Impact to My Classroom

# of Students Impacted: 1000

This grant allowed my science team access to real world stories of applications of the science the students are learning now.  Teachers used both the hard copies of the magazine and the online resources to support their instruction of the science standards.

In 6th grade they read about how much plastic gets into our waters and bodies.  This helped them to connect with human impact on the environment and how they can help make our earth a cleaner place to live.

In 7th grade they analyzed an article on sea otters for their adaptations to cold water.  They learned that otters have adapted by burning more calories to maintain homeostasis.  The article allowed our teachers to combine multiple benchmarks into one engaging lesson.

In 8th grade they learned about a student, not much older than themselves, who invented color changing stitches that indicate an infection in a wound.  This was all tied to learning about the pH scale and a review of human body systems and infectious agents.  This student won an award for her invention, showing students that they are capable of great things if they stay curious and get ambitious.

Overall it has been a hit with both students and teachers.  We hope to use the magazines cross curricular with ELA next year.

• Otter Adaptations lesson
• Using the online platform to review knowledge