Mr. Morrow, Ms. Ryce, and Mr. Shaner collaborate with local businesses to prepare students not planning on college for technical careers. Working in teams, students research, design, and construct a television production van that serves as a teaching tool. Students in ... more »

Mr. Longwell and Mr. Hartman implement “Heart-Pounding Physics,” an interdisciplinary project that explores the bio-mechanical processes and stresses of physical activity. After a sports-science professor explains the relationship between science and physical ... more »

Collaborating with the American Heart Association, Ms. Chow and Ms. Bryce prepare their students with learning and emotional disabilities for first-aid certification. Students apply mathematical and problem-solving skills to common medical and traumatic emergencies. Through ... more »

Dr. Bell and Ms. Grebski relate technology to everyday life by introducing elementary students to simple machines. Collaborating with university engineering professors and parents, elementary teachers design activities and materials about simple machines that are used for ... more »

Ms. Beitzel, Ms. Beckley, and Ms. Foy establish the Community Resource and Lending Center in their district to provide developmental and educational materials for community students. The resource center contains materials that support grade-level curriculum and encourage ... more »

High school and college students in science classes collaborate with the Oregon Department of Energy to develop a plan to use fuel cell technology to convert excess landfill gas to electrical energy. Students analyze the levels of excess gas that a local landfill is ... more »

To increase the technology skills of their students, Ms. Factory, Ms. Swyden, and Ms. Taylor develop “Time Travel with a Theatrical and Technological Twist.” In this multidisciplinary project, the students use digital film to explore a historical theme. After ... more »

Collaborating with local police departments, Ms. Taylor and Ms. Martin design a unit on forensic science to increase their students’ problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. Students become familiar with the technology crime scene investigators use to analyze ... more »

To familiarize students with the cultural diversity of Bellows Falls, Ms. Boucher, Ms. James-Torres, and Mr. Julian design a multidisciplinary unit on genealogy. Students research their ancestry, compile and graph genealogical data, and explore the history and culture of ... more »

Mr. Schultz and Ms. Belisle create interdisciplinary units to increase students’ geology and language arts skills. Students use mapping equipment to explore the typology, animal activity, and developmental structure of western Montana and the greater Yellowstone ... more »

To foster an understanding of how the U.S. Constitution relates to current events, Ms. Toft, Ms. Gray, and Ms. Hyman implement “The Constitution: A Living Document.” Collaborating with an attorney, the teachers guide students in analyzing primary sources and ... more »

Seventh-grade students travel to a local outdoor classroom to conduct student-designed environmental research. Students study animal adaptations, water-quality testing, biomes, and ecosystems. In the outdoor classroom, students collect data on animal activity, weather, and ... more »

Ms. Messing and Ms. Waterman collaborate with parents to increase the language arts skills of their students with hearing and learning impairments. Students take home backpacks that contain books and supplemental learning activities. With their parents’ support, ... more »

Ms. McCloughan and Ms. Liscow develop a documentary project to build the technology, research, and communication skills of their students. After analyzing oral histories and documentaries, students identify senior citizens in South Haven to interview and film. Students ... more »

To prepare their students for theatrical professions, Ms. Lucas and Mr. Jones establish Jaguar Players Technical Theater Crew Training Program. Students study principles and applications of lighting design, sound engineering, stage design, and theatrical production.

Ms. Rockett and Ms. Wolfe infuse arts into the language arts curriculum to increase literacy and writing skills. While studying Louisiana jazz and blues and African-American poetry, students develop poetry anthologies and illustrate children’s books on Louisiana ... more »

To improve literacy skills and encourage independent reading, Ms. Baker and Ms. France integrate science with language arts. Students study forensic science, learn from guest speakers about the role science plays in criminal investigations, read and analyze mystery books, ... more »

Mr. Ashley and Ms. Mitchell create computer-based science modules to increase the technology skills of their students. Working in teams, students use resource materials to conduct research, engage in hands-on experiments, and graph and present data using computer software.

In collaboration with the Brownsburg Challenger Learning Center, Ms. Jordan and Ms. Mann increase their students’ understanding of the scientific method through inquiry-based learning activities. Students work in teams to conduct experiments, on such topics as plate ... more »

Ms. Skiles and Ms. Horn infuse language arts and mathematics into their science curriculum to develop the problem-solving and communication skills of their English language learners. Students engage in inquiry-based laboratory experiments and journal writing. At the end of ... more »

Through “Students Teaching Origami for Success,” Ms. Shadoff and Mr. Berg enhance the reading and mathematics skills of their students with learning disabilities. Students read about Sadako, a young Japanese girl who died in Hiroshima before realizing her goal ... more »

With “Celebrations of Learning,” Ms. McCarthy and her partners increase the oral and written communication skills of their students. Students publish a magazine that contains articles and photographs to chronicle learning throughout the school year. In addition, ... more »

Students embark on a fantasy train journey across the United States to enhance their writing and geography skills. Using a model train set, students replicate the environmental features of U.S. geographical regions. After researching each region, students engage in ... more »

To address the learning needs and language skills of their immigrant student population, Ms. Hanak and Ms. Watson integrate the World and I digital library and international memoirs into the world literature curriculum. Students read and discuss folklore, informational ... more »

