2018-19 GRANT RECIPIENTS
BROWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
LEARNING TO THRIVE WITH DAILY 5!
Kindergarten, $349.00
The Listening Library allows students can choose their book, pop in the CD, and follow along. They can start with just listening and following along, or they can read along as they listen and have help on difficult vocabulary. Students will have a clipboard to write (or illustrate) something about the book they listened to. Listening to the book allows students to hear what reading should sound like so they can become independent, fluent readers
LEARNING…FULL S.T.E.A.M. AHEAD
1st Grade, $369.39
Independent work time is an opportunity for teachers to work one on one with struggling students or pull small groups to teach. All too often, students finish their activities and are left to do "busy work" in order for the teacher to continue small groups. The bins provided through this grant will get students engaged in creative complex tasks and encourage them to think like inventors, scientists, engineers and mathematics.
LEVELING UP THE MAKERSPACE
K-5th Grade, Technology, $4,949.62
This MakerSpace curriculum will promote inquiry-based learning in STEAM to improve students' ability to inference, research, and plan investigations through an experiential format. The objective of Maker Projects is to encourage practical skills, creativity and entrepreneurial thinking through the development of products that solve problems. STEAM-related events and education activities will be delivered in partnership with industry to build capability and leverage in skills desired by employment organizations. Students will be better prepared to engage in ever-changing technological careers.
VIVOFIT: WE’D LIKE TO MOVE IT, MOVE IT
2nd, 11th, 12th Grades, $1,476.77
Keeping students physically active throughout the day is ideal for increasing cognitive abilities. The Vivofit Jr. activity tracker is the perfect tool to help implement activity in the classroom. These trackers will be paired with a content embedded exercise program designed with the help of the instructors at APEC. It will also include a monthly student-athlete mentoring program. The trackers and programs will ensure that the students get incredibly valuable learning opportunities.
CAIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
DARLING LITTLE DOODLERS
Kindergarten, $1,597.49
3-D pens will aid students by helping them improve fine motor skills as they learn to operate a small "pen machine" and get it to produce the results they want - to match what they are learning in each subject area. It is a remarkable way to combine academics with creativity to enhance what the students are learning!
HIGGINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
CLOSING THE VOCABULARY GAP
4th-5th Grades, $657.80
This program actively engages students in vocabulary development with research-based vocabulary lessons to learn the meaning of high-utility words and develop lifelong vocabulary acquisition techniques. Take Aim promotes vocabulary development through activities that are grounded in research-based principles. Students gain familiarity and confidence with the target words through a combination of teaching methods.
PUZZLED MATH
3rd Grade Reading, $690.33
Math can be very difficult for children and many come to the third grade already feeling defeated when it comes to math. VersaTiles are an active alternative to practice workbooks. They combine the challenge of a puzzle with standards-aligned skills practice, helping students develop fluency of key concepts and skills.. VersaTiles use a puzzle style approach to working on math practice. It is hands on and students view it as a game rather than work.
TO PERFORM OR NOT TO PERFORM
3rd Reading, $828.00
Very often reluctant readers need to be exposed to various forms of reading texts in order to be hooked into the love of reading. Using reader's theaters is one way to connect all students with texts composed of varying reading levels. The use of readers theaters with children provides an opportunity for all students to "shine" in a fun, creative, but safe atmosphere. This grant provides for 10 self-selected titles of reader's theaters.
GROWING THE FUTURE
5th Science & History, $924.35
This grant funds the tools, supplies, and storage facilities to improve and continue the gardening program at Higgins. Students watch the entire process of growing food in a very hands-on manner, which gives them ownership of the process, and enables them to be global citizens in so many ways. Gardening encourages self-sufficiency, as well as healthy eating habits.
MAKERSPACE ENVY!
