Projects Funded 2004-05

1. Second Mobile Mac Lab
2. LX Probescope Kit (K through 8)
3. In Focus X1 Projection Devices (K through 8)
4. Kindergarten Sand Table
5. Wishing Tree: Kindergarten cubbies
6. Wishing Tree: Grade 7 Children Literature
7. Wishing Tree: Grade 6 Children Literature
8. Wishing Tree: Grade 3 Children Literature
9. Wishing Tree: Grade 1 Children Literature
10. Wishing Tree: Grade 4 Unifix Cubes
11. Wishing Tree: Grade 5 Core Literature Books
12. Wishing Tree: Grade 4 Picture Books
13. Wishing Tree: Playground Balls
14. Teacher Appreciation drive – $100 for each teacher for discretionary supplies

Quotes from the school

Mac Lab: The Mac lab that we received last year is a tremendous success. Cyd McCann and the cart have been in every 2nd through 8 the grade classroom and just about every student in the school has experienced using the lab. Many existing class projects have been enhanced by the addition of the lab. The addition of the lab is helping the school reach several of our technology goals. It.s mobility provides equal access for all students. Combined with our Technology integration Specialist (Cyd McCann) the lab allows for technology to be integrated into a variety of programs such as the 7th grade newspaper, grade 6 Olympics project, grade 4 picture books, grade 3 Explorers project and the grade 2 Alaska/Iditarod. The addition of the second lab will allow these kinds of projects to continue with the original cart while allowing for increased computer availability so entire classrooms (individuals) can perform application based lessons such as word processing and systems modeling. The second lab will be the same as the first lab and consist of 24 computers, printer, airport and projection device

Probescobes: Digital USB microscopes which enlarge and project small items for discussion with the whole group. The software also records the image and the projection can be slowed down, or manipulated. They can be used in science at any grade level. Maintaining sufficient microscopes for student use has always been a difficult task as breakage has always been a problem and more students than we would like have to share microscopes. The Probescopes will solve this problem as now whole classes will be able to view the magnified image together. In addition, they allow recording of any observation which can be used for review or future classes. Recordings can also be slowed down for better observation (this is helpful when viewing living organisms). In the future the school.s goal would be a Probescope for each of the middle school science classrooms. We plan to use this one to develop future lesson plans as well as for the obvious classroom demonstrations.

Projection Devices: The School currently has six and this will allow one for each grade level, the mobile lab, the library and the systems team. These will be used in classrooms at all grade levels. It allows all information on computer screens to be projected for the entire class to see and use for discussion and brainstorming. In the past teachers have been reluctant to plan activities that involve the use of the projection devices as the availability of the devices was uncertain. Now with a device available at each grade level teachers will be more likely to use them. With the limited computer resources in individual classrooms the projection devices have the capabilities to turn one computer into a tool to benefit the whole class.

4th grade picture books: the fourth grade team will purchase five sets of picture books connected to writing, reading and social studies curriculua. A set of books for each classroom would allow them to use picture books simultaneously in lessons and to send students to fifth grade with a common bank of knowledge. It would also provide students with continual access to these books during independent work and D.E.A.R. Currently, only those books that have been temporarily gathered for the day’s mini-lesson have been available to students.

5th grade core lit books: These books will replace current copies of core literature which are currently falling apart; also to accommodate an additional section of fifth grade next year. This will include 75 copies each of: Number the Stars, Walk Two Moons, the Watsons Go to Birmingham, Julie of the Wolves.