Grants

The use of this innovative tool was approved on a pilot basis with a report asked for at the end of the year relaying actual uses and benefits attained.

8th grade enriched language arts class will engage senior family and community members in sharing memories. Students will compile information and compose entries to be printed in individual, hardbound “Memory Books” which will be presented and shared during a ceremony in May.

StrataLogica is a new, innovative and interactive program to be used in conjunction with Foundation purchased Smart Boards. This tool will engage students in all facets of geography, bringing the subject to life in three dimensions. Through its linkage to Google Earth, world physical and cultural features are represented and students have the ability to erase roads, eliminate buildings and then show the physical features unfettered by human interaction. Students can take the world in their hands and rotate it and manipulate it as it is suspended on the Smart Board to express a point or ask a question.

Two year collaborative project in which 6th and 7th graders use math skills with business/entrepreneurial activities to start and operate a business of their choice.

A bona-fide archaeologist from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology will meet with sixth grade students and present a slide show of an actual dig sponsored by the museum.

• The archaeologist will return when the students conduct a simulated dig in an authentically reproduced artifact seeded site.
• During social studies and math classes, students will organize their field results.

The project will both expand the concept of fire making and emphasize its connection to human migration into a variety of biomes.

• Utilizing Mr. Robin Moore, a primitive technology expert, teachers and students will learn to utilize fire making materials as a foundation for the concept of human migration into more hostile environments around the world.
• Students will build a clay scale model of a mountain system (Mt. Washington) and identify the three biomes created by the rising elevation.
• The entire sixth grade will participate.

Students will experience first hand a connection between theories in archaeology/history and the physical evidence as it might appear today.

• In the fall of 2005, a secure plot of land was professionally excavated and seeded with actual and replica artifacts.
• In the spring of 2006, all 6th grade students will subdivide into teams that will participate in a six week "dig," excavating, sifting, washing, documenting, cataloging and preserving each find.
• Real applications of math concepts will have students calculating scale, plotting points and measuring distances.
• Records will be kept each day through use of site journals, graphs, digital photography and actual labeled specimen bags.
• Students will creatively analyze physical evidence such as bones, broken pottery, spear heads, etc. as they attempt to visualize how each item complements another while creating a profile of a past civilization and culture.

Students will apply the art form of Romanesque picture making using mosaic tiles to create a permanent piece of art that is based on the theme of space travel and the solar systems.

• Students, both individually and collectively, will research and investigate areas of science, math, art and art history.
• They will work cooperatively to synthesize their findings in order to create a unique, self-expressive, themed work of art, approximately 32 inches high by 72 inches long, to be located in IMS on the wall opposite the music room.

Students will develop a broader definition of the term "technology" as they explore the challenges early humans faced in order to survive.

• The project will be initiated with a one day, hands-on workshop for students with Mr. Robin Moore whose many credits include: Masters Degree in Oral Traditions; The Parents Choice Award, PA School Librarian's Association "Author of the Year"; The Creative Arts Institute "National Storyteller of the Year."
• Mr. Moore will also hold a one day workshop for Mr. Volpa and Mrs. Cleveland, instructing them as to how to make primitive tools, such as cordage that will then be used to make other technologies such as fishing nets and hooks, shelters, utensils, and tools - all from local materials.
• The teachers will then teach these skills to students as they make a variety of tools and objects to meet early daily needs.
• Students will understand the gradual development toward task specialization, trade and evolving civilization.

This pilot program is for twenty-five third and fourth grade students who will participate in the Renzulli Learning System.

• Students first complete a computer based diagnostic assessment that profiles their academic strengths, interests, learning styles and preferred modes of expression.
• The search engine created matches the strengths and interests of each student to a variety of differentiated learning activities.
• Students then participate in ongoing learning activities at teacher designated times, which are recorded in a portfolio that can be accessed by teacher or parent at any time.
• The portfolio can travel from grade to grade and from school to home.

Mr. Taylor, the District's head of Computer Technology, will be attending, with partial funding, the 27th Annual National Educational Computing Conference held in July, 2006.

• This conference, presented by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and keyed to the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS), features hands-on workshops, lecture-format and interactive concurrent sessions, discussions with key industry leaders, and the largest educational technology exhibit in the world.
• The theme of the conference this year is Technology Integration.
• Our schools and our children have access to quite a bit a technology. This conference will address the need to more fully utilize and integrate those tools into the curriculum.

All first grade students will become published authors, as they write and illustrate individualized hardbound books.

The Illustory Project was first funded by the Foundation in 2004 and was a tremendous success with students, teachers and parents.

• Students studied the art of storytelling and examine essential components of published books such as title, dedication, and author's biographical pages.
• Students worked on their stories during the Kid Writing/Writer's Workshop period. Stories were submitted to Creations by You, Inc. and returned as a hard-covered copy .
• The books were shared with other students, families and friends at an Author's Tea and in K-4 classrooms.
• The Foundation funded book production materials and shipping of manuscripts back and forth. Families may order additional copies at their own expense.

Kami Shibai is a unique form of storytelling providing visual stimulus through picture cards while a story is read aloud from the back of the cards.

• This technique uses a variety of literacy skills such as predicting, sequencing, story mapping and retelling, as well as exposing students to a different culture.
• Each class engaged in authentic Japanese productions and wrote their own Kami Shibai stories.

Students in all grades at IMMS practiced 24 Game math computations in classes, prior to participating in grade level Tournaments.

• Two students from each grade level were identified to advance to the regional competition.
• The regional competition took place at IMMS and included participating middle schools from the Shawnee and Seneca sending districts.
• Math teachers from all participating schools were volunteer proctors. The top three scorers in each grade level received awards.