4th – 5th Technology, $2,516.51
4th & 5th graders will have the chance to be inspired, to be challenged, and to bloom as they problem solve and get their creative juices flowing! A Makerspace allows students to grow through both success and failure, knowing that learning happens through both. This grant provides for things as stop motion movie making, coding, robotics, visuals arts, engineering--and above all creativity and fun. Learning through play should not just be for kindergarten.
CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP IN STRUGGLING READERS
1st-3rd RTI, $3,623.16
Leveled Literacy Intervention is a short-term, supplementary, small-group literacy intervention designed to help struggling readers achieve grade-level competency. The intervention provides explicit instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, oral language skills, and writing. LLI helps teachers match students with texts of progressing difficulty and deliver systematic lessons targeted to a student’s reading ability.
STANTON-SMITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
REACHING HIGHER FOR FITNESS
P.E., $3,403.99
Rock climbing is an exciting and non-traditional way to promote health related fitness in all grade levels. This grant is for a 20-foot climbing wall to help students increase their upper body strength, muscular endurance, and muscle tone. Access to a climbing wall will introduce our students to the sport of rock climbing and provide them a fun alternative to traditional strength exercises.
CREATING TOMORROW'S PROBLEM-SOLVERS, INNOVATORS, AND MOUNTAIN MOVERS
Media Technology, $1,989.66
Students of all ages need the opportunity to find new interests, take risks, and learn their strengths. When students are given a chance to have creative exploration and purposeful play, they become critical thinkers and inventors. With the requested items in this grant, students will explore, create, tinker, assemble, and deconstruct while collaborating with peers in a safe learning environment.
AEROPONIC CLASSROOM GARDENS
1st Grade, $4,274.60
Aeroponic tower gardens will allow the first-grade team to create project based learning experiences across core subjects for our students. Having tower gardens in classrooms will bring science, ELAR, social studies and even math lessons to life as students learn about how plants grow, root systems, measurement, community jobs, and the use of sensory language in their writing. The possibilities are endless.
HOLLOWAY 6TH GRADE SCHOOL
BUILDING THE FUTURE THROUGH ENGAGED LEARNING
City Planning, $2,535.64
This grant centers on the regional and national Future City Competition. The competition involves Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Students create and design a scale model of a city in the future. Students build a virtual city using SimCity software, write an essay about their city, create a slide presentation on their project and present their idea to the judges. Students collaborate with community professionals on the various aspects of city planning. Working with community professionals, students gain career readiness skills.
LET’S GET OUR ALGEBRA ON!
Math, $449.90
The foundation of algebra is understanding the balancing of equations. Hands on Equations Math Lab will help with hands on manipulatives to understand the importance of the equal sign in equations. The purchasing of the XY Coordinate Pegboards will help set the foundation of graphing, which is very important in the understanding of graphing algebraic equations. The XY Coordinate Pegboards are a visual/kinesthetic activity for all students that learn from hands on activities.
WHITEHOUSE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
BRINGING THE STARS DOWN TO EARTH
7th & 8th Science, Technology, $2,639.17
Using spectroscopy to study the chemical makeup of stars in a hands-on way and learn what spectroscopic data can specifically tell astronomers about the sun, planets, stars, and other objects far away.
HANDS-ON PHYSICAL COMPUTING
Technology, $1,997.69
An Arduino is a small, credit card sized circuit board that can be programmed to interact with different sensors and motors; they can become just about anything you need it to be such as a weather station, alarm system, scoreboard, musical instrument, rc car, or even a robot. These kits will be used to teach technology, engineering, mathematics, and computer programming concepts.
LOOK TO THE SKY
Technology, $2,500.00
This grant provides drones to train students to fly for fun, and to be available to any teacher to teach things such as programming, science, and math. Once students pass tests on flight skills, safety, & legal issues they will become eligible to use the DJI Sparks. The Sparks will be more challenging & the ability to take pictures and video.
