Grantee Archive

To increase student interest in STEM, Ms. Vujanovic will use SeaPerch kits to allow students to create underwater remotely operated vehicles. Students will be exposed to Next Generation Science Standards as they create vehicles by asking questions, solving problems, and evaluating results. Upon completion, students will take part in a school wide competition where educators and peers will observe student work.

To increase student achievement, Winston Campus Elementary School will introduce virtual reality experiences using Google Expedition, Cardboard Viewers, and Samsung Galaxy phones to support curricular goals in literacy, science, and oral language. Using project-based learning, students will be intellectually challenged while addressing Common Core State Standards and be equipped with tools necessary for the digital age. The virtual reality experiences will provide students with various diverse cultural and learning experiences.

Mr. Moneymaker will participate in an intensive, hands-on professional development training at the Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute in Williamsburg, Virginia. While being immersed in U.S. history and collaborating with master teachers and historians, Mr. Moneymaker will develop meaningful and engaging lesson plans and gain the knowledge and skills needed to become a more valuable professional development resource person in his school district.

Mrs. Egger and a team of colleagues will host a convening of educators from Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and Southern California to address common challenges in urban and rural school districts. The group will focus on developing teacher leaders who will contribute to the dialogue about teacher shortages, teacher evaluation systems, English Language Learner support, and promoting all content areas to support the Common Core State Standards. Upon completion, participants will share their newly acquired knowledge with colleagues throughout the region.

To support math, science, and reading remediation, Ms. Lum and Mrs. McKinney will introduce the “Growing Our Minds Garden,” which will allow students to design, plan, build, and plant a vegetable garden on school grounds. Students will work on math skills through the design and planning, science skills through planting and observation, and reading skills through research and student portfolios. Additionally, produce from the garden will be used in the school cafeteria to encourage healthier student eating habits.

Ms. Moss will develop a deeper understanding of world cultures, customs, and religions by exploring India and Nepal with Global Exploration for Educators. While there, Ms. Moss will work closely with elementary teachers and students to understand schools in Kathmandu. Upon returning, Ms. Moss will share her findings with educators at her school and with regional colleagues at the SueCon conference.

Through “It’s STEAM-teractive,” students will gain a new interest in science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. Ms. Bellamy and Ms. Cruz will introduce a robotics program through the use of hand-on interdisciplinary activities and the development of programming skills. The team will expose students to STEAM at an early age and foster that interest through middle school, high school, and college.

Ms. Andrews and Mr. Lemstrom will introduce “Awesome Invertebrates,” a multi-faceted project that will place marine science students in heterogeneous groups. Students will set up aquariums in classrooms and stock them with invertebrates collected on a field trip in the Gulf of Mexico on the University of Florida’s research vessel. Students will maintain the aquariums and create research studies regarding individual organisms, groups of organisms, and tank environments. Students will design, implement, and publish their research and share it with their peers in a class symposium.

Through “The Whole World Loves Kites,” students at Gower Elementary School will explore various cultures through kite making. Lessons will connect math, science, literature, and art while allowing students to discover hands-on activities. Students will research kite making in all parts of the world through interactive reading selections. The project will culminate with a kite flying day to which students will invite their families and members of the community.

Ms. Wolak will participate in an intensive Arabic language and cultural immersion program at the Excellence Center in the city of Hebron in the Palestinian Territories. The experience will allow Ms. Wolak to better communicate with the growing number of Arabic speaking students and families in her district. After increasing her linguistic and cultural awareness, Ms. Wolak will share her learning with her colleagues and share methods for communicating with the parents of Arabic speaking students.

To enhance students’ Spanish language experiences, Mrs. Venable will transition her classroom into a digital learning environment, which will allow students to experience Spanish speakers around the world and immerse themselves in various cultures. Students will gain deeper levels of knowledge and fluency by engaging in meaningful reading, writing, listening, and speaking exercises. Classroom content will tie to real life experiences as students become “digital buddies” with students in Guatemala.

Ms. O’Leary will combine professional development work for two certification programs: National Board Certification and National Geographic’s Educator Certification. By combining work for these two programs, Ms. O’Leary will leverage positive aspects of both programs for a richer, more expansive professional growth and development experience. Students and other educators will benefit from access to enhanced geography education content and materials, which will directly impact student and educator growth and their personal development as world citizens.

Mr. Ramirez and Mr. Spencer will enhance the technology curriculum at Brentwood Middle School by implementing lessons in which students learn about and use 3D printers. These lessons will help students learn about the design process, computer programming, engineering concepts, manufacturing, and technical languages. The technology will be used across curriculum content areas to inspire students to embrace important 21st Century skills.

Through “Exploring Ceramics Across Cultures,” students will be exposed to global issues via the production of art. Mrs. Cunningham and Ms. Lynch will engage students in a yearlong investigation of how and why ceramics are created around the world, and students will learn hands-on skills while making ceramics. The project will culminate in a school-wide exhibit of original student artwork that will showcase the variety of cultures studied throughout the year.

Through “Empowerment through Education,” Mr. Hauck and Mrs. Shadoin will lead a professional learning community that will transform the lives of students in Mr. Hauck’s suburban Seattle school and Mrs. Shadoin’s rural school in North Carolina. The team will connect students in both states with their peers in Senegal and encourage them to become engaged citizens at the local and global level. Educators across contexts will work together to cultivate global competency, cross-cultural understanding, and 21st Century skills.

Mr. Sprengel will travel to Peru to attend EcoTeach’s Educator Academy in the Amazon rainforest. While investigating the rainforest and its indigenous cultures, Mr. Sprengel will work with program faculty, scientists, researchers, and local guides to learn to utilize exciting cross-curricular instructional approaches and protocols. Following the field experiences, Mr. Sprengel will share pedagogies and methodologies in staff development workshops and through student engagement in project-based learning.