Putting Children First - 2010/2011 Math Grant Winners

	2010/2011 Math Grant Winners
Teachers Name and School	Grant Title and Brief Synopsis

Crissy Cade / 2 Carters Valley Elementary	The Making of Mentoring Mini-Mathletes Every day we use basic math skills. These skills are the first math we are introduced to at school. It is also the most difficult for some students to grasp. What better way is there to reinforce these basic skills than to teach what you know? This project is a partnership between fourth and second grade students. The fourth grade students are able to share their experiences and knowledge with the second grade students who are just starting to learn from these concepts. Twice a month, students will meet for their mentoring math session. During these sessions, teachers will assign math related games to aid students' progress in class. Teachers will monitor these sessions looking for understanding from the students. Benchmark test throughout the year will monitor the amount of success the project is creating.
Kelsey Taylor / K-7 Nickelsville Elementary	Using IXL to Improve Mathematics Instruction IXL is a web based math practice site for students in K-8. IXL provides instruction and practice for every VA math standard in grades K-8. IXL leads students through thousands of skills and questions that are developed to address students of various learning styles. The site is both teacher and student friendly. Teachers are able to easily organize and assign lessons that correlate perfectly with the VA SOLs. Students enjoy the vibrant graphics and images which allows the student to earn rewards as they master each math skill. Teachers are able to easily track student progress and modify classroom instruction for students identified as tier II or III in our school wide RtI (Response to Intervention) program.
Anne Smith / K-3 Kingsley Elementary	You and Me Math You and Me Math program focuses on family involvement and improving student math skills. We feel that while teachers are doing an outstanding job of teacher math skills in the classroom, students are not practicing math skills outside of the classroom. You and Me Math bags will encourage family involvement. The bags will be filled with simple games and activities for the family to do and will allow all elementary age children in the family to practice basic math skills. We will focus on number operations, algebra, math processes, and geometry because these are the areas our students consistently score low on ThinkLink and the TCAP. Games and activities will be bought that will help the students strengthen their skills in these areas. Families can then check these bags out from the Library.
Amy Ford / 3-5 Mountain View Elementary	Math Mountain Museum (Geometry Gems) This grant award would be used to create an interactive math museum for teacher resources and manipulatives. The new Tennessee math standards have required more coverage this year than in previous years. The geometry strand has become a focus at our school. The geometry standards are completely new for each grade level. Therefore, results have shown from standardized testing, a greater need for more teacher knowledge and a change of facilitation and pedagogy to meet these new standards. In order to improve student achievement, teachers will need to have the tools necessary to help students master the new rigorous standards. These geometry resources located in Math Mountain Museum will enable teachers to have these tools at their fingertips to achieve this goal.
Alyson Dowda / K Rock Springs Elementary	Leap into Learning with Leapsters Video games in the classroom? Why not? The education philosopher John Dewey said "if we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow." So, why not embrace the technology we have today to teach the curriculum, as well as the skills students need for tomorrow's technology-based world. The Leapster 2 is a handheld gaming system that allows students to learn math and reading skills from animated games on an interactive touch screen. From the student's perspective, this interactive technology is a fun way to learn and satisfies the need for high-stimulus activities. From a teacher's perspective, it is an exciting learning tool that offers the best feature a teacher can ask for which is customizable student learning. The online software that comes with Leapster 2 allows teachers to set appropriate skill levels for each student's individual needs. Then it automatically advances successful students to work at a higher level and allows teachers to see student progress.
Cindi Roberts / 2 Joseph Rogers Primary	Making Math Meaningful….and Fun! The Making Math Meaningful and Fun program will be a 2nd grade enrichment program incorporating manipulatives, games, vocabulary, and math based literature into the math curriculum. This program will allow the adopted math textbook to be supplemented in order to meet the math standards and reach a higher order level of thinking among students. In addition, students will be allowed to check out items and take them home for further learning and involvement of their families.
Anthony Peters / 9-12 Sullivan South HS	Trigonometry and Civil Engineering Which would you rather do? Sit in a classroom and work problems from a book about finding the missing side of a triangle or actually go outside, lay the triangle out on the ground using an industrial-grade transit and measure the missing side? If you are like most of today's students, you would rather have the hands-on experience of working problems out in a real setting. This is something that is not easily done in a trigonometry classroom without the proper tools to perform the task. Students can better learn these math skills if they are given the chance for some "hands-on" activities using industrial-grade equipment. A secondary goal will be to have students do collaborative work and consensus building in small group settings. Students will work in groups of three or four to conduct each surveying lab. Each person will have a specific job to do in the lab (instrument man, rod man, note-taker, and spokesperson) with these roles rotating with each subsequent lab. Each student will have to perform their part well in order for the group to be successful. A grade will be given to the group upon completion of the task.
Debra Pearcy / 6 Ross N. Robinson	Excited Students + Great Manipulatives = Improved Results! The goal of this proposal is to take the geometry concepts taught and tested at the sixth grade level in Tennessee from the abstract to the concrete in my classroom. Students will be given the opportunity to create, measure, build, break apart, and genuinely explore geometry with their hands. Students will be given opportunities to learn through a constructivist approach with teacher facilitated activities and not just from words in a book. The construction of knowledge should develop deeper meaning to the student and retained understanding through purposeful practice. Geometry concepts will not merely be in black and white on paper, they will come to life.
