Past projects 3
Plant Structures and Measuring Rates of Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration
Funded Nov 13, 2024Hello kind donors,
I would like to take a few moments to express my sincere gratitude for your support of our
students here at Forest Grove High School. Thanks to your generosity, every student enrolled in our Biology and Honors Biology classes (about 380 students) had the opportunity to experience hands-on demonstrations of the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration. This in turn allowed us to demonstrate more "global" concepts of the carbon cycle in ecosystems and how the photosynthetic organisms and heterotrophic organisms, such as humans, are inter-related in an inseparable manner. These kits were perfect, allowing them to really see how the by-products influence our environment.
We had already studied the basics of photosynthesis and cellular respiration with a basic understanding of those processes. This allowed students to make predictions about what they expected to happen with the conditions in the labs and test of their understanding of the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
While the students were carrying out the experiments, I noticed something that I had not previously considered. My primary focus has always been the hands-on aspect of working with the lab equipment, however something that I witnessed was a level of collaboration among students that I did not expect. Working together in their lab groups, they were learning from each other and the experiencing these processes firsthand. It was truly refreshing and encouraging to see these students engaged in cooperative learning from one another.
Of course, it does not always work perfectly, but that has value as well. Occasionally, it was human error that resulted in unexpected outcomes, but sometimes there were issues with the plants, the yeast or timing. I used this as an opportunity for error analysis and to demonstrate that science and experiments are not always "clean".
Your generous support goes way beyond the classroom and provides lessons for our youth and soon to be adults in our community. I know your support was for the classroom activities, but the long-term effects may even be more important. Thank you.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Crabtree
This classroom project was brought to life by Young Sheldon and 2 other donors.Identification of Organic Molecules in Foods/Bodies of Organisms.
Funded Aug 15, 2024I would like to take a few moments to express my sincere gratitude for your kind support of our
students here at Forest Grove High School. Thanks to your generosity, every student enrolled in our Biology and Honors Biology classes (about 380 students) had the opportunity to experience hands-on testing for biological molecules and to use that information to explore the composition of foods and drink that students consume in their everyday lives. These kits were extraordinary, allowing them to test for simple and complex sugars as well as protein and fats.
We first tested "known" materials to determine what a "positive" test should look like and then I allowed the students to explore. I asked them to look in their backpacks and select something that they wanted to know about. They could test the drinks or snacks they were consuming to gain first-hand knowledge of the contents of this item of choice. It is one thing to read a label, but it is much more meaningful to the students when you can see what is in the things they are eating and drinking.
I coupled this with a discussion of fast foods and the composition of our bodies including the importance of supplying the body with the important nutrients and limiting the "extra" substances often consumed. We then talked about fast foods and food "deserts" that people experience in some urban and rural areas of our country. Some of our students are painfully aware of food insecurity, but for others this was an important exercise because of the situation in parts of Washington County and the increasing need for food banks and the support they offer members of our community.
Your generous support goes way beyond the classroom and provides lessons for our youth and soon to be adults in our community. I know your support was for the classroom activities, but the long-term effects may even be more important. Thank you.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Crabtree
This classroom project was brought to life by The Gates Foundation and one other donor.Inheritance of Characteristics in Plants
Funded May 1, 2014I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your generous support of my students and the education of our youth in general. Genetics is a topic that is generally taught with lectures, worksheets and problem sets, it is no wonder students dislike the subject matter! You have given us the opportunity to study the inheritance of genetically controlled characteristics with direct observation of this in pepper plants and in the mustard 'Fast Plants'.
My students are thrilled with this opportunity, for exactly the same reason that I am excited. Learn by doing, by experimentation, not by sitting and listening to a lecture. They get their hands dirty, literally with not just the planting and gathering the first generation data, but by learning the process of manipulating the pollination of plants, just like the father of genetics performed in his ground-breaking studies, Gregor Mendel.
We are able to ask real questions, gather data and analyze the results of our experiments in a manner not possible by simply looking at the numbers generated by the experiments of others. This gives them ownership of the project, the concepts and makes it active, not passive learning. Given that we are a semi-rural town, many of the students are either from farming families, or have parents that work in the horticulture industry, therefore making this particular experiment relevant for the students.
It is real for them, not just reading about what some guy did some guy about two hundred years ago. I, we, owe this all to you. Thank you for supporting the education of our youth and giving them the opportunity to actually learn by doing rather than just listening to someone talking about other scientist's work.
This is a tremendous gift you have given to us and I cannot thank you enough. Thank you for preparing our future leaders!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Crabtree