bbi09 Materials Proposal from Jack Marine

“ Given that you were primarily concerned with humans (and human inquiry), this may seem irrelevant but I think its actually quite germane. You see, humans ARE to a significant extent like trees. Like us, trees grow, trees take in nutrients, trees respond to changes in their environment, trees retain traces of prior occurrences in their lives, and so on. And they do all of those things (and more) without thinking. What that suggests is that much of what we do we probably do the same way trees do them, without thinking. In fact, there are lots of observations that indicate that that is indeed so. The "unconscious" is real, though not quite the beast that Freud (or people after him) made it out to be; see "Making the Unconscious Conscious, and Vice Versa"). Much of our lives reflects a whole host of things going on of which we are largely or totally unaware, just as a tree is. “ (from Serendip)

Students in middle school are in the midst of big changes to their physical and mental well being. As I look over the class schedules of the students I was recently hired to teach, I see that they are under a greater degree of stress than in elementary school. More learning, more social interactions, changing bodies, hormonal issues, piled on top of growing up in West Philadelphia. Some students have one parent, some are being raised by grandparents or adoptive families. These are great kids and many are very resilient, but they need a break during their school day grind (or in a crisis). Their lunch/recess hour is just part of the “pile-up“, so it’s not the break that’s needed. At some parts of their week, these sixth, seventh, and eighth graders need a “safe” place to hang out (with the blessing of their teachers).

I am proposing to create a Comfort Center where students can earn a few minutes to sit back and relax in a designated area of the classroom- free and clear of classmates, schoolwork, and outside influences. In this “secluded area” (it’s still in my Science Room), students will have access to calming New-Age music, soft comfortable rocking chairs(mine), and two beautiful fish tanks called GloFish systems. The goal of this area is to provide relief to stress on the brain. Students are unaware of the “whole host of things going on of which we are largely or totally unaware, just as a tree is.” My mini grant proposal is to purchase the GloFish sets and a stereo system with headphones for two people.

Materials Proposal:

1. Purchase Sony Walkman CD with Mp3 and FM tuner:
Sony D-NF340 CD Walkman & MP3 Player w/FM Tuner

List Price: $59.95 Price: $51.79 at Amazon.com (free S&H)   =      $51.79

2. Purchase extra coverage (product subject to it’s own stress in a classroom)

1-Year Replacement Plan for Electronics Products $50 to $74.99
In Stock from NEW Customer Service Companies, Inc..
$7.99                                      =    $7.99

3.  Purchase New Age CD   
Pure New Age Moods: A 5 Disc CD/DVD Box Set with 37 Audio Tracks and over 4 Hours of Soothing New Age Music from all Four Corners of the Globe!  Available at Amazon.com for $8.99 + $2.98 shipping


                                      =  $11.97

4. Purchase two GloFish kits from Carolina Biological Company:

Item # 145258
GloFish Desktop Aquarium Package

$105.00 each
$210.00 for two
$  20.00 S&H                                        = $230.00

Total Cost of Materials for Mini Grant Proposal from BBI09 participant Jack Marine, is $ 301.95