Past projects 10
Grinding and Testing in Chemistry!
Funded Apr 25, 2022Last spring when I got a package for the class my students were very excited to see what we got. We got some very need mortar and pestles for grinding solids for a couple of labs. We also got potassium iodide for couple of labs dealing with identification of unknowns in chemistry to be shared with forensics.
Comparing solubility rates of a solid, a crushed solid and a solid being heated is one of the labs our students need a mortar and pestle for. Making sure there is enough equipment for everyone to partake in all the steps of a lab was very appreciated by the students. Before having all the equipment the students would either be in larger groups or wait for equipment to free up. Waiting sometimes takes away from the joy of the moment especially in a lab when time in crucial.
I know the mortar and pestles will get used in the forensics classes alone with physical science and chemistry. I am so glad we were able to receive the supplies last spring and was able to have kids use the mortar and pestles. I have since retired from the school and have been in contact with the biology and forensics instructors and they are planning on using both the chemicals for testing and the equipment for in class and teacher preparations. Thank you to all of our supporters and best wishes to those who carry on the teaching done at my school.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Daugaard
This classroom project was brought to life by 3Mgives Aberdeen, SD and 3 other donors.These Lab Essentials Are Something My Students Would Dye For!
Funded Aug 31, 2021The students were very excited to see the new pipettes and chemicals for making horizontal and vertical electrophoresis gels. As with new equipment and supplies for lab or kids got very excited. After explaining to the students the equipment we got is the same equipment researchers are currently using to figure out COVID 19. That really made them feel excited and important at the same time. I saw this kind of excitement when the students first put their hands on the pipettes. This was a lab where the students really wanted to first to use the equipment. I shared my equipment earlier with our forensics teacher so a couple of my students loaded gels in that course. However, this was a first for most of them. What makes it even more exciting is that we can do this in a high school setting with our own equipment where it is rare. I feel this is an important step in getting students interested in research in and out of the health fields. The bonus response I got was how excited our new biology/forensics teacher was to be able to do a lab with this equipment thinking high schools wouldn't have the equipment.
Previous to this activity we will have done labs and activities separating mixtures and identifying the properties of mixtures. We studied boiling and freezing points of solutions based on concentrations and how to make them. We did chromatography, electrified chromatography, horizontal electrophoresis and then vertical electrophoresis using the equipment and chemicals received.
The equipment I received through this project has given me a chance to continue to share some of the knowledge, lab skills and equipment use that I have learned over the last 8 summers in research labs at 4 different institutions to include: the health care field, bio-renewable energy, green energy, structural stability and momentum of particle breakup for NASA research. . When I cover this material, my students see that I teach from the heart and my experience. This lets them know the labs will give them real world experiences. I feel good using and teaching with the new equipment to give an experience to my students' other schools can't in the high school setting. I love the idea of giving my students a leg up in life. Thank you so very, very much in your support.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Daugaard
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and 6 other donors.Pumping Pipettes for Precision
Funded Nov 30, 2019The students were very excited to see the new pipettes for horizontal and vertical electrophoresis. It was great to see how excited the kids got. It was about the same as when they get new video games, ipods and phones. That was the kind of excitement I saw when the students first put their hands on the pipettes. The typical ploy was I want to be the first to use them. That was awesome, one of my students had loaded some gels in the past but this was a first for most of them. What makes it even more exciting is that we can do this in a high school setting with our own equipment where it is rare. I feel this is an important step in getting students interested in research in and out of the health fields.
In the lab we did a unit on separating mixtures and the properties of mixtures. We studied boiling and freezing points of solutions based on concentrations and how to make them. We did chromatography, electrified chromatography, horizontal electrophoresis and then vertical electrophoresis using the equipment and chemicals received.
The equipment I received through this project has given me a chance to share some of the things I learned over the last 6 summers in research labs at 3 different institutions to include: the health care field, bio-renewable energy, green energy and structural stability. When I covered this material, my students saw that I teach from my experience. This lets them know the labs done gave them real world experiences. I feel good using and teaching with the new equipment to give an experience to my students' other schools can't in the high school setting. I love the idea of giving my students a leg up in life. Thank you so very, very much in your support.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Daugaard
Free Electricity for the Taking!
