MEF Round 14 Awarded Grants – May, 2009

Round 14 Grants – May, 2009

1.  Strong Girls
The purpose is to provide girls that attend Pierce Middle School the opportunity to spend time in a non-threatening environment where they will be able to receive education and support in regard to social/emotional issues that affect the normal development of adolescent girls.  This will occur through appropriate videos, organized activities, and purposeful discussion led by experienced and empathic school educators. 
Pierce Middle School, 7th and 8th Grade Girls, 100 students, $1350.90, Karen Lauper.


2.  Reader’s Theatre
This is a continuation of last year’s Reader’s Theatre grant.  Reader’s Theatre promotes reading fluency in a fun, non-threatening environment.  Our main goal is to improve reading fluency for all students in grades 1-4.  By improving reading fluency, reading comprehension will also improve.  Also, Reader’s Theatre is a way to integrate science and social studies themes for the students.  We have used Reader’s Theatre this year and the students were very enthusiastic about it.  We need more scripts and also scripts at a higher reading level for our higher ability students.  Funds will purchase reproduction books of  Funny plays, Science Plays, Literature based Scripts. 
Salk Elementary, Grades 1-4, 500 students, $542.43, Nancy Starkey.


3.  Literary Group Library
The purpose of this project is to advance our progress as balanced literacy classrooms by improving the availability of leveled books for second grade teachers at Fieler School for use during small literacy groups.  These books can be used during mini-lessons to model good reading and writing skills. They will also introduce the students to vocabulary not already in the chosen reading series.  The books are a kit from Scholastic that is preleveled with 10 different readers in each level for a total of 60 books per level.  This project would fund the creation of a mini-library of 600 leveled readers for the use of approximately 100 second grade students. 
Fieler Elementary, Grade 2, 100 students, $622.15, Nicole Laird.


4.  Hands-On-Equations
The purpose of the project is to instill in our students a deep understanding of algebra and to improve our algebra scores on ISTEP.  We intend to do that by using activities provided in the Hands-On-Equations kit to teach algebra as a game.  While using Hands-On-Equations manipulatives, our students will learn “legal moves” to solve equations.  After our students understand concrete strategies to solve equations using manipulatives, we will transition them to abstract strategies using traditional paper and pencil methods.  Funds will be used to purchase Math Equation Kits (18) Pretests, Posttests Equation Verbal Problems books, and videos.   
MIS, Grade 6, 550 students, $2447.32, Taria Taylor.


5.  Increasing Diversity Awareness at Iddings School
Earlier this year, the Iddings Elementary School Diversity Committee developed, successfully implemented, and evaluated the following diversity month initiatives:  “Founding Fathers’ Month, ” “Holidays Around The World,” “Black History Month,” and “Women’s History Month.”  Now, the committee is in need of additional funding that will assist in the further implementation and success of our school’s diversity awareness program.  In order to provide our students with the best learning opportunities possible, monies are required to purchase books, Videos/DVDs, Paper for copying, Ink Cartridges for printing, speakers/presenters, etc. 
Iddings, K-4, 715 students, $600.00, Bridgette Kettle.


6.  Differentiated Learning Stations for Math
This project will acknowledge the different learning styles, the learning rates, and the different levels of abstract thinking of the students through the use of learning stations.  The stations will be based on the new core state standards for fifth grade.  The stations will include number sense and computation. Geometry and measurement, algebra and functions, and problem solving.  Topics will be introduced on Mondays.  Students will have access to the learning stations on Tuesdays through Thursdays, which will include whole group instruction, mini-lessons, or small group instructions, and the PLATO computer lab program.  Fridays will include inquiry-based practices and investigations, and a wrap up of the week.  Funding will purchase Math games, puzzles, problem-solving cards, Overhead transparencies, and math problem-solving kits. 
MIS, Grade 5, 90 students, $600, Tamarra Rudman.


7.  Jolly Phonics CD-ROM
The purpose of my project is to reinforce the method that I am using to teach letter sounds in a way that is fun, and multi-sensory with interaction of the CD-ROM offered by Jolly Phonics.  The CD-ROM has many different approaches to the phonics program used in Kindergarten this year.  It can be used in both computer labs involving 80 kindergartners and 120 first graders.  The grant will purchase the site license. 
Iddings, K-1, 200 students, $349.75, Marge Brody.


8.  Parents as Partners Too
This project is a way to immediately give parents and students the resources and ideas they need to improve reading skills.  As educators we work on a daily basis to improve instruction and learning for our students.  We have found that students who struggle with learning need practice ten times more often.  By sending home a book bag with a book at the student’s independent reading level, we see continued improvement.  Students’ reading levels change often throughout the course of one grade level.  This grant would be in addition to money received from another small grant applied for.  Additional funding for this project will be presented to the PTO or Donors Choose. 
Salk, Grade 1, 125, $622.15, Carrie Brown.


TOTAL ROUND 14 GRANTS:  $7,134.70

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