Bad Astronomy Science-a-thon 2010

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When receiving your generous donation to fund our classroom project for a rocket launcher, the kids were ecstatic. We got our launcher in the mail quickly and started building our rockets made out of a 2-liter soda bottles. During the assembly of the rockets, the kids learned all the parts of the space shuttle and why each one is critical in order to launch a rocket successfully.

On our launch day, I took both of my science classes outside to the basketball court. We attached each rocket to the launcher and air pump and started adding air pressure. Once we had 40 pounds of air pressure in each rocket, a student representative would pull the cord to release the pressure. These amazing rockets went at least 100 feet into the air! The kids were amazed at each of their rockets.

By funding our class project, the students learned rocketry using a hands on experience they will never forget.

Thank you so much for helping our classroom and giving my students an awesome opportunity to learn outside the classroom!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Gilmore

Once again, I would like to thank you for your generosity! Your donation has made it possible for my students to develop the skills of a scientist within the context of an honest-to-goodness scientific journal. They have used their journals throughout this school year to organize their thinking, develop their ideas, compose hypotheses, and lay out their procedures and necessary materials prior to experimentation. During their experiments, my students were able to write down all of their observations and record their data, as well as sketch out graphs to help explain their results. Upon the conclusion of their experiments, they were able to use their notes and data to write clear, concise science reports.

Most importantly, your contribution has provided my students with a space in which they could truly explore scientific learning, rather than focusing on their display boards. (An added bonus, of course, is that their final displays are more focused on their work, rather than on merely looking pretty.) I hope that this experience has inspired my students and opened them up to possible careers in science. Thank you for supporting their hands-on learning and scientific inquiry!”

With gratitude,

Mr. Connaghan

Thank you so much for caring about my students and their learning! Your gift to our class is so generous, words can not express our gratitude to you. My students were so excited when the box of Interactive White Board Science CDs and File Folder Games were delivered to our room, I think all 927 students in our building heard their cheers.

The impact that your donation has had on my students is a very positive one. They have LOVED learning about the Solar System by using the Interactive CDs and file folder games. We have been able to do scavenger hunts, complete activities, and take interactive quizzes. It has been a very welcomed change in how they learn Science. We are almost finished with the Solar System and the children have already started to ask when we can begin the Skeletal System. It is so nice to have children be excited about learning!

Again, thank you so much. We appreciate you and your thinking of us as we learn. ”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Morley

Thank you so much for this amazing donation! My students are thrilled by all the new science materials we have received for our classroom. They love using the Can Do! science kits, because it allows them the opportunity to practice and investigate on their own. I have noticed that my students are more inquisitive now and are asking more questions as a result of these new materials.

Additionally, my students love using the new safety goggles when we do investigations. It helps them feel more like real scientists and I can see that they are taking their work much more seriously now. They love that we have enough materials for all of them to be able to use, and now they are all able to investigate at the same time.

Your donation has made a huge difference during our science time each day. I am able to perform many more experiments and investigations with my students because I have the materials that we need. Thank you so much for your support!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Noriega

Thank you so much for the donations!  The colorful paper has really helped my classroom.  I have found so many uses for it to keep my students organized, and to save paper.  All year, I have been printing a progress report for my students every week.  The kids would lose it, or they wouldn't be able to tell which week the report was from.  Now I print on a new color every week and I let parents know what color they should look for; many more students are bringing their reports home each week!

I'm also using the bright paper as cover pages for big packets that students need.  It really helps the students keep track of the packet, and I don't have to make more copies.  I can say "take out the orange packet" or "you will need to return the pink packet" and immediately kids can figure out what I mean.  It's been such a time saver, as well as a paper saver!

Another way that I've been using the paper is for tickets and certificates for recognizing my students.  It's fun to be able to give them a neon colored sheet that lets them know that they are doing well, and lets the other kids know that they are being rewarded as well.  This paper has made a big difference in allowing me to do this.

Thank you for your generosity”

With gratitude,

Ms. Kobilka

Just wanted to take a minute to say thank you again for supporting "Science Sleuths". I can not express how much I love seeing the students excited about science! As you know, school budgets are really tight these days and I would never have been able to get these supplies without your support. The magnifying glasses have been the biggest hit! Aside from using them for our focused Science Sleuth lessons, the students are always asking to use them to inspect various things they find on the playground (gross) and are currently fascinated by the stink bugs that seem to have invaded our area. Not only are my students currently benefiting from your generosity, but these supplies will be used by many for years to come.

Your support allows me to continue to instill that creative love in learning in my students and for that I am so grateful!”

With gratitude,

Ms. Schudmak

With great appreciation I write this thank you note. Because of your donations, I have books about weather that the students can read independently or I can read to them. They can also take Accelerated Reader tests to confirm their learning. These books add depth of knowledge to the text books and to the explanations supplied by me. The books allow students to understand more clearly the crafts we completed, too. My students are building background knowledge about weather by reading these books.

Because of your generosity, my students had the supplies they needed to create bracelets about the water cycle. Each bead represents a different stage of the cycle. The yellow bead signifies the sun's heat which causes evaporation. The clear bead represents evaporation. The white bead signifies condensation when clouds are formed. The blue bead represents precipitation, and the black bead represents run-off. This bracelet gave the students a hands-on way to remember the water cycle.

We also made cloud booklets. Students were given cotton balls, construction paper, and glue. They stretched the cotton to form cumulous, cirrus, and stratus clouds. They used scissors to make a flip book so they could write the name of each cloud under the flap.

Finally, I am so grateful for the weather equipment your donations funded. Students now can observe the anemometer at work. Students can actually practice the skills meteorologists employ when observing the wind vane. My students can actually read measurements on the rain gauge.

I am so excited about the donated funds that allowed for the purchase of the weather supplies that this class can use and future classes can too. Your generosity is much appreciated.”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Peace