Science Supplies for Hands-on Science

Funded Aug 29, 2017

'Tis the season to be thankful! The students at Baxter High School continue to be thankful for your generous donation to our science classroom. Opening the boxes of fresh supplies was a special treat! The students responded with enthusiasm, curiosity, and respect toward the new things.

The supplies have worked their way into the natural order of things in our science classroom. My students are now accustomed to hands-on, inquiry explorations and student-centered learning experiences. Let me give you a few specific examples of ways we have used the supplies:

- The stopwatches were used to measure time as 9th grade physics students calculated their velocities (v = d/t) for various modes of moving across the school lawn - such as crab-walking, skipping, running, etc. The 9th graders also timed how long it took various objects to reach the ground when the objects were dropped off the roof as we studied the commonly misunderstood concept of free fall (and its relationship with Newton's 1st and 2nd laws.)

- The density cubes were put to use in chemistry class the day after they were opened! They were an awesome tool for exploring and literally feeling density. Students made predictions about whether the cubes would sink or float. Then, they measured mass and volume and calculated density for each cube. They used the data to infer the pattern of what densities sink/float in water. Recently, the cubes were pulled out again as the students were asked to define terms like metal and non-metal based on their life experiences.

- The markers have been used countless times by all of the science classes to illustrate ideas and show patterns. The biology classes have gotten the greatest use out of the markers to represent abstract ideas like the cell cycle, mitosis, and inheritance through pictures and posters.

- The whiteboards and dry erase markers are a must for formative assessments. As a teacher, I love how they give me a glimpse into each student's thinking. Students love how fun they are to write with and how it gives them a break from a normal pencil and paper. I have used the boards for jeopardy, countless models, station signs, discussion questions, and many other things. I can't imagine teaching without white boards!

Thank you once again for your awesome generosity. I feel like my new classroom is better equipped thanks to you and look forward to continuing to use the supplies for science explorations all year and into the future!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Brown