2009-2010 Teacher Mini-Grants Award Booklet - The Education Fund

TEACHER MINI-GRANTS SPONSORED BYP.L.DODGE FOUNDATIONSTRIVE STEAMERSThis school-based steam-pressing enterprisewill provide a simulated work settingfor Emotion Behavior Disordered andintellectually impaired high-schoolstudents to teach them essential handsonskills to prepare them for employmentand focus them to stay in school. Inaddition to mastering the skills to steam,package and deliver garments, studentswill learn the ins and outs of a functioningworkplace, such as order taking, safety,scheduling, inventory, equipment maintenance,marketing and teamwork. Bylearning various roles from steamer tocashier to clerk, students will buildconfidence and independence whileperforming a meaningful and convenientservice for school employees andcampus visitors.Ana Mendoz-LondonoRuth Owen Kruse Education CenterTHE GREAT AMERICAN FLY-INAt-risk students in this correctional facilitywill be immersed in a motivationalengineering project in which they plan,design, graph, build and fly paper airplanesfor a fly-in competition. Studentteams use computer applications andhigher order mathematics in the researchand design of their aircraft. A poster contestadvertising the Fly-In is incorporatedto allow creative andartistic talent to berecognized as well. Bycultivating science,math and tech skills,this project works tobuild confidence inthese young aviatorsso they may soar tonew heights like theirairplanes.Joseph SedlackJuvenile JusticeCenterWii CAN ALLBE A TEAMUsing the innovative Wii virtual gamesystems, orthopedically and mentallyhandicapped students will be able to playbasketball, tennis and volleyball andeven sing along to Disney tunes likenever before. Physical therapists willguide students through classroom activitiesthat not only improve balance,motion, motor skills and speech, but areloads of fun. Selected students from thegeneral population will be trained by theP.E. coach to partner and guide theSPED students through activities thatmost have never experienced.Tami Valdes and Yvette CintronThena C. Crowder ElementaryYOU LIGHT UP MY LIFESPED and Gifted students join together tocreate scented candles from scratch andmarket their products as a fundraiser. Thecreation stage of the project teachesmeasurement, chemical properties, theelusive metric system and the hands-on,trial-and-error process of learning a skill.Participants will work as a group todevelop a marketing activity thatcontributes the sweet smell of success totheir fragrant merchandise.Wendy WadleyCarol City Middle SchoolTEACHER MINI-GRANTS SPONSORED BYFRIENDS OF THE EDUCATION FUNDLEARNING THROUGHLISTENING, AN INDIVIDUALIZEDEDUCATION EXPERIENCEFrom Mozart to Mariachis and bagpipesto balalaikas, this high-school MusicTheory course introduces students tomusical traditions from across the planet.While researching and reporting on thestyles and terminology of genres andindividual compositions, students will notonly train their ears but open their eyesto the background and culture thatinspired the pieces. Students will sharetheir findings through group and individualpresentations.Daniel Ibarra-ScurrCoral Gables Senior HighSTUDENT DESIGNS FORLINCOLN ROAD MALLAs world-renowned architects completebuildings on South Beach's Lincoln Roadduring the 50th anniversary of this pedestrianmall, this group of high-school architectswill design furniture for the outdoorspaces. Students will be immersed in theproject meeting the architects, visitingfacilities, studying the work of masters,sketching and diagramming originalproposals, constructing three-dimensionalmodels, presenting designs for critique bya jury of professionals and finallyshowcasing their creation in an exhibition.Eric HankinDesign and Architecture Senior HighUNDERWATER VEHICLEDESIGNStudent teams of marine engineers areassigned simulated undersea search-andrescuemissions for which they mustdesign, fabricate and operate RemotelyOperated Vehicles worthy of ocean exploration.Project prototypes will includecontrol systems, a drive train, and a visionsubsystem. After numerous water tests,improvements, and a technical report onthe design, teams will present their underwaterrobots and explain how they areused by science in some of the world'smost remote locations.Melissa FernandezMAST Academy6 The Education Fund - www.educationfund.org