You're on track to get doubled donations (and unlock a reward for the colleague who referred you). Keep up the great work!
Take credit for your charitable giving! Check out your tax receipts
Donate
To use your $50 gift card credits, find a project to fund and we'll automatically apply your credits at checkout. Find a classroom project
Skip to main content

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Phillips from Memphis, TN is requesting other through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Phillips is requesting

The Universe is a Big Place

My students need 4 binoculars and a pointer to view the night sky.

  • $583 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Ms. Phillips for her next project!

Help Ms. Phillips

My Students

How important is it to experience looking into the sky? Everyone needs to see how small and insignificant we are in the big picture. This realization creates perspective within our daily lives. It helps us to understand that what we have is only temporary so we must make the best of every moment.

I have 76 students from a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds.

They attend an urban high school in the state of Tennessee. The students in my classes are generally 11th and 12th graders who take Astronomy as an elective. Living in a city does not lend a hand toward viewing the sky, yet they are there because they want to learn and experience the heavens. My students are very observant, curious, enjoy hands-on activities and are full of questions.

My Project

Binoculars and a pointer are essential to experiencing the sky. We have no equipment to use for Astronomy and no science budget to support it. We will be having "star parties" as the weather permits and would enjoy what we can see beyond looking with our eyes. There are many opportunities where using binoculars would help us to see satellites, the space station, and planets as the year progresses. Students will learn how to read the sky looking at constellations and observing the major stars within them. They will use their observations as a research opportunity to learn the distance, magnitudes and type of stars they see. I believe this opportunity will help to change their perspective of what is important and what is trivial within the course of their life. The experience of seeing what lies outside this small box we live in will inspire a stronger sense of curiosity and desire to search for a greater understanding of the why, who, what when and where of the universe we live in.

The request for binoculars and a laser for viewing the sky is a request that will expand the understanding of where we live and a sense of awe for what lies beyond.

This information will help students to understand why they have to take care of our planet and how lucky they are to have the opportunity to live here. My hope is to inspire my students to make better choices in their own lives and learn to look for answers beyond the obvious.

Ms. Phillips White Station High School Grades 9-12

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More about Ms. Phillips

Memphis, TN View local requests

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

76 students impacted 24donors

Boost your odds

Add a profile photo in addition to your classroom photo. If you add a photo, it'll show up right here on your project page.

You are more likely to receive funding if you put a face to your name.

Upload a photo

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

You donate directly to the teacher or project you care about and see where every dollar you give goes.

Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. Phillips is requesting.

See our finances

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Deluxe Green Laser Pointer • Sargent-Welch $99.00 1 $99.00
Bushnell Powerview 20X50 Binocs • Sargent-Welch $88.65 4 $354.60

Materials cost

$453.60

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$6.80

Fulfillment labor & materials

$35.00

Total project cost

$495.40

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$87.42

Total project goal

$582.82

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $582.82

18 Donors

-$575.76

Donations toward project cost

-$495.40

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$80.36

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$7.06

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

View complete list Show less

Give the most requested basic supplies

See teacher requests

Give back to your community

Find opportunities to impact local needs by exploring a map of classroom projects near you.

See local area

Project Activity

Project Activity
Back to top

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

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 Ms. Phillips and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

See how DonorsChoose works
{"pmaHash":"","showProjectRecommendations":true,"leadGenEnabled":true,"hideTeacherDetails":false,"schoolState":"TN","teacherPossessivePronoun":"her","PMsManager":null,"schoolGradeType":{"id":4,"name":"High School"},"TeacherPMForms":{},"completingDonationAmount":0,"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"proposalURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/project/the-universe-is-a-big-place/618513/","mayHaveReplacements":false,"numStudents":76,"teacherScreenName":"Ms. Phillips","isEquityFocus":true,"proposalHash":"-349099007","isApplePayMobileOnly":true,"progressBarPercentage":100.00,"photosPublished":true,"queryString":"","DonorPMForm":null,"schoolCity":"Memphis","teachersOnPage":[974911],"isTeacherViewingTheirOwnProject":false,"minimizedLeadGenEnabled":false,"proposalId":618513,"proposalMessageFormModel":null,"numActiveProjects":0,"verifyShowPhotos":"","eligibleToBeCopied":false,"authorIds":{"974911":{"owner":"Ms. Phillips","donationSalutations":{}}},"displayedPercentFunded":1.0,"proposalsOnPage":[618513],"pmaId":"","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/136/teacher-placeholder-1_136.png","teacherHasProfilePhoto":false,"currentWorkflowStatusCode":21,"teacherChallengeId":194550,"isApplePayEnabled":true,"fundedByTarget":false,"activeProject":null,"donorIdsForImpactPhotoCheck":["MjU2Njg1","OTQ0NjI3","MjYyNDQw","MTEzMDg3Mg==","MTEyMjA3NQ==","NDQ0MjA=","MTEyMzM0Nw==","MTExNjI2NA==","Njc4MDMz","MTExNTEyMQ==","NzkwOTA3","MTEzMTA2Ng==","MTEyNTgzOQ==","NjUwOTAw","MTEzMzQ0Ng==","MTEzNDI1Mg==","MTExNTI2NQ==","MTEzNDExNg=="],"teacherId":974911,"schoolCounty":"Shelby","fullyFunded":true,"isStudentLed":false,"isExpired":true,"schoolStateObj":{"code":"TN","name":"Tennessee"}}