Proflike Substance's Science Blog Page

Edit title

Thank you for your investment in my students' education. I am deeply sorry for the delay, but due to testing we were redirected in our sequence of projects and experiments. However, we were recently able to do our experiment in which I related it to the work archaeologist do when they identify animals that are unearthed. This helped my students understand that scientist work hard to bring important information about diverse species on earth. Appreciation of this work was written in a final essay. We then had a session where we talked about the bone classification charts of the different animals that were discovered in the owl pellets. It was exciting to see the students put the skeletons together to discover what they had unearthed. As the experiment continued, the students were able to see why it was important to be careful with the specimen so that nothing is broken. It was difficult for some, but with this challenge came a new insight to effects of science on our daily life. I push for my students to develop a love for Science so that we can have those future scientists to help us create a better environment for the future.

Thanks again for providing the opportunity to give my students a glance into how important and fun science can be. I don't know how teachers would be able to afford all of these extra enriching materials if it wasn't for Donorschoose.

”

With gratitude,

Ms. Brown

I want to thank you again for the donations for our Go Green Team. My students are thoroughly enjoying this experience and it is all because of your generosity. Students have given their Friday afternoons and lunch hours to collect approximately 1500 pounds of paper from classrooms, thus far. This would not have been easy without the cart your donations provided. The paper has been sorted and used to make small note pads and flashcards. Our composting bin is started and we will soon be asking students for their lunch scraps. We are also using our gloves as we collect one-use plastic shopping bags, tin foil, drinking pouches and water bottles. We hope to make a mural with nonrecyclable bottle caps. A once unused green recycle bin (in our waste disposal area) has now been put into use and filled each week. Teachers and fellow students have commented on the work ethic these kids have shown. I really believe it has impacted each of these kids in a very positive way. They have a place to be on Friday afternoon, where they can feel connected to a positive cause and they can make a difference. "Even an inkling.." as Dr. Seuss would say. Their next message to their peers will be to communicate the idea of "closing the loop". They plan to put on a skit to communicate the message of reducing waste at the checkout counter. Some of my most introverted kids are volunteering to perform. First through fifth graders are asking to help and the Go Green Team has been asked to stand for applause at our Friday assemblies. How could this not help bolster the esteem of my students. Your donations have provided a very positive force for my students. It has validated their efforts and has enriched their lives and mine alike. Thank you for these priceless gifts.”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Westbrook

I cannot fully express how much your generosity has impacted my classroom. The microscopes that you purchased for my students have helped them understand science in a whole new light. We have already completed two different dissection projects; dear hearts and cow eyes, both of which have helped my students learn about the biology of different organisms with real, up-close experiences.

Last summer our school was hit by a devastating tornado, and it has been difficult to rebound, both emotionally and financially. Your generosity has helped bring the focus back to academics and away from the difficult recovery of the school. Your donations and kind words show my students that even though they live in a neighborhood that is often ignored, that there are still people who value their education.

Thanks to you, the budding scientists in my classroom may be the next Nobel prize winners! ”

With gratitude,

Ms. Wydeven

Our class is truly thankful for your donations. Dissecting owl pellets is something we will all remember for the rest of our lives.

There was much excitement the day before we began our dissection. As we read the book Owl Moon, by Jane Yolen with the lights down low, we talked about how special and unique owls are. We discussed their many adaptations and of course their inability to digest the bones of their prey. We made our predictions as to what we might find in the pellets and we thought about an owl's daily life as a top consumer.

On the first day of the dissection with our bone identification charts in hand we set to work. Shouts of amazement and wonder echoed throughout the classroom. It took two days for us to fully complete the dissection and then another two for making posters. Our posters displayed our favorite findings from the pellets such as vole skulls and shrew jawbones. There was so much to learn and see which prompted so many wonderful questions, which is the heart of a great science activity. I know my students felt like real scientists during this project.

As I have said before it was an unforgettable experience thanks to your donations. Thank you! ”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Woodrow

Thank you SO

incredibly much for your donation to my classroom! Just before the Christmas

break, my students spend two days dissecting the grass frogs. Thanks to a

revised testing schedule, I had two hours with each of my classes and really

got to go in-depth with them - finding the major organs, looking inside the

mouth and the stomach - it truly was SUCH a memorable day! Each class was

pierced with screams of excitement when my students were able to see their

frog's last meal, or when frog eggs were found in some of the females. Their

excitement was so palpable that the entire school was buzzing with news of the

frog dissection and several teachers, our administration and the superintendent

all came to watch my students dissecting.

Thanks to your generosity, each of

my students was able to have their own frog and their own dissection kit to

work with, giving them the chance to experience hands-on science in a way that

rarely happens in a school hurting for resources. Thank

you, thank you, thank you for your generosity that allowed my students a day in

school that they will definitely not soon forget. And thank you also for

allowing me to provide an activity for them that they otherwise would have had

to go without. I cannot express how appreciative I am!”

With gratitude,

Ms. Mac

As predicted the sensory table was an immediate favorite in our classroom. During free choice time it is almost always the first area to fill up and students are constantly asking their friends to switch with them so that they can have a turn. So far we have used it to explore soil, spray bottles, leaves, dried beans, and sand. The children have engaged in dramatic play using farm animals and used shovels and funnels to investigate the properties of sand. The soil related to our studies on planting and growing. Using spray bottles helps students develop the small muscles in their hands which are used for writing and drawing. The leaves related to our study of trees and seasonal change. During one of our weekly field trips we collected leaves and filled the sensory table. After exploring the leaves for a while we used them to talk about the five senses and made five senses collages. The tiny broken pieces of leaves that were left went back into the sensory table along with dried beans, toy farm animals, and small containers. Rich dramatic play around feeding the animals arose, as did lots of conversation on how to share the small amount of leaves that were left.

While playing at the table we can see the students learning crucial social skills such as how to share materials, ask for what they need, and share physical space. There is lots of negotiating that occurs as well as much laughter and imaginative play. For many students this has become their favorite place in the classroom and they choose to go to the sensory table every day during choice time. There is constant negotiation around taking turns to play at the sensory table and sharing the materials as well as working together to clean up what spills on the floor. Lessons on how to use a broom and dust pan arose naturally as our rule "Be Clean" is constantly being challenged at the sensory table. Students are gradually learning how to use the materials in a way that minimizes spills, however the broom must still be kept close at hand.

I cannot express enough my gratitude for your support in this project. The arrival of our sensory table has truly changed our classroom. It has added a place where our extremely tactile learners can feel calm, provided a space where students can get their hands dirty, and contributes to the students' social, physical, and cognitive development. Since our school is still very young, all of our budget must go to basic supplies such as books, pencils, tables and chairs. Without your help we would not have this crucial space in which the children learn with their hands and their senses. ”

With gratitude,

Ms. Mirana

You have waited quite some time for our thank you letter. It's not because we are lazy or not thankful. It is because our cells unit isn't until later in the year so we haven't gotten to use the microscope camera yet.

We feel so blessed and special that strangers dug into their pockets to provide something for us to use. We often go overlooked because city kids get a poor reputation. However, we are just as curious as the next kid to experience and see all that life has to offer.

As soon as our cell unit starts we will have pictures to show you.”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Saurman