We need tanks, grow lights, and air/ water pumps to compare food growing capabilities of two different types of aquaponic systems.
$989 goal
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
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Noslen and Fernando came to me with their idea for this project last school year. They have a clear passion for research, and they are leading this project. They are both academically advanced students who have previously excelled in AP Biology, and therefore have a strong background in the science. Fernando had also previously taken AP Environmental Science and studied concepts in sustainability, leading him to develop an interest in the practice of aquaponics.
At the close of school last year, they collaborated to design a way to test their ideas about aquaponics. Noslen’s family owns a fish farm so he is lending his expertise in raising fish, while Fernando’s family owns a small farm and he brings in his expertise of growing plants and environmental science. Together, they will show other students what true collaboration and synergistic learning in research and engineering is all about.
Both young men will be developing advanced teamwork skills by using their individual strengths to accomplish this large undertaking. They will also both further develop their skills in public speaking, as I will have them presenting their work to the current class of AP Environmental Science. As scientists, they will be able to continue doing research and giving informative and interesting presentations.
In Their Own Words
Our goal in this project is to teach the students of Jennifer Barreto's Advanced Placement Environmental Science (APES) class about how to sustainably grow a meat source (white nile tilapia) and a vegetable source simultaneously. We will be testing two different systems, thin film lining and flood and drain aquaponics, in order to see if the circulation of the water affects the quality of the plant growth.
We will be demonstrating a real world example to the students of Jennifer Barreto's APES class in the field of environmental science. This demonstration will show the application of modern soil-less agricultural techniques and to be able to thoroughly investigate the three groups of organisms that make up the system (plants, bacteria, fish). In addition to this, economical aspects are able to be investigated while determining the best investment for mass production or home use of these systems.
A major problem present in my school is wastefulness and unsustainable practices every day, such as the use of styrofoam trays or the disposal of materials that are still usable. The purpose of this experiment is to teach students sustainability and demonstrate how they can practice food production at home. In addition to this, it will inspire students to search for methods that are more practical in efforts to be frugal.
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Barreto and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
