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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Johnson from Meriden, CT is requesting other through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Johnson is requesting

Yes, In My Backyard!

My students need books, binoculars, gardening tools and bird identification charts so that they can become familiar with the ecology and environment of their school yard.

  • $1,208 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

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

Help Ms. Johnson

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

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

Celebrate 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.

My Students

I teach fifth grade. My students are curious and excited about learning. They are typically engaged in daily assignments that require critical thinking and student discourse. They also enjoy long term projects that require research with a visual and oral presentation of their work.

"Let nature be your teacher." - William Wordsworth My students enjoy nature walks on the school grounds, making observations and talking about what they encounter.

Many of them are "city kids" who don't spend a lot of time with nature. Although our school is about 66.8 percent free and reduced lunch, it is located in the suburbs and has a beautiful campus, just right for a garden, bird watching and studying nature. We also want to hatch chickens as part of our study of gardening and agriculture.

My Project

Our class is planning a garden for our school. The garden will have vegetables, herbs and flowers. They will learn everything they need to know about planting a garden and taking care of it through all four seasons. They will use the books and garden tools I have requested for that purpose. Students will harvest food from the garden and use it to make healthy recipes or wash it and eat it fresh. We will use the incubator to hatch chicken eggs. We will journal observations of that process. We are also citizen bird watchers. We will use the binoculars and the bird identification charts so that we can learn to identify them. We'll learn about their migration patterns. We will try to attract wildlife to observe also. Students will learn to keep records of observation data in a journal. They will be reporting information regarding bird watching to Cornell University's citizen bird watchers program.

All students everywhere need to be better connected to nature.

In the age of technology, so many children are glued to their devices, television and video games and forget about the great outdoors. There is so much to learn from planting a garden and watching it grow. There is so much to learn from being in nature and observing native wildlife in its habitat. As William Wordsworth said, "Let nature be your teacher."

Ms. Johnson Nathan Hale Elementary School Grades 3-5

Celebrate Black teachers and kids! This project supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of students are Black.

Equity Focus

At this school, more than 50% of students are Black, Latino, and/or Native American, and more than 50% come from low-income households. Learn how your donation to this school supports a more equitable education.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More about Ms. Johnson

Meriden, CT 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

400 students impacted 8donors

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

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Transplanting Garden Trowel,SS • Grainger $12.63 4 $50.52
Nasco’s Classroom Incubator Kit • Nasco $181.75 1 $181.75
Sunlighter Plant Display Stand • Nasco $153.50 1 $153.50
BINOCULARS PROFESSIONAL • Frey Scientific $44.96 3 $134.88
POSTER BACKYARD BIRDS OF N AMER LAM 24X36'' • Frey Scientific $10.28 6 $61.68
Round Point Shovel,30 In. Handle,14 ga. • Grainger $30.23 2 $60.46
No Student Left Indoors • AKJ Books $44.96 1 $44.96
Long-Handled Garden Trowel • Nasco $32.25 1 $32.25
Aluminum Cultivator Fork,4-1/2 In • Grainger $29.83 1 $29.83
Schoolyard-enhanced Learning • AKJ Books $19.00 1 $19.00
Helping Habitats • AKJ Books $17.67 1 $17.67
Nature''s Secret Habitats Science Projects • AKJ Books $17.47 1 $17.47
The World We Live In Series - How We Impact the Environment • Nasco $14.95 1 $14.95
Building Projects for Backyard Farmers and Home Gardeners • Nasco $14.95 1 $14.95
Backyard Biology • AKJ Books $14.36 1 $14.36
Soil Test Kit • Nasco $13.75 1 $13.75
Last Child In The Woodsrev. • AKJ Books $13.46 1 $13.46
Tracks of Common Birds Poster • Nasco $9.95 1 $9.95
Kids'' Easy-to-Create Wildlife Habitats • AKJ Books $9.45 1 $9.45
Nature''s Patchwork Quilt : Understanding Habitats • AKJ Books $8.06 1 $8.06

Materials cost

$902.90

Vendor shipping charges

 $79.78

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$13.54

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$1,026.22

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$181.10

Total project goal

$1,207.32

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $1,207.32

6 Donors

-$1,066.12

Donations toward project cost

-$1,026.22

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$39.90

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$141.20

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

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

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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 Ms. Johnson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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