This week, we’re helping a dual-language elementary class in Texas to learn about electricity and electromagnetism, and an Alabama first grade to learn shapes and match patterns with colorful wooden blocks. 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.
Since the deadline for this project is in December, and we’ve made such good progress on it, I’m bumping it up to main project this week. This is a never-before-funded teacher.
MAIN PROJECT
Resources: Help me give my students the chance to bring the experience of learning to a hands-on, informative project that will help peak their interest in STEM.
Economic need: Nearly all students from low‑income households
Location: Seagoville North Elementary School, Seagoville, Texas
Total: $614.92
Still Needed: $196.98 $78.45
Teacher’s Comments from Mr. Corfield:
My Students: My students are part of a Dual Language program in which I get to teach them their skills in both English and Spanish. I love getting to work with my students because it allows me to teach them not only the materials and to read, but to appreciate and embrace the language that they speak at home while they develop their reading skills. My students have a strong sense of community. The school is located in a small, predominately rural town on the outskirts of Dallas. In my classroom I seek to instill a sense of inquiry and wonder into my students. I believe that that, paired with empathy, will gear them to develop into well rounded adults.
Many of my students love when the opportunity to learn and explore arises.
One example of this is when I was able to add books that interest some of the students to my class library. After getting those books, many of the students were eager to ask me if they could check the books out and read over the weekend! This, of course, is any reading teacher’s dream. I hope I can continue to inspire my students to continue to seek knowledge.
My Project: Learning about circuits in a text book is limiting and fails to give students the complete picture of all of the intricacies that are involved in the process. This project will allow me to make the science curriculum come to life by allowing my students to explore the concepts in electricity and electromagnetism hands-on. The expected learning outcomes are to have students grasp the different concepts of how electricity moves, completing a circuit and also to instill a sense of wonder where they’ll want to keep on applying this knowledge as they maneuver in the world around them. The lessons I will teach will allow me the chance to model the process to the students, and after, give them the chance to explore making the circuits with their classmates.
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
And then, let’s help this rural first grade, just north of Montgomery, Alabama, get some wooden shapes to give them an intuitive grasp of geometry.
LONG-TERM PROJECT
Resources: Help me give my students hands-on math activities to enhance their learning through math centers.
Economic need: More than half of students from low‑income households
Location: Holtville Elementary School, Deatsville, Alabama
Total: $226.14
Still Needed: $226.14 $119.38
Teacher’s Comments from Mrs. Wiggins:
My Students: This will be my fourth year teaching First Grade. My school is in a rural area. We are a Title I school. My students are amazing six year olds who can’t wait to learn how to read.
Over half of my students come from a lower economic situation.
I want my students to have opportunities to learn to the best of their ability. My classroom needs Stem Bins for children to use while I am working with small groups. They can also use them if they finish their work before others.
My Project: My children need hands-on math manipulatives that can help build their imagination by providing the opportunity through a variety of activities. This project will provide wooden pattern blocks in a various shapes and colors. The project includes a set of pattern sheets that allow the children to build a matching picture or design. They will also be learning numerous shapes. Students love learning how many sides a shape has through exploration and discovery. Your gift will provide manipulatives that will be used by twenty students each year. The items in this project will be used for many years to come! Thank you for your help!
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
Our main project from last week was completed, with a big assist from our readers! Mrs. Albright’s first and second grade Montessori class in Indianapolis will be growing an indoor hydroponic garden all year long. The project was From Farm to Table: Indoors.
She writes: Thank you so much for the continued support for our classroom! My students will be so excited to learn that we are going to get to grow food right in our classroom. How cool?! We couldn't do this without you, and we are forever grateful for your help in making this an amazing learning experience.
Our Dollars at Work
In April, in celebration of Earth Day, we helped Ms. Hughes’ middle school students in Athens, Georgia. They were able to expand their existing eco-conscious programs to include composting, using the compact bins they got via the project Going Green With Garden Gold. (More photos at the link.)
Thank you so much for contributing to this project! The students have learned from experts how to compost properly. Techniques were taught, tested, and implemented. The students are so excited about having compact, easy to use composters on campus!
Students are collecting waste in the cafeteria daily. Then they take it to the composters right outside the cafeteria. Students are looking forward to using the first batches of compost in the school vegetable and flower gardens.
We are really appreciative of your support!
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 791! The success-list diary also contains links and additional information about DonorsChoose.org.