Funded Oct 10, 2019The MudWatt kits for building our Microbial Fuel cells was used immediately upon arrival. The students were excited to unpack and put into practice their cells.
The MFC's (Microbial Fuel Cells) are tying together chemistry, biology, electricity and math along with getting an experience in engineering design. Once I saw their excitement, I knew they were going to take to this project with a lot of enthusiasm. They really had fun getting dirty and muddy while building our MFC's. Once the MFC's were built the students needed to wait for the bacteria to do their thing and that was to generate electricity through oxidation reduction reactions. Once there was enough current a small led would blink. This LED is used with an app on their phone to determine the amount of electricity produced. Since all the students had a choice of choosing their mud to start with there was a variable in the number of days it took for them to blink and if they didn't, they tried to alter their mud's nutrients by adding some sports drink or water.
They learned an early mistake in using mud that was too dry that some of their cells didn't blink right away or at all. When we tested their cell produced different amounts of electricity and the app equated the current produced to the number of colonies growing. One of the students mentioned that it seems like the colonies started blinking and then increase with a leveling off of electricity produced. I thought wow what an awesome observation. This response is what doing STEM projects in class is all about. Eventually the materials being used will to be doing these MFC's on a large scale either for space travel on making Earth Greener.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Daugaard
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 8 other donors.Building Towers and Bridges With STEM!
Funded Jan 3, 2019The balsa wood and supplies for building our bridges and towers was put to use immediately upon arrival. This was the third type of bridge built based on different materials being used.
We did paper and straw bridges first. Some of the students got super excited when we open the boxes. Once I saw their excitement I knew they were going to take to this project with a lot of enthusiasm. They really enjoyed the build of the bridges.
They learned that early mistakes in cutting may force some of their final plans to change. When we tested their bridges with a materials tester connected to a computer they thought it was neat because of the way the numbers for the load didn't just stay the same through out. One of the students commented that it seems like the bridge is living. I thought wow what an awesome observation. This response is what doing STEM projects in class is all about. Eventually the materials will be used to build and test buildings and towers.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Daugaard
This classroom project was brought to life by Samsung and 7 other donors.AED on the Road to Survival! Take 2!
Funded Mar 29, 2017It is so great to have received the our 2nd traveling AED and watch it go out the door with a group of students with oral interp and again the very next day with our students going to a training to be a peer helper. Our school nurse was pumped to get it and a case for it. The case is so it can be easy to grab and go. Many of our activity staff members were impressed by your generosity. The AED that we received is very easy to use. It has a screen to play a short video on how to use it on a person that needs assistance with a heart condition. By having this built in player even the most hesitant person can operate the AED with some confidence. This confidence will help speed up the process for getting help to the person who needs it.
When I first received this AED I took it to the school nurse she and our principal was grateful having a 2nd traveling one because the other is of high demand. Everyone feels that it is great to be able to take it with them. Our athletic director said the same and also mention that there are others that are grateful as well.
With football, cheer, volleyball, band and cross country in full swing it is a blessing to have this second AED for these and other activities as well. Having more than one AED to travel with our kids is a shoe in. I have a of trip planned for my science courses in a week and half and know that bringing the AED along is one thing I am making sure that I do.
I (WE) cannot thank you donors enough for the generosity and caring for our students and staff at our school. As I have mentioned on our first AED award I personally having lost a close brother of 52 years and 2 young cousins ages 15 and 18 due to heart failure it bring tears of joy as I even type this letter.
Thank you, Thank you and Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Daugaard
This classroom project was brought to life by Aspect Ventures and 10 other donors.It's a Swing and a Hit of a Lifetime!
Funded Aug 11, 2017It is so great to have received the golf balls. Watching the eyes light up as the golf balls were open with the coaches and students. Putting a golf ball of this quality in the hands of a student at the golf tournament was a priceless experience for several of our golfers. Not only did their faces show it but their body language seemed to match as well. The observations that followed seemed to indicate that they had more confidence as they played. With the many young golfers we have on the team it is great to see them pumped up their egos and watch them play. The coaches were so impressed by your generosity.
