With these funds I will buy a heavy duty laboratory cart as well as chemicals and supplies for laboratory demonstrations and research projects.  I will also purchase a subscription to the Journal of Chemical education. 

After two days in the classroom as a newly minted chemistry teacher, one thing has become apparent to me.  Students LOVE demonstrations and hand on projects, and they are extremely effective at switching students brains into high gear.  I have seen my students come alive intellectually when presented with a puzzle to solve (a mystery tube) or a reaction to observe (aluminum and copper chloride).  After an exciting, engaging, and challenging activity or demonstration, I have watched in amazement as my students eagerly provided hypothesis, defended their data, and supplied the information I needed to teach them. They are excited to do science rather than just have science talked at them.  However, unlike worksheets, these kinds of activities represent a significant expense.  Thus far supplies have come out of my own budget or been borrowed from back stocks of chemicals purchased for other labs.  An ongoing commitment to active learning will require a lot more supplies.

I am asking for $200 for a heavy duty laboratory cart.  This will provide me with a place to perform demonstrations that is indestructible and portable.  Thus far I have had students move to clear off a classroom table, but this isn't working well for two reasons: first, it takes up valuable class time, and second, the school tables are not build to withstand chemicals and the weight of my demonstration shield.  A heavy duty cart will allow me to work safely and flexibly at the front of the classroom for demonstrations.

I am asking for $600 for chemicals and other supplies.  The cost of chemicals and other supplies needed for demonstrations is a rough estimate.  I am interested in the kinds of demonstrations employed in the MIT Chemical Demonstrations curriculum linked below as well as POGIL type-projects.  If I am fully funded, at a minimum I will execute all of the demonstrations on the MIT page and purchase the supplies for a research and presentation project examining the history and impact of the periodic table culminating in the production of a student-created periodic table.  I will publish a full accounting of each lab we perform along with detailed chemical costs once they are completed.  I need supplies for over 100 students that I see 5 days a week.

Any overflow moneys would be spent on purchasing nonfiction books and a bookshelf for my classroom.  My Amazon books wish list for my class is also linked below.

Thank you for taking the time to review my proposal!

Lab cart: http://www.amazon.com/Continental-Commercial-All-Purpose-Rubber-Casters/dp/B008HVMCNM/ref=sr_1_12?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1439576914&sr=1-12

Ideas for demos as examples: http://ocw.mit.edu/high-school/chemistry/demonstrations/videos/

J Chem Ed: http://pubs.acs.org/journal/jceda8

Northside 10th Grade Chemistry Amazon wishlist:https://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/1B0TJUWV44DXK/ref=cm_wl_list_o_4?

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