Past projects 2
Wind Power for the South Bronx
Funded Jun 1, 2022Thank you so much for donating to this project. It was one of my students' favorite activities of the year. The students were so impressed by the complexity and detail of the turbines themselves. They are used to having similar projects being made of found objects, which can be fun, but don't work like something that is actually made for the intended use.
The students tried out different turbine designs, and tested them using a large box fan, recording the power output and optimizing the number of blades and blade angle. We did this project as part of our energy unit, but before formally teaching about wind power, so it allowed for a great discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of wind as an energy source without the need for direct instruction. Thank you again for giving my students this amazing experience!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Russo
This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Drive-In and 8 other donors.Dissolved Oxygen Meters for AP Environmental Explorations in South Bronx
Funded Nov 11, 2021This year has been quite unique for my AP Environmental Science class. In late January, during the midst of the omicron surge, it was decided that all seniors that already had earned enough credits for graduation would be allowed to do so. So, at the change of the semester at the beginning of February, my class of 20 became a class of 5! While this has surely changed the dynamic of the class, the five students remaining (all girls) have really grabbed onto working with the hydroponic gardening in my classroom. Everyday, the first thing that they do is check on their plants. When there are problems (yellowing leaves, browning roots, stunted fruiting) they research and address the problems.
The dissolved oxygen probes have become a big part of this research since we started using them. The students have tested dissolved oxygen levels in the hydroponic systems while running the aeration pumps at shorter and longer times to determine if we can we can save energy while still maintaining high enough oxygen levels. They have monitored oxygen levels throughout the growth process to see how they vary with root density, and helped address problems of root rot by based on their results.
Using their harvests from their hydroponic systems, we have been making vegan food every Friday afternoon since the Mayor announced vegan Friday lunches, and the students have really loved it. It has been one of the great things of the class being so small, as it would be difficult to do with a large group. Thank you so much for contributing to this experience for my students, and I can't wait to continue using the probes with the full classes next year!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Russo
This classroom project was brought to life by General Motors and 3 other donors.