Science is about discovery. I've always been of the mindset that if students are discovering things for themselves then the information gained will be more relevant to their lives. In order for this to happen, students need to spend time in a science class making discoveries.
My students are knowledge-hungry learners; they are tomorrow's leaders and far ahead of the resources available in our early 20th-century educational facility.
They have devoured all of my applications for "Bring Your Own Device" in my classroom; this has brought better research abilities, collaboration, and project resources right to the tips of their fingers. Now, they want more. They want to be able to perform the experiments themselves, rather than just discovering information through research. Having walked into a previously-neglected high school science program from a middle school with up-to-date equipment and technology, these students are restless for the materials and resources that will take them to a new level of scientific discovery and understanding.
My Project
The first two microscopes we received have gotten the students so excited for more! These two microscopes are the next step of a set of six that need to be acquired in order to have the resources necessary for the classes to complete microscope labs. They will use the microscopes to study intricate details of the invisible world around us through already prepared slides, and to learn how to further study this world through creating their own slides. Already, they vie for the new equipment, taking care to handle everything gently and enjoy the invisible world around us, noting even the smallest details of the slides now that they can view the specimens so much more easily.
Many students here have the potential to go into the medical field and the majority of them have untapped skills with microscope use thanks to their middle school program.
With this acquisition of microscopes, they will be able to better understand infections, diagnosis, and treatments. I have already observed an increase in the quality of their observational skills with the first two microscopes. Their minds will be expanded as smaller and smaller doors are opened into the microscopic world.
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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