Past projects 13
Silver's Night Rate
Funded Apr 16, 2013I wish to express my appreciation for the money you donated to allow me to purchase silver nitrate. This chemical allows me to do a number of labs that students greatly enjoy, such as coating test tubes or other glass ware with a thin silver coating, making a mirror.
Silver nitrate is also indispensable in demonstrating the activity of various elements and the silver ions ability to acquire electrons from almost any source. While the students can see pictures of this happening in a book, or watch videos on youtube, both of those things pale in comparison to seeing and doing it in person.
Once again, thank you for your generosity in supporting science and helping students become engaged in the process of learning chemistry.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Carlson
Engineering Matters, Too
Funded Mar 13, 2013I recently received and had my physical science students assemble the motor kits that were purchased with your generous contributions. My students greatly appreciated the opportunity to do something with their hands and make a functioning electric motor. Some students became extremely engaged with the project and took the motor home to improve its efficiency, and I think one student tried to incorporate his motor into a self-designed vehicle.
Because of this project, my students understand and can explain how a motor works many times better than what they would be able to from simply reading a passage from the book. I think they also appreciate some of the aspects of engineering and that the devices we use every day have been designed very carefully so that we can take their functioning for granted. I think it's easy to forget in our digital age that all of the information we manage is stored on physical devices made out of physical materials that have been manipulated in a very controlled and carefully designed manner.
This was all possible because of your generosity. I was worried that I was going to have to shelve the project because donations were not coming in quickly enough for me to get the materials in time for this year, so I am especially grateful for your contributions that helped me see this project through to a successful finish. Thank you once again for making this motor project possible.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Carlson
The World Needs Love
Funded Nov 6, 2012I want to thank you for the money you have donated to make my classroom a place where students learn science from hands on activities and question asking and not just by reading from books or listening to a lecture. As I'm sure you are aware, money is tight in school districts, and without your generous support, I would not have been able to provide the experience of using hand boilers (a.k.a. "love meters") to my students.
There is no question that the hand boilers prompted many students to ask questions about how they worked and why they behaved the way they did. The students also initiated some exploration of their own, and showed me things with the hand boilers I had not thought to try. The hand boilers inspired curiosity and helped students learn more about the world we live in.
For your generous gift, I am truly grateful.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Carlson