“Soaring With High Success”

School:: South Walton High School
Subject:: STEM Education
Teacher:: Teresa Meza
: India Stinson
Students Impacted:: 100
Grade:: 9-12
Date:: October 4, 2018

Investor

Thank you to the following investor for funding this grant.

CHELCO - $1,500.00

Impact to My Classroom

# of Students Impacted: 70

Seventy of my Biology Honors students used the online Gizmo simulations to better understand the dynmaics of food webs within a forest community. Students were able to manipulate the populations of four different organisms within a closed system and were able to make predictions about the result of their selected population flucuations. This simulation also helped to review and reinforce their knowledge of producers to quaternary consumers within an ecosystem. Overall this unit was very successful for my students. Biology is a difficult class for many freshmen, so having resources such as Gizmo to supplement relative and fun simulations to help teach the necessary standards and to support assesments material is a must! Such products brings the content to life for so many of my kids! For an honors class I always encourage my students to shoot for a 70% or better on unit tests, since this course is a state tested EOC and for the ecology unit, with the use of the Gizmo simulator, my students averaged an overal 77.2%. This is success!! :) Thank you for helping provide lucrative opportunites for our students!

Original Grant Overview

Goal

The goal of biology virtual laboratory simulations is to provide engaging, interactive and authentic laboratory investigations which will enhance and enrich students learning and take it beyond the classroom.

What will be done with my students

Students will engage, collaborate and role play as doctors as they move through various virtual, authentic, and interactive laboratory simulations throughout the year. Labster offers comprehensive virtual lab simulations through interactive technology.
Students will participate in:
* Authentic scenarios
* Participate in advanced lab investigations
* 3D animations
* Reinforce student concepts and provide successful outcomes
* Analyzing, graphing 3D data
* Collecting data, measuring, and evaluating labs
* Developing critical thinking skills, increasing problem solving skills
* Enriching class discussions of the “how”, “why”, and the effects of the various lab simulation lessons
* Increase motivation
* Spark and ignite student interest
Labster’s virtual labs are aligned with the Florida Core Science Curriculum.
Interactive virtual labs will cover the biology standards: (but not limited too):
*Standard 14 SC.912.L.14 : Organization and Development of Living Organisms.
*Standard 15 SC.912.L.15 : Diversity and Evolution of Living Organisms
*Standard 16 SC.912.L.16 : Heredity and Reproduction
*Standard 17 SC.912.L.17 : Interdependence
*Standard 18 SC.912.L.18 : Matter and Energy Transformations

Benefits to my students

My 100 students in my biology class will be provided an opportunity to become directly involved and engaged in hands-on activities solving authentic virtual laboratory simulations. By using the virtual interactive technology and graphs students will foster and develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, read and understand graphs, explain and justify results of data, understand the outcomes of laboratory science in discovery research. It will allow them the discipline and opportunity to participate in a real-world application of science. The direct involvement of the students and their analytical presentations as “doctors” will result in a deeper understanding of correct scientific procedures and analytical processes, not to mention better preparation for accelerated learning and inspire students each year from these challenging laboratory activities to seek career related jobs in STEM.

Budget Narrative

Labster Virtual Lab Simulations will provide 100 students with a yearlong subscription. The licenses are necessary to participate in the virtual interactive lab simulations.