2008 Grant Proposal Details

Sense-sational Science   Howard Elementary

Total: $500

Description:  Students, teachers, and chaperones will travel to Portland to explore the Portland Zoo and McMinnville to explore the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. These two trips will give our students real life experiences with science that will expand their classroom learning.

Why is this important?  One of the reasons we feel these field experiences are important is because it will provide our students with real world experiences centered on the curriculum we are using in the classroom. Books, videos, guest speakers, and Internet explorations will be used to help build on students learning, but only visiting these educational sites will truly expand their knowledge. The value of using all of their senses: touching, smelling, hearing, seeing, and doing is immeasurable for our students. These trips will ignite their curiosity and inspire an ongoing quest for knowledge. We expect that exploring worlds outside of our classrooms will affect our students profoundly. The trips to the Portland Zoo and Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum will address many curriculum goals and grade-level District Standards. These field experiences will cover the following curriculum goals and grade-level standards: English/Language Arts Writing: -Write appropriately for purpose and audience -Create a single paragraph with a topic sentence, simple supporting facts and details, and a concluding sentence. -Write brief reports: include observations and information from two or more sources Research Report Writing: -Understand the structure and organization of various reference materials (e.g., dictionary, maps, non-fiction text, Nettrekker, and other sources) Speaking: -With guidance, organize ideas sequentially or around major points of information. -Provide a beginning, middle, and end, including concrete details that develop a central idea. -With assistance, clarify and enhance oral presentations through the use of appropriate props (e.g., objects, pictures, charts). -Use clear and specific vocabulary to communicate and, with assistance, establish the tone. -Use appropriate intonation and vocal p! atterns to emphasize important points -Maintain good eye contact while speaking. Science: Life Science-Diversity/Interdependence -Understand the relationships among living things and their environments -Explain and analyze the interdependence of organisms in their natural environment -Describe and analyze diversity of species, natural selection, and adaptations -Describe how adaptations help a species survive. Conduct procedures to collect, organize, and display scientific data. Analyze scientific information to develop and present conclusions. Technology: Technology productivity, research, problem solving, and communication tools. Students will use word processor, PowerPoint program, and the Internet to do research. Social Sciences: Historical Skills- Understand, represent, and interpret chronological relationships in history. Understand, recognize, and interpret change and continuity over time. Understand and interpret events, issues, and developments within and across eras of U.S. History.

Who will be served?  Whoserved: Both second grade classes at out Title I school will participate in this learning activity. (aprox. 50 students).

How will this be evaluated?  The students will be inspired to learn about all of the organisms at the Oregon Zoo and the principles of flight because of the up coming field trips. While at the zoo and museum, students will need to take digital pictures of what they saw as well as written notes. Then students will create a slide show of their trip that will summarize what they have learned. The teacher and student will score their work and presentation on a rubric. The real life experiences will be a new educational experiences for many second graders especially those that are learning English as a Second Language and many of those that have not seen, touched, or smelled animals in a zoo setting and/or museum before due to economic hardships. (About 80% of our second graders are receiving free or reduced lunches.) These two trips should help to inspire their writing and their future education/careers.

Does this build on existing programs?  This field experience will give the students real life connections to their curriculum and grade level goals. To prepare for our trip to the aviation and space museum students will read, write, research flight and space. Students will use create slide show presentations summarizing the forces on flight and the various types of vehicles that take us up in the sky and beyond. The history and forces of flight that they have studied in class will come to life in the museum that offers flight simulators and life size replicas and artifacts. Seeing the dreams of the Wright Brothers expanding to so much more can make their dreams more reachable. To prepare for the field trip to the zoo students will read, write, research, and speak about an animal of their choosing. Their preparation will include skills in technology, reading, writing, and speaking. Seeing the aircraft and animals in person will bring to life what they have learned in the classroom.

Budget:  Entrance fees: Oregon Zoo 50 x $3 = $150 -- Habitat Class 2 x $50/class = $100 Bus Fee to Zoo = $450 (aprox) -- Evergreen Aviation and Space Museu 50 x $17 = $850 Bus Fee to Museum = $450 (aprox) -- Total $2,000

Proposal #:  53