Ms. Deery and Ms. Price introduce their fourth-grade students to expository and narrative composition during a writing camp. Students participate in games and activities to learn grammar and write original essays for an anthology. At the conclusion of the writing camp, ... more »

Ms. Reed and Ms. Moran give their fifth-grade students first-hand experience with mapping and satellite technology by integrating science and mathematics into their geography curriculum. Using global positioning and imaging systems, students create maps of their community ... more »

Through a multidisciplinary unit on how inventions have influenced American society, Ms. Zimmerman and Mr. Golsan enhance the technology and communication skills of their eighth-grade students. Students study the advantages and disadvantages of selected inventions ... more »

Ms. Verghagen and her partners investigate research-based teaching strategies that engage at-risk students. Participants explore nontraditional prevention and intervention approaches, and implement student-centered instruction. Based on the success of their work, the ... more »

Focusing on Stephanie Harvey’s Nonfiction Matters, Ms. Haenel and her partners develop and use comprehension strategies with their classes. Study group participants survey strategies to help students think critically as they read for comprehension. After implementing ... more »

Mr. White and his partners form a lesson study group to improve classroom instruction. Group members meet weekly to design lessons that meet student needs and reflect on instruction. After developing each lesson, one teacher pilots it as other members videotape and critique ... more »

Dr. Craig travels to two conferences in England to present her research on the obstacles encountered in school-based reform, including reflections on how standardized testing has evoked contradictory reform methods for principals and teachers. At the conferences, she ... more »

Ms. Pierce and her partners revise their U.S. history curriculum for their adult learners. Collaborating with the history specialist at the Tennessee Department of Education, the team analyzes state standards and develops a syllabus and teaching strategies for a U.S. ... more »

To help her students understand the cultural effects of black writers on American society, Dr. Hardy attends the National Black Arts Festival. She learns about black history, literature, and culture and acquires updated technology and literary resources for her classroom.

Ms. Garnett and her partners form a study group to improve student achievement through research and writing. Participants meet monthly to develop assignments and lesson plans, analyze student work, and determine how best to build research and writing skills at each ... more »

Working with students with learning disabilities, Ms. Yukelson attends the Schools Attuned training to better meet the varied learning needs of her students. She investigates cognitive functions and best practices for meeting different learning styles.

Mrs. Smith attends an intensive Kodaly music course at California State University, Long Beach, to enhance her music instruction. The Kodaly method involves vocally-based music instruction that complements young children's natural means of musical expression. ... more »

To enhance student achievement, Mrs. Benedict and her partners form a study group focusing on the delivery of reading instruction. Participants engage in peer coaching, record observational data, and discuss their findings.

Ms. Sadaly attends “It’s Never Too Late Literacy Institute” summer institute to learn research-based strategies to improve reading comprehension for secondary students. She uses this knowledge to revise the district’s language arts curriculum and ... more »

Mr. Rosencranz and his partners form a study group to analyze student achievement data, examine methods of integrating technology into the curriculum, explore uses of technology to individualize instruction, and determine how best to share their learning with ... more »

Ms. Roeder leads a study group to explore adapting the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program to the district’s needs. Through the AVID model, the group learns strategies for increasing the achievement of their minority students. The team shares their ... more »

Ms. Brown attends a summer institute at the University of Connecticut to study differentiated instruction, high-end learning, and enrichment teaching. As a district trainer, Ms. Brown shares her learning with other differentiated instruction trainers and school ... more »

Mrs. Abraham and her partners study reading strategies to enhance students’ comprehension. Twice a month, participants meet to discuss instructional strategies and to model and refine new lessons. The group, composed of participants who are new to their ... more »

Mr. Bonner travels to New Zealand to observe and learn best practices for reading instruction. After touring the country, he implements successful instructional approaches and develops strategies to assess reading skills.

To enhance her music curriculum, Mrs. Schmidt attends World Music Drumming: Level II training at University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Mrs. Schmidt uses her expanded knowledge to develop an advanced drumming curriculum to include more students in the program. She ... more »

Ms. Lyons and her partners participate in a study group to learn, discuss, implement, and reflect on the Balanced Literacy Framework. At each session, participants learn about best practices in reading and writing. Study group members observe each other and develop ... more »

Ms. Segal attends a weeklong certification course in yoga for children with special needs to improve her students’ behavior, concentration, and academic achievement. After the training, Ms. Segal shares her knowledge with colleagues at her school, which serves ... more »

Ms. Bates and her partners implement a mentoring study group for adjunct instructors. Led by full-time faculty, the small groups study best teaching practices, methods for addressing various learning styles, topics in subject matter, uses of Blackboard software, and ... more »

To teach her students about ethical entrepreneurship and its relation to community outreach, Ms. Brown travels to Brazil to study a women’s empowerment cooperative. Ms. Brown learns the cooperative’s model for using traditional handicraft skills by building ... more »

Mrs. Thibodeau leads a study group of high school teachers to explore methods for integrating reading and writing strategies into their contentinstruction. Teachers meet monthly to discuss strategies and materials, plan and design lessons, and analyze student work ... more »

To improve reading comprehension across curricula, Ms. Robinson and her partners learn research-based literacy strategies. The participants study the work of leading experts and observe each other’s classes to identify effective approaches. Creating rubrics for ... more »