THE FOCUS & LEARN SENSORY ROOM
Life Skills, $4,401.40
Sensory problems, such as issues with touch, sound, movement, vision, and body awareness, interfere with students’ abilities to take advantage of educational programs. A sensory room is a therapeutic space with a variety of equipment that provides students with personalized sensory input. Sensory integration helps these children calm and focus themselves so they can be better prepared for focusing, learning and interacting with others.
THINKING OUTSIDE THE (SAND)BOX
7th & 8th Science, Technology, $2,025.86
Remember playing in the sandbox when you were a kid? You could build mountains, valleys, rivers; a whole new land was at your imagination and fingertips in any given sandbox. With augmented reality, we can now take the sandbox to a whole new level and use it to teach concepts to students that are otherwise very hard for them to manipulate and observe in real time. Using technology developed at UC Davis, the sandbox can now be a learning tool for teaching students about topographic maps, watersheds, the effects of soil erosion, the impact of humans and so much more!
WHITEHOUSE HIGH SCHOOL
MAKING HIGH SCHOOL MATH 3-D
Math, $4,855.95
This grant provides a 3-D printer in math classrooms. Printed models allow teachers and students to illustrate concepts in calculus, geometry, or algebra. By actually designing a physical product, the students get the chance to put advanced mathematics into practice to solve a real-world problem. In the process, they get to see how the calculations have an actual impact on a finished product. Instead of waiting for a teacher to tell them their calculations are correct, or wrong, the students can measure the blocks and often reverse engineer the math.
ROBOT ALGEBRA
Math, $1,800.00
Sphero robots will be integrated into the lesson plans, using technology to enhance the understanding of key Algebra concepts, while simultaneously practicing collaboration and problem-solving skills with other students. The hope is to engage students by using innovative technology that is fun, challenging, and that fosters creativity.
THE FAST AND THE CURIOUS: THE MAGIC OF MOTION
Physics, $4,853.39
This grant funds equipment that allows physics students to measure acceleration, forces, and motion. This new equipment would work with our existing laboratory equipment and permit the students to measure the forces and motions they experience as they conduct a series of experiments.
PLAYING IN TUNE WITH HARMONY DIRECTORS
Band, $1,075.00
This grant provides one Harmony Director Rehearsal keyboard for the bands. This device aids in the teaching of intonation, blend, balance, and rhythmic position. It also aids in teaching ear training and personal rhythmic accountability.
MULTI-CAMPUS GRANTS
1-5 Life Skills Sensory Stations and Independent Work
1st-5th grade Life Skills, $4,966.14
Children with disabilities--like Autism and Sensory Processing Disorders--struggle greatly with the sensory demands of our world. This grant will allow students to take breaks and engage in sensory activities that are pleasing to them and build skills like fine motor skills as well as help with focus and attention. iPads and the other tools will teach our special needs students to work independently and offer highly motivating yet educational activities that will have them doing 'work' while having fun and receiving immediate positive feedback.
ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS…A UKULELE!
All elementary schools, 2nd – 5th Music, $4,972
This grant funds 108 ukuleles—27 per school! Students across the district will be introduced to a stringed instrument in elementary. This is the first-time stringed instruments have been part of the music curriculum in Whitehouse!
GROWING LEADERS
Athletics, $1,150.00
Growing Leaders provides student leadership training and resources targeted for the Millennial generation and Generation Z to help them discover their purpose, equip them for leadership development and show them how to use their gifts to serve the world around them.
IT IS EASY BEING GREEN!
Technology, $3,075.85
Green screens have the ability to allow the creativity of teachers and students to run wild! This grant seeks to set up a green screen environment on each campus in the district.
SPHERO WARS: ED TECH STRIKES BACK
Technology, $1,399.99
Sphero Wars would include students designing and building obstacle courses and then programming the Sphero Minis to complete the various courses. Each Sphero Wars event would include teams to design and plan courses, teams to code/drive the Sphero Minis, teams to judge/oversee the competition, and awards.
