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FORENSIC SCIENCE
$311, Susan Sernoffsky, Manchester High School, Grade 10
Ms. Sernoffsky will be adding a unit on forensic science to the
10th grade Core Life Science course. Students will be divided
into teams and assigned “crimes” to investigate. The project
will give students an opportunity to model scientific inquiry,
basing conclusions on observable evidence. Each group will
collect evidence, perform various scientific tests, determine
their findings and present their report to the class.
ROBOT DESIGN
$1,500, Beth Penney and Chris Prytko, Manchester High School,
Grades 9-12
Ms. Penney and Mr. Prytko’s students will work together to
create a robot and compete in a Robotics competition. The
classes will work on in the areas of electronics, robotics and
computer design, integrating the different disciplines.
Students will participate in problem solving, engineering design
and team-building.
CSI MANCHESTER
$575, Cindy Bars and Kate Dias, Manchester High School, Grades
9-10
Students will participate in solving fictional crimes that have
occurred at school, creating a real world connection to
classroom learning and an opportunity to apply mathematical and
science kills in an engaging evening program. Using “forensic
kits” that allow students to use fingerprinting materials, blood
typing equipment, “bone/skeletal” fragments, and analyze hairs
and fibers, the students will be divided into teams to solve the
crime and present their findings in writing. This is a true
interdisciplinary activity that will also provide for career
study and opportunity.
AFTER SCHOOL SOCIAL ACTIVITY CLUB
$200, Cheri Cavanna, Deborah Heneghan and Leslie
Wolfenden, Illing Middle School, Grade 7
The after school club is designed to develop and foster social
skills for disabled and non-disabled students. The students
will participate in structured activities including crafts,
ice-breakers and board games. Students will practice skills
including turn-taking, making eye-contact, waiting your turn,
following directions and resolving conflicts, and how to
incorporate these skills into students’ school day. Emphasis
will be placed on how to make and maintain friendships.
LITERACY/SCIENCE KITS
$1,800, Sandy Lambert, Literacy Facilitator Coordinator,
Elementary Schools
The elementary literacy facilitators will create kits for each
school with materials teachers can use to strengthen student
skills in literacy and science, which are the two themes to be
emphasized on the 2007 Connecticut Mastery Tests. Each kit will
be designed for a grade level and shared among the district’s
Title I elementary schools. Each kit will contain topic-related
fiction and non-fiction books, music, art, puppets, videos, and
family based extension activities that can be done at home,
further supporting the curriculum and involving families in the
process.
MULTICULTURAL HERITAGE PROJECT
$150, Candida Lowe and Teresa Maturino, Washington Media Arts
Magnet School, Grade 5
Using appropriate technology, fifth grade students will research
historic materials, synthesizing the data with their own
families’ experiences to create a written composition, an oral
presentation and a visual representation. The student’s
projects will be presented to family members and school staff,
giving students opportunities to develop and improve
communication skills.
AUDIOBOOKS FOR ALL
$600, Corinne Colman, Nathan Hale Elementary School, Grades 2-4
This project is designed to improve student literacy through the
use of audiobooks, which when paired with the matching text, can
improve skills among emergent readers. The audiobooks, along
with cassette players and companion print books will be stored
in the library and students will be able to check them out, just
like a print book. The audio books help students develop
critical listening skills, such as main ideas, details,
sequencing and predicting, as well as expanding attention
spans. Students can also listen to the books with their
parents, providing an important opportunity for parents and
children to discuss topics and content and how they reflect on
the family’s own stories and traditions. The books will also
introduce younger family members to books above their current
reading level.
FAMILY HERITAGE READING AND WRITING CONNECTION
$150, Michelle McKnight, Washington Media Arts Magnet School,
Grade 3
Students will organize and complete a family heritage personal
narrative by using appropriate materials and technology to
develop reading and writing skills. At the end of the project,
students will also make an oral presentation to families and
staff. Through this project, students will be able to learn
about their families through talking with family members about
experiences and linking those experiences to the community,
state and world.
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