Pioneer Science Enhancements

The Pioneer Science Department is in need of your help to enhance their program.  They have comprised a wish list of items and activities to continually advance our program.  Below is a list so that you know what you are helping to fund.

1.   Mr. Zaccheo likes to bring his BioSITE class on a four hour expedition of the San Francisco Estuary aboard the Robert G. Brownlee.  The kids spend a half-day as scientist, discovering the esturary's ecostystem and discussing their own roles within it.   Students will collect and examine plankton, run hydrology test, and observe wetland ecology from the ship.  They will delve through mud samples, discovering the fascinating invertebrates that thrive at the Bay's bottom.  Students will also use a trawl net to catch a wide variety of fish species, including sharks and rays! They will then identify the fish with a dichotomous key before releasing them and the students may also help volunteers measure fish for MSI's monitoring program.  This program offers students the chance to enjoy the natural vitality of this area while learning valuable scientific skills.  ($1465.00)

2.    AP Bio would like to take a trip to the California Academy of Sciences.  Students explore changes through time in the state of the art evolution exhibit.  Students will also explore the planetarium, Osher rainforest, aquarium, and more. ($647.00)

3.   The Core and Elective sciences need to replace a quantity of 12 Ohaus Portable Electronic Scales (200g- 0.1g).  They have been well used for many years and are wearing out.  The scales are used in various labs spanning all disciplines including Salinization labs in APES and inquiry labs in Biology. ($1909.44)

4.    Chemistry has expanded this year and they are using a room previously set up for Physics.  They need to purchase a quantity of 8 Hot Plates in order for the students to perform Chemistry experiments in the room. ($1478.56)

5.    Physiology has been using the same Tissue Slides for the past 20 years and they are in desperate need of being replaced.  The same can be said of the blood pressure cuffs being used.  They are 12 - 15 years old and are breaking.  The students use these to learn how to take a blood pressure reading and explore how various activites influence blood pressure.  The science department hopes to replace 2 to 3 of each this year. ($551.46)

6.   Physics is in need of 5 LabQuest Minis and 5 Motion Encoders with Long Track.  This equipment will help supplement current lab set-ups.  This equipment is used in a lab based on measuring motion vs. time, and with current equipment they can do one lab station instead of the 9 they need for a classroom.($4020.26)

7.    Physics/Chemistry and Clean Streams Clean Bay Club  would like to get 9 Vernier Lab Quest 2, 9 Temp Probes and 9 pH Probes to enhance their programs.
($3933.00)

As a community we can help reach this goal and make our Science Department the best that it can be for our students.  Please donate what you can.  All donations will go directly to the purchase of each of these items. The money will go through our Foundation in cooperation with the PTSA, both of which are non-profit programs designed to enrich Pioneer's learning experience.