List of Enrichment Grants 2004
Layout Program for the School Newspaper
To purchase new layout software and a 10-computer license for the award-winning high school newspaper, The Forum. The software will be compatible with new computers the newspaper will be receiving as part of the move to the new high school building. (B. Schechter)
Cardiovascular Fitness with Heart Rate Monitors
To purchase additional heart rate monitors to enable all middle school students in each Physical Education class, rather than just half the students, to use monitors at the same time. The heart rate monitors will be utilized to teach students about cardiovascular disease risk factors and about training in their target heart rate zone. (C. Dill, A. Dye, P. Irving, B. Cain)
Diversity Book Bags
To fund the creation of Diversity Book Bags for each classroom at one elementary school, with the goal of teaching children about racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity. The book bags will include books, games, recipes, music, other materials, and a journal for children to fill in. Children in each classroom will take the book bag home for a week at a time to share with their families. (G. Keene, J. Fitzgerald, M. Taylor)
Classroom Strategies for Students with Diverse Needs
To develop a manual providing that will provide strategies for teachers at one elementary school to use with students who have diverse needs or who exhibit challenging behaviors. Research will be conducted and information organized into a written guidebook, which will be given to each teacher and specialist. Copies also will be given to other elementary schools. (M. Carr, M. Morabito)
Substance Abuse Prevention
To fund a week-long substance abuse prevention program at the high school, during which speakers from all segments of the substance abuse world will present to students, teachers, and parents. The goal will be to raise awareness of the dangers of substance abuse and to provide information about how to make healthy choices and how to intervene appropriately when students need help. (S. Leichtman)
American Literature and the Art of America
To fund the development of a visual curriculum to be used in parallel with the American Literature course at the high school. The new curriculum will utilize paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture, decorative arts, architecture, and field trips as “visual texts” to supplement written texts. Teachers of American Literature will be trained in basic approaches to learning about and teaching visual texts. (C. Riley)
Integrating Science, Social Studies, Mathematics, and Literacy Instruction
To provide a library of Big Books and multiple copies of informational and curriculum-related texts at each elementary school that will link directly with K-5 curriculum units in Science and Technology/Engineering, Social Studies, and Math. These materials will be used in conjunction with district-funded staff support and curriculum development. This significant district-wide initiative, which will be implemented over three years, will provide teachers with grade-specific lessons designed to integrate the instruction of content reading strategies into literacy, science, social studies, and math (K. McCarthy, S. Geurnsey, J. Hundley, J. Binus)
Ghana Today
To create a curriculum guide and to purchase non-fiction books and videos for the first grade Ghana unit at all elementary schools. The guide will include Ghana history resources, scope and sequence, lesson plans, internet resources, and a bibliography. The books and videos will depict life in modern-day Ghana. (J. Hundley, J. Baumer, A. Bratsos, J. Helies, D. McNair)
Psychology of Human Development for Excel
To develop the curriculum for a high school psychology course that will both explore psychological aspects of human development and also expose students, through research and application, to cognitive behavioral therapy. Funding will be used to develop a written curriculum and class syllabus, find textbooks and workbooks, and individualize the coursework to meet the needs of students in the Excel special education program. (T. Lopez, S. Leichtman, R. Reitz)
International Dyslexia Conference
To pay the conference fees for four special education teachers at one elementary school to attend the 55th Annual International Dyslexia Conference, to be held in November 2004. The teachers will share information learned about multisensory teaching approaches, reading comprehension, writing, vocabulary, educational research, ADHD and assessment, with parents, other special education teachers, and classroom teachers. (M. Barrie, E. Casey, K. Strauss, M. Coyne-Gordon)
English Language Learner Curriculum Support Materials
To purchase books and curriculum support materials to facilitate language literacy for English Language Learners in the Sudbury school system, in accordance with the Massachusetts guidelines for designing and implementing a Sheltered English Program. (E. Peterson)
Interdisciplinary Approach to Teaching Homer’s Odyssey
To create interdisciplinary materials for 7th grade English and History units on Homer’s Odyssey in conjunction with the study of Ancient Greece. Teachers will create a web quest, design materials for both disciplines, develop overlay maps, create interactive guidebooks, and design group projects. (S. Doran, B. Beloff)
Intermediate Grade Comprehension Boost
To purchase “Question Answer Relationship” kits for 4th and 5th grade classes to share at one elementary school. Using the kits, teachers will reinforce comprehension strategies by providing explicit, sequential comprehension instruction, enabling students to better understand both fiction and non-fiction text. (J. Bleiler, S. Crowley, S. Bell, A. Abdal-Khabir, K. Walton, B. Barber, K. Zito)
Grade 4 Guided Reading
To develop curriculum and extension activities to begin implementing guided reading in the 4th grade at one elementary school. Teachers will compile a cohesive curriculum, creating both a sequence of small group reading lessons and literature activities for independent workers. Teachers also will develop a binder of activities to share throughout the district. (S. Famigletti, J. Kehrberger, C. Carpenter, S. Riskin)
Greenhouse Replacement
To assist with funding to replace an obsolete greenhouse at one elementary school. Each grade in the school has centered a portion of the science curriculum on greenhouse use. A new greenhouse will allow the school to maintain an enriched science curriculum well into the future. (K. Lightman, A. Frank)
Finding Evidence in the Physical Characteristics of Animal Skulls
To purchase “Skull Comparison Kits” for each elementary school and develop accompanying lessons. The 3rd grade life science unit has been expanded from mammals to the Animal Kingdom. The kits will allow students to act in the role of biologist, investigating the physical characteristics of a variety of animal skulls and searching for evidence that suggests what the animal is, what animal group it belongs to, its habitat and food source. (K. McCarthy, F. Aldrich-Bennett, S. Popper, C. Carrara)
Media Literacy Initiative
To create a new 8th grade elective course that will allow students to explore issues of media production from both sides of the camera. The course will challenge students to acquire the skills and knowledge required for technical operation of lighting, sound, and video editing equipment. In addition, students will examine journalistic writing, ethical concerns in media, and the power of broadcast media. The grant includes the purchase of video equipment. (D. Lane, F. Byrne)
Kindergarten Lending Library
To create a lending library in the kindergarten classrooms at one elementary school. The library of emergent level books will include fiction, non-fiction, and letter recognition texts. Books will be sent home with students so they may practice reading skills at home. (K. Zito, E. Garvey, J. Pugliese)
Play! Create! Improvise!
To purchase new Orff melody instruments, including wooden xylophones and metal glockenspiels, and to repair existing instruments, for use in the music classroom at one elementary school. The instruments will allow children to play music, create music, and express individual musical ideas in accordance with the Massachusetts Arts Curriculum Framework. (T. Crown)
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