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This week, we’re helping a California fifth grade do a balloon car project, and an Ohio high school science class do a variety of cool labs. We hope that readers who support quality public school education will help by sharing or supporting our featured projects.
The Inoculation Project is an ongoing, volunteer effort to crowdfund science, math, and literacy projects for public schools in low-income neighborhoods. As always, our conduit is DonorsChoose, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation that facilitates tax-deductible donations to specific, vetted projects in public schools.
We have two new projects this week!
Mrs. Worth teaches fifth grade in Sacramento. She’s hoping to get her students excited with a hands-on balloon car project.
Resources: Help me give my students balloon Stem car kits to explore how science works.
Economic need: A Historically Underfunded School; more than half of students from low‑income households.
Location: Herman Leimbach Elementary School, Sacramento, California
Total: $178.72
Still Needed: $178.72 $55.78
Project description by Mrs. Worth: My students are fascinated with science. They enjoy building projects by hand and testing them out. Their excitement is contagious and they really look forward to working on science projects. Building balloon Stem cars helps my students get out of their seats, work outside of their comfort zone and learn how science works behind a simple project!
When building Stem car kits, my students engage in a learning process.
They have to first go through the process of researching scientific properties and note taking before building the balloon car. After they have background knowledge, they are on their way to building their projects!
We have a lot of practice runs with the balloon cars by way of trial and error. This process teaches my students problem solving skills and encourages them to think at a higher level of learning. During these projects, my students cooperate with one another and learn how to effectively communicate while working in a small group. These experiences are unique and helps them prepare for our fth grade statewide science test.
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
_{The Science Max channel is dedicated to doing popular science projects, only BIG.}
We often take up an ambitious project with the idea in mind that outside donors will help when we create activity for the project, which in turn helps it be shown to more people. I think this one will work in the same way.
Ms. Morgan, a never-before-funded teacher, teaches in an urban public high school in Youngstown. She’s prepared an excellent list of science materials that she thinks will make her students want to learn more.
Resources: Help me give my students microscopes, slides, and testing materials, which will help them explore concepts, see invisible processes, collect data, and build critical thinking, analysis, problem-solving, scientific reasoning, and curiosity through hands-on lab experiences.
Economic need: A Historically Underfunded School; more than three-quarters of students from low‑income households.
Location: Academy for Urban Scholars, Youngstown, Ohio
Total: $692.28
Still Needed: $437.87 $293.16
Project description by Ms. Morgan: I love that my students are naturally curious, resilient, and eager to engage when learning feels real and meaningful. Many of them thrive in hands-on environments where they can explore, ask questions, and make connections to the world around them. They are especially motivated when they can see how science relates to real careers and their own futures.
The microscopes will allow students to observe details they would otherwise never see, turning abstract concepts into real, visible experiences.
Prepared slides will support visual learning by helping students clearly identify structures and processes, strengthening their understanding of biology. Hands-on testing and observation materials will allow students to collect and analyze real data, build critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and practice scientific reasoning.
Together, these resources will transform learning into an inquiry-based experience where students actively investigate, draw conclusions, and communicate their findings. They will not only deepen their understanding of science but also spark curiosity about careers in healthcare, technology, and other STEM fields—helping them see themselves as capable, confident future professionals.
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
_{A visit to a Virginia Tech water quality lab, to see how they conduct water tests. This fun-sounding lab kit is part of this project’s request.}
Both of our projects from last week were completed! Many thanks as always to our readers for the help you’re bringing to our public schools!
Project #1, Tiny Learners, Strong Foundations: Ms. Medina is a pre-K teacher at a South Bronx public school, and had never before been funded via DonorsChoose. She needed a variety of materials for her students, from Lego to math toys to books to a butterfly hatching kit.
She writes: Thank you so much for your generous donation and for believing in my classroom. Your kindness and support help provide my Pre-K students with the tools and experiences they need to learn, grow, and thrive.
Because of your generosity, my students will have access to resources that make learning more engaging and meaningful. Thank you for investing in their future and for making a difference in our classroom. Your support means more than words can express!
Project #2, From Classroom to Clinic: Hands-On Healthcare Training: Dr. Williams teaches in a specialized medical-arts high school in urban New Jersey. His 9th-graders are just getting started, and needed hands-on experience with the most basic healthcare equipment.
He writes: We are humbled by the generous gift from Donors Choose as well as those who also see the benefits of granting students choosing to pursue a future in healthcare, an opportunity to have real hands-on experience with life saving measures employed by trained healthcare professionals. It is our hope that this will further cement the choices of our students to continue to demonstrate the drive and determination required to achieve their goals.
DonorsChoose has developed the designation Historically Underfunded Schools to describe some schools that submit projects. They meet ANY of these criteria:
❧ At least 50% of students are Black, Latino, Native American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or multiracial
❧ At least 50% of students qualify for free or reduced price lunch
❧ At least 75% of students are students of color (Black, Latino, Asian, Native American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or multiracial) and the same race
❧ Rural schools where more than one third (34+%) of the students are eligible for free and reduced priced lunch
You can read more at the link about their efforts to address the longstanding inequity in education.
Founded in 2009, The Inoculation Project seeks to fund science, math, and literacy projects in public school classrooms and libraries. Our conduit is DonorsChoose, a crowdfunding charity founded in 2000 and highly rated by both Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau.
Every Sunday, we focus on helping to fund projects in neighborhood public schools where the overwhelming majority of students come from low-income households. We welcome everyone who supports public school education — no money is required!
Finally, here’s our list of successfully funded projects — our series total is 1238! The success-list diary also contains links and additional information about DonorsChoose.
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