2011 Science Bloggers for Students Challenge at Donors Choose

By Jacquelyn Gill on October 4, 2011 • ( 1 Comment )

Ms. Lee's students in Racine, OH need microscopes! Photo courtesy of Ms. Lee.

Can you imagine studying cells without a microscope? Or not having goggles and aprons to practice safe science in the classroom? It’s no surprise in this economy that, faced with budget cuts, teachers have to pay more and more for basic classroom supplies or students go without. Cue Donors Choose, the nonprofit that brings classrooms in need in touch with donors like you. Thousands of teachers post projects every year– some as heartbreakingly basic as red pens, paper, or floor rugs– and each project has a limited amount of time to get funded. Donors then choose which classroom project to support. All projects are fully vetted by Donors Choose staff.

Every year, science bloggers team up with Donors Choose for the Science Bloggers for Students Challenge. This is my first year participating, and I’ve joined Team Ocean & Geobloggers. From October 2nd – 22nd, we’re battling other science blog teams to raise the most money for classroom projects.

You'd have the most stylish office or lab fridge in town with a set of custom science magnets.

But really, you want to donate through The Contemplative Mammoth’s Page, and here’s why: Every $5 gets you a drawing for a set of ten custom science-themed marble magnets, handmade using vintage paper by yours truly. They can be a random assortment (like those pictured to the left), or on a sciency theme of your choosing (e.g. climate, microbiology, botany, sharks, earth science…).

There are thousands of great project ideas, but I’ve highlighted a couple of projects that I think are really worth funding, including bringing basic earth science supplies like rock samples to a new teacher’s classroom, resources to teach math concepts to kindergartners, supplies to bring hands-on science experiences to students with disabilities, field guides to help urban New York students connect with the natural world, and a classroom in desperate need of microscopes and magnifiers.

In a time of global change concerns, science education and literacy is more important than ever; we can make a very real difference to these students. Please consider giving, joining Team Ocean & Geobloggers, or signal-boosting this post!