Past projects 3
Sea Otter Forensics
Funded Nov 8, 2024My students are very appreciative of your generosity to bring this experience to our classroom. They love any opportunity to go beyond the classroom. This also gave us a great opportunity to look at careers in Marine Biology and Environmental Toxicology.
One of the first responses from many students was : "Oh my gosh, I LOVE sea otters!". they have been asking all year when they get to study the sea otters, and were overfilled with joy when Lab day came. The students saw the liver damage, but couldn't figure out what in the environment can cause liver damage to the poor otters and other animals. They also were very intrigued to learn of how humans bodies can function and have similar responses to the environment like sea otters. This especially hits close to home for students because many visit Monterey Bay annually and we live within a few hours of this incident studied. From this experience it has stemmed students interest to look at our local lakes and streams to see if there are simar toxins that can affect humans and animals in our central region. We will use this curiosity to further study and get out into our town to see our own water quality and how pollutants bioaccumulate here.
The students have been studying food chains this year and they now are looking at how one small toxin can build up through an ecosystem. They students will be studying water quality further with water borne illnesses. They will also see how human activates can affect the success and survival of various species around the world. This great experience has given my students more questions and more ideas to explore in the environment around them for their health and the health of the environment.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Geels
This classroom project was brought to life by Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation and 3 other donors.Manipulating Chemistry with Magnetic Molecules
Funded Feb 6, 2020Students absolutely love the magnetic water molecules. We use them in multiple parts of the year ,whether it is talking about bonds, polarity, or solubility. The magnetic sheets have been used to make protons, neutrons, and electrons. I have students come up to the white board and practice atomic structure with them as well as representing hoe electrons behave in certain orbitals. Additional they use the atom magnets to balance chemical equations with visuals. Lastly, the laminator and sheets are used to make assignments students can reuse and write on. Mainly for stoichiometry math problems and determining patterns on the periodic table.
The students thought the white boards magnets were easy to help show them what an atom even is, but they were most excited about the water molecules. They love to see the shapes and connections between polar water molecules while using real water to see the same properties.
Students are currently using the molecules and acid/base magnets in a study of a fish kill that occurred in Indiana's White River. They are using it to understand if ionic compounds can be soluble and what happens if the water is acidic at the same time. How did so many fish die? And What is the source of the pollution?”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Geels
Hands-On Chemistry With Molecular Models
Funded Oct 24, 2019My students were in love with the 3D molecule kits and chalk markers. When they heard that they got to build and writ on the lab tables, they could not wait to begin. The students began with bonding basic covalent molecules given to them, but wanted to go even further to see more complex molecule structures. I had many attempt to build glucose and then polymer chains with their model kits. In one of my classes 2 groups combine their kits to make longer chains of monomers.
One of my students pictured was overjoyed with how the hands on building and writing on the table helped him improve his overall performance. With these resources he would come in and practice during RTI. By the end of the unit his practice payed off and he went from getting D's and F's on the exams to 100% on his quizzes and 80 % and 90% on the final two bonding exams.
They students continued to use the molecules in our conservation of mass unit. By being able to build the molecules it allowed students to visualize if a chemical equation was balanced. In addition, they also used the chalk markers to write out how many moles of each molecule were on each side of the equation using the R.A.P. method.
Without your support. These amazing opportunities count not have happened. Thank you so much for providing my students with creative and interactive learning experiences that keep on giving throughout the school year. They go straight for the chalk markers whether it is story boarding, balancing equations, or drawing out how molecules interact.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Geels
This classroom project was brought to life by An anonymous classroom supporter and 10 other donors.