This week, we’re helping an Arkansas high school chemistry class do some labs on soapmaking, and a St. Louis kindergarten get some tools to help them learn elementary math concepts. 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!
Ms. King wants her Arkansas high school students to get some hands-on chemistry experience by making soaps and similar things in the lab.
PROJECT #1
Resources: Help me give my students real hands-on experience of creating personalized usable organic products in the chemistry lab such as soaps, lip glosses and candles. These products will show real world application of chemistry concepts studied in class.
Economic need: An Equity Focus School; nearly all students from low‑income households.
Location: Watson Chapel High School, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Total: $180.74
Still Needed: $180.74 $145.74
Project description by Ms. King: Please donate to provide chemistry kits to develop real hands-on experiences creating personalized, usable organic products like soaps, lip glosses, and candles in our chemistry lab . These experiences enrich students' understanding of chemistry by directly linking theoretical concepts to their practical applications.
These soap, aromatherapy candles and lip gloss kits will transform abstract chemical principles, such as saponification and the properties of oils and waxes, into engaging, tangible experiences.
Through making these products, students witness firsthand how chemistry permeates everyday life, from the goods we use to the environmental considerations behind their production.
This deepens their grasp of the subject matter and demystifies complex concepts, making them more accessible and exciting. I hope it inspires students to pursue future STEM careers. The hands-on approach fosters engagement and creativity, encouraging students to experiment with different ingredients and formulations. This creative exploration makes learning more enjoyable and cultivates critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as students work to improve their creations. Thank you again for your consideration.
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
Here’s a short video on material Ms. King’s students will soon know: how does soap work?
Ms. Holliday hopes to get a set of “learning centers”, to help her St. Louis kindergarten students with early math concepts.
PROJECT #2
Resources: Help me give my students Lakeshore Early Math Instant Learning Centers - Complete Set.
Economic need: An Equity Focus School; nearly all students from low‑income households.
Location: Primitivo Garcia Elementary School, Kansas City, Missouri
Total: $409.92
Still Needed: $384.92 $249.92
Project description by Ms. Holliday: The Lakeshore Early Math Instant Learning Centers offer engaging, hands-on activities that make math concepts come alive for our students. Through interactive play, they can develop a deeper understanding of mathematical principles.
The set includes a variety of learning centers that cater to different math skills and levels.
This individualized approach ensures that each student can progress at their own pace, building a strong foundation in math.
The learning centers promote collaboration among students. Working together on these activities fosters teamwork and communication skills, creating a positive and supportive classroom environment.
The challenges presented by the learning centers encourage critical thinking and problem-solving. Our students will develop not just math proficiency but also the ability to approach challenges with confidence and creativity.
By providing Lakeshore Early Math Instant Learning Centers, you are contributing to the long-term academic success of our students. The skills they acquire through these resources will lay the groundwork for future learning and achievement.
Donations of ANY size can make a BIG difference!
This video treats the topic of one of the learning centers in Ms. Holliday’s request: “patterning”, or learning to recognize patterns. (You can see the whole set here — links to the individual centers at the bottom of the page.)
Both our projects from last week were completed! Many thanks to all our readers, and a particular shout-out to the teacher from project #1, which was completed last Sunday. She plainly stopped in here to see where we were all coming from, read the diary, and then went and donated to our project #2!
Project #1, Muscle Movement - ATP Lab: Ms. Madison Groves hoped to have her Arkansas high school students do a hands-on lab about how ATP causes muscles to contract.
She writes: Thank you so much for helping to fund this project! Your donation will allow my students to have a more memorable and lasting experience in my Anatomy class. This lab kit will allow them to explore the functions of muscles and energy in the body in a more hands-on way. Thank you again for your donation.
Project #2, Books Abounding: Mr. Autry needed more books for his Arkansas middle-school students, to help them read enough to develop needed skills.
As I write, Mr. Autry has not seen the good news yet (it happened late in the week), but we will bring you his note next time.
DonorsChoose has developed the designation Equity Focus Schools to describe some schools that submit projects. They meet two criteria: at least 50% of students are Black, Latinx, Native American, Pacific Islander, or multiracial, and at least 50% of students qualify for free or reduced price lunch, the standard measure for school economic need. 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 1099! The success-list diary also contains links and additional information about DonorsChoose.