When I first received the golf balls I took them to the head coach to show him and boy was he happy. His eyes lit up as bright as some of our students. Helping our youth like this is just his style. We all love to help those who may not have all the advantages as everyone else. We think the generosity of you donors is second to none. You are the best and we really appreciate everything you do for our students.
I (WE) cannot thank you donors enough for the generosity and caring for our students. You are great confidence builders for our youth and our school. We will forever be indebted to your kind actions.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Daugaard
This classroom project was brought to life by DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation - Sports Matter and 2 other donors.AED on the Road to Survival!
Funded Dec 21, 2016It is so great to have received the AED and watch it go out the door with a group of basketball players traveling about 2 hours away the very next day. Our school nurse jumped right in with support and got a case for it so it can be easy to grab and go. The coaches were so impressed by your generosity. The AED that we received is very easy to use. It has a screen to play a short video on how to use it on a person that needs assistance with a heart condition. By having this built in player even the most hesitant person can operate the AED with some confidence. This confidence will help speed up the process for getting help to the person who needs it.
When I first received the AED I took it to the school nurse and coaches to show them we now have a traveling AED. All of them were happy and felt that it was great to be able to take it with them. Our athletic director said the same and also mention that there are others that are willing to donate to a second one. One of the other groups is our booster club.
Recently we had a group of students go to the state one act competition 3 hours away with 40 students. Bring the AED with this many kids is a shoe in. I have a couple of trips planned for my science courses and know that bringing the AED along I am making sure that I do.
I (WE) cannot thank you donors enough for the generosity and caring for our students and staff at our school. I personally having lost a close brother of 52 years and 2 young cousins ages 15 and 18 due to heart failure it bring tears of joy as I even type this letter.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Daugaard
All Dressed Up and Ready to Go!
Funded Nov 27, 2014Wow, my students look awesome all dressed up in lab coats. It really made me feel invigorated seeing my students putting them on for the first time. Part of me being invigorated was coming from their energy of them being invigorated. They are really grateful to have them. Watching their faces light up and listening to them talk was a treat in itself. I'd swear it was the first time many have put on lab gloves.
My students will be wearing them for all the labs we do except for those that have flames when we burn something in order to keep them clean. Wearing the lab coats will also help with another safety issue of baggy clothes and coats. The baggy clothes will get controlled by being enclosed under the lab coats and the student's winter coats will need to be removed in order to wear the lab coats.
By wearing the lab coats and having the students wear them makes the whole environment feel more professional. Oh, and all that white just adds to the brightened room. It even makes me feel more professional. I really feel there is truth in the saying, "You Dress the Part, You Play the Part." I don't think I can express enough thanks for what you have done for us in honor of Wes.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Daugaard
What a Blast!!
Funded Oct 22, 2014The students were very excited to see the new vertical electrophoresis equipment and get their hands on it. Now days we see how excited kids get when they get new video games, ipods and phones. That was the kind of excitement I saw when the students first saw the new electrophoresis tanks and gels. You know how the rest of the story goes, I want to be first or let me go. That was awesome, a couple of my students have loaded some gels in the past but this was a first for most of them. What makes it even more exciting is that we are able to do this in a high school setting with our own equipment were it is pretty rare. I feel this is an important step in getting students interested in research in and out of the health fields.
In the lab we did a unit on separating mixtures and the properties of mixtures. We studied boiling and freezing points of solutions based on concentrations and how to make them. We did chromatography, electrified chromatography, horizontal electrophoresis and then vertical electrophoresis using the equipment and chemicals received.
The equipment I received through this project has given me a chance to share some of the things I learned over the last summer in a research lab in the health care field. When I covered this material my students saw that I teach from my experience. This lets them know the labs done gave them real world experiences. I feel good using and teaching with the new equipment to give an experience to my students other schools can't in the high school setting. I love the idea of giving my students a leg up in life. Thank you so very, very much in your support.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Daugaard