860.19 $658.36 ($330 from us!)
Expires: November 20, 2017
Teacher’s Comments from Ms. Torres:
My Students: I am a teacher at a Title I elementary school in San Antonio, Texas. Our demographics include low socioeconomic status families, in which our students receive free breakfast and lunch everyday. The families in our community are dedicated, involved, and hard working people that want what is best for their children. Our students are just as dedicated to being active participants in their education. My job is to provide them with the knowledge that is needed to make their success become a reality!
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." -Nelson Mandela
My Project: Safety equipment will promote a safe classroom environment, while learning in the science lab. This choice encourages children to become lifelong learners, while promoting responsibility. While having safety aprons, gloves, and goggles might seem like a small thing, it has a large impact on how children develop the intrinsic motivation necessary to be active participants in their education. My students will be able to use their equipment daily; building their love of science. Your donation will make many children, in an under served community, extremely happy by giving them the opportunity to complete safe, intriguing, science investigations throughout their time at our campus.
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
We’re also continuing to help provide engineering and science activities for a never-before-funded teacher of a Head Start class in Alabama. Donations to this project are now being matched, thanks to support from PNC Grow Up Great®. This is part of our mission to extend the reach of innovative, high-quality resources and experiences in pre-K classrooms through partnering with donors like you.
LONG-TERM PROJECT
Resources: My students need a variety of engaging engineering and science activities.
School Poverty Level: Nearly all students from low‑income households
Location: St Clair County Head Start, Pell City, Alabama
Total: $589.27 (matching donations from PNC Grow Up Great®)
Still Needed: $285.68 Completed! Thank you.
Expires: September 9, 2017
Teacher’s Comments from Mrs. Thomason:
My Students: I am a Head Start teacher. My classroom consists of seventeen three year olds. Many of my students are experiencing preschool for the first time. Head Start serves low income families. My students are enthusiastic about learning new things and curious about the world around them. They are always looking for new things to explore.
My goal is to make learning fun and enjoyable for them while providing a safe environment.
Engaging them with hands-on, thought provoking activities helps them learn in so many ways.
My Project: The children in my classroom really enjoy building and exploring. I am looking to provide them with opportunities to learn and grow by using science and engineering to promote thinking, creativity and problem solving skills. They need ramps and balls to design their own creations. The design your own roller coaster kit would be a great way to foster their engineering skills. Tubes and funnels would be a great addition to our water table to give them opportunities to explore the properties of water. The liquid and motion discovery tubes would encourage their scientific inquiry skills.
These materials would provide so many opportunities for the children to work together using engineering and scientific skills to create and explore.
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
Last week’s long-term project was completed with a huge assist from our donors! Elementary school students in Bossier City, Louisiana will receive books to help bring the water cycle to life. From the teacher:
This project was fully funded! Thank you so much for contributing to this exciting unit! I can't wait to get started with our students. We will be using these books in the first few weeks of school, so I will update you with their projects as soon as possible. Thank you again. It means the world!
With gratitude,
Mrs. Moak
Founded in 2009, The Inoculation Project is an effort to combat the anti-science push in conservative America by providing direct funding to science and math projects in traditionally red-state classrooms and libraries. Our conduit is DonorsChoose.org, an organization that allows you to contribute to specific, vetted projects in public schools, resulting in tremendous and immediate impacts from small-dollar donations. Here’s an introductory video about DonorsChoose featuring Michelle Obama and Stephen Colbert.
Each Sunday morning, we focus on helping to fund one or two science and math projects in red states, preferably in neighborhood public schools where half or more of students are from low-income households. We welcome everyone who shares our interest — no money is required! Feel free to post a video, or just tell us how your weather is.
Finally, here’s our list of successfully funded projects — our series total is 583! The success-list diary also contains links and additional information about DonorsChoose.