An evening of interactive literacy events for First and Second grade students and their families.

• Held in February 2005, stations were set up throughout the school representing Mystery, Drama, Fantasy, Poetry, Science Fiction, Cartooning, Bagheads (based on a book), Drama, Word Activities and Literacy Games.
• Adult volunteers ran the stations with assistance from 7th and 8th grade "Alumni" of IMS.
• A local author shared their books and read to the children.

This project was designed to promote an interest in biographies and historic figures.

• A performer provided presentations on historic figures. She dressed in costume, brought artifacts from the person's life and period of history and presented the program in the first person. Portraying six different figures, she presented six different times, two performances per character to accommodate all second grade students.
• Students were encouraged to read more biographies for additional information and finished the year by writing a biography of a friend, family member or another historical figure.

The Newspaper Club took their design to a new level using software and real newspaper printing methods.

The Spirit has been recognized by Time Magazine as best middle school newspaper in the eastern United States.

• Using Adobe Pagemaker 7.0 to design and layout pages more rapidly and reliably, the Newspaper Club used this feature-rich, production strength software to enable creative freedom and innovative cross media support.
• The studied layout for at least one printing in a true newspaper format.
• Funds for this project are for Adobe Pagemaker 7.0 and the printing of 500 newspapers.

This program is an innovative alternative approach to treating Attention Deficit Disorder as well as Sensory Integration Disorders.

• The program targets the underlying cause of a disability rather than going around it.
• The metronome program "trains the brain" to plan, sequence and process information more effectively through repetition of interactive exercises.
• Thirteen different hand and foot exercises are preformed while auditory guide tones direct the individual to match the metronome beat.
• The program consists of 12 - 15 one hour sessions, which can be completed in 3 -5 weeks.
• Funds are for 1 Interactive Metronome Station and 2 Interactive Metronome Providers Certificates

This project is a "piggyback" to the Fall 2003 Digital Microscope Project.

• Special education students, and possibly other students, will accomplish specific objectives in order for them to acquire the necessary skills to operate the digital microscope.
• The Wolfe Cadre Student Microscope will enable students will work at a more meaningful pace with a machine similar to the Digital Microscope.
• This will better enable students to advance to usage of the Digital Microscope. Funds are for the Student Microscope.

All first grade students became published authors, as they wrote and illustrated individualized hardbound books.

• Students studied the art of storytelling and examine essential components of published books such as title, dedication, and author's biographical pages.
• Students worked on their stories during the Kid Writing/Writer's Workshop period in April.
• Stories were submitted to Creations by You, Inc. and returned as a hard-covered copy to be shared with other students, families and friends.
• Funds were for book production materials from Creations by You, Inc and shipping of manuscripts back and forth.

Students with diagnosed, language-based learning disabilities are difficult to inspire to write because they do not feel confident about language structure and spelling.

• When speaking, the children can be very creative with their stories, but when it comes to putting those stories on paper, they have a difficult time.
• Having the ability to talk to the computer, and then having the computer translate what they say into words, gave these students the freedom they need to express their ideas It boosted their confidence and build self-esteem to see their thoughts and words written correctly on paper.
• It also helped them develop better writing and vocabulary skills.
• Funds were for twelve IBM ViaVoice for Macintosh.

The Carnival will be extended to involve the entire student population of Grades T-1 through third grade.

• Last year, with a grant from the New Jersey Association of Gifted Children, Ms. Clementi ran the first "Metric Carnival" for IMS.
• After receiving positive feedback from teachers and students, each class created a "booth".
• All IMS students will visit the metric carnival and participate in games of their choice.
• All games will involve metric measurements and may be math or science related.

According to research, color based information reaches the brain via a different pathway than other visual input.

• Many of Ms. Kemp's special education students have difficulty understanding and implementing the concept of "organization."
• She will use materials funded to set up a color coded approach to organizational processes to assist students in being better prepared for classes and success in school.
• Different colors will be utilized in different situations based on the psychological association of those colors.

Students have a hands on lesson that will allow them to better understand and visualize different aspects of light travel.

• Each year, students in 5th grade science classes have experienced difficulty in understanding how rays of light bend.
• The light rays bend depending upon whether they are traveling through convex and concave lens.
• Using the Rive's Ray Box with its accompanying basic kit, students achieve a "Eureka" moment.

All 8th grade students devised and implemented a plan to repair the current courtyard pond and create a surrounding garden.

• This garden is designed to be both ecologically sensitive and representative of our unique natural surroundings.
• The students researched native Pine Barrens plants, including their availability and maintenance requirements.
• After completion, the entire school community utilized this area for study and instruction.

The diigital microscope allows all students in a Science class to see exactly the same image improving instruction and understanding.

• Mr. Wheeler attended a professional development program that introduced the technology of digital microscopy.
• A Boreal Digital Microscope with advanced imaging software (both PC and MAC compatible), manual, lesson plans, activities and instructional plans was purchased.
• While primarily being used by 7th grade science classes, it can also be used by 5th, 6th, and 8th grade science classes.
• Various writing programs will be enhanced through close cooperation between science and language arts teachers.

Students read, discuss and critique books that they read in an after school club.

• Students read and discussed literature, designed newsletters, wrote reviews, made recommendations on books, and created puzzles and other games related to literature.
• Monies were for books to read, books as prizes, and materials to print newsletters.

Using a consensus decision making process, students executed an original mural at IMS.

• Approximately 100 third grade students studied murals as they relate to history and importance to community.
• They then worked in a collaborative manner to select a theme, setting and letter style.
• Students then painted a permanent mural in a hallway that reflects our community.
• Lessons will also include color theory, mixing of acrylic paints, and the handling of brushes, paints and ancillary supplies