Rebecca Hale / 1 Lake Ridge Elementary	Family Math = Fun Math Family Math = Fun Math is designed to encourage families to spend time together while participating in fun, educational math activities. It is believed that when parents view learning (especially math) as important, children are more likely to be successful students. The purpose of this proposal is to equip families with weekly take home activities that will provide practice of target math skills covered over the year in class, thus sending first grade students on to second grade with a more solid mathematical foundation. Students and their families will practice key first grade math concepts using a variety of mathematical literature (fiction and non-fiction), games, and hands-on manipulatives. Families will first read a storybook together, discuss, then play a game or interact with manipulatives that focus on the target math concepts seen in the book. Families will enjoy math together as they spend valuable "playtime" learning and practicing math in fun and exciting new ways.
Brian Tate/Lora Hopkins / 9-12 Dobyns-Bennett HS	Movin' on in Science and Math Technology use within the classroom increases ability and skill level of all students but especially low-achievement students (Hodge, 2009). With the funding of this grant, we would like to build upon the basic graphing calculator with additional technology that will enable students, especially lower achieving students, to collect data, display the data, predict from the data, and compare predictions with real-time occurrences by equipping our department with 8 motion lab devices designed by the Vernier Company. These devices will allow the data to be collected using a TI-84 calculator and along with the accompanying software, display the data for the students to analyze. The funds of this grant, along with matching funds already secured will allow for an entire class to be running experiments and collecting data at the same time. Unlike many materials, this lab can be used by multiple departments (Science and Math) for multiple courses and activities thus benefitting numerous students of all achievement levels.
Tara Harrell / All Grade Levels Hawkins County Schools	Math in Motion Today's students live in an on-demand technology world. Internet, ipods, video games, DSLs; the list goes on. What do we do as teachers? We strip down their technology as they enter our classrooms. No music allowed! No cell phones allowed! We are trying to educate our children for the 21st century, using a 1900's model. Math in Motion turns an ordinary math classroom into a lab of experimentation by blending these worlds of old and new. By using Vernier products, teachers can update the teaching tools of the past. Take a calculator and overhead projector into the future; into the 21st century. Vernier Software and Technology uses data collection tools and software for science and math educators. Vernier products are highly regarded for their ease of use, reliability, and affordability. Their sensors allow students to collect data with computers, calculators, and Palm PoweredTM Handhelds. Designed specifically for educators, Vernier sensors are perfect for enhancing instruction in math and science from grade school through college.
Misha Croley / 1 Lamar Elementary	Math Sacks: Connecting Math, Literature, and Family Involvement This project is designed to reinforce first grade math skills through family involvement. Math Sacks are an exciting way to encourage families to become actively involved in their child's learning through meaningful and enjoyable weekly hands-on math activities. Large tote bags filled with math related fiction/nonfiction literature, activities, manipulatives, games and/or videos about a specific topic discussed in first grade math will be the contents for Math Sacks. The purpose is to provide additional math and reading time outside the classroom setting. Families will be provided with meaningful and enjoyable math activities to interact with their child. These sacks will enhance math skills and provide an opportunity for family involvement. These "take home bags' will be directly linked to the first grade math curriculum in areas of number and operation, algebra, geometry, measurement, and data analysis and probability.
Glenda Crowe / 6 Jonesborough Middle School	Problem-Solving, Literature, and Games: Gateways to Internalizing Mathematical Concepts Too often our classrooms are filled with mundane exercises and repetitive drills, and when students struggle with mastery of concepts, more of the same are prescribed. While this approach works for some who are self-motivated, it often does little for those who see no relevance in the material and have no desire to improve. And what about those who finish early with assignments? Should they be given extra work or allowed to sit idle? How can they be kept engaged and interested rather than bored? Providing learning stations with materials which allow students to explore or reinforce mathematical concepts are one answer. These stations would have materials which would be rotated periodically as new skills and concepts are introduced or as other needs arise. Allowing students to make connection on their own via literature, real-world situations, role-play, and active involvement makes them responsible for their own learning through avenues which are non-threatening to them.
Amanda Cash / 4 Lamar School	All in the Family" Math Night "All in the Family" Math Night is an opportunity to strengthen the mathematical aptitudes of students through the power of family interaction. This activity will be a fun evening of educational games, activities, stories, and family time. Students and families will rotate through hands-on stations that highlight a specific mathematics strand of the curriculum. Each activity is designed to promote mathematical thinking and communication. The hands-on approach used at the event will help make learning math a meaningful and productive process for all involved. The concepts presented at each math station will help students learn essential new skills and reinforce skills already learned in the classroom. Increased understanding and enthusiasm of math needs to start at home. The materials purchased will not only be used during the "All in the Family" Math Night but will also be used daily in the classroom.
Barbara Gamble / Pre-K Jackson Elementary	What's for Lunch? Manipulatives to Go The "What's for Lunch? Manipulatives to Go" program is proposed as a Pre-Kindergarten math enrichment program. The program will feature manipulative kits in lunch boxes. Each lunch box kit will address the math objectives being taught in the classroom. The students will receive a "Menu of Manipulatives to Go" with all the math lunch boxes listed. The students will choose the lunch box kits each week until they have completed the menu. The lunch box kits will be used in the classroom and as a take-home parent connection activity.