Impact to My Classroom

# of Students Impacted: 1600

The grant we received has literally impacted our whole school.   We went from only having 1 classroom set of data collecting devices, which we had to share amongst all teachers, to 2 permanent sets of data collecting devices, one in each wing of our shared science wing and a set of 8 mobile data collectors that allow students to collect and manipulate data on their cell phones, by just downloading a simple app on their phone. 

The data collecting devices we had before were cumbersome, hard to use, and outdated.   Albeit, we still use them, we also have the new set of much more user friendly data collecting devices that allow our students to do so much more with their data.  I have seen a switch in the student attitude towards labs.  Rather than being frustrated with the outcome of data on the old collectors, they are now enthusiastic about using and collecting data.

We didn’t get there this year, but next year I plan on taking the data collecting devices and having students use the graphs, charts and tables they create from experimental data and including this in typed lab reports.  Official, typed lab reports are something I have been working hard to bring back to our science program, and I can see that this agenda of mine will be aided greatly by the addition from the generous grant from Champions for Learning and Wings.