GRANT
AWARDS
Round 28 - Spring, 2001 (Page 1
of 3)
ELEMENTARY LEVEL
AWARDS
Title: Blast Off
Level: Elementary
School: Bentworth Elementary Center, Bentworth School District
Contact: Virginia Vasko, Cathy Wonsettler
Fourth grade students will explore the universe
by discovering the theories, designs and methods
of rocket science. The exploration of the cosmos
will be culminated with the launching and recovery
of student-made rockets.
Title: Under the Dirt
Level: Elementary
School: Bentworth Elementary Center, Bentworth School District
Contact: Kelly R. Jenkins
"Under the Dirt" finds fourth graders
learning about the "Lifestyles of the Small
but Mighty". Students will learn about worms
and their value to the earth and life on the
earth – plants, birds, fish, people. Through
their immersion into the lives of worms, the
children will study science, social studies,
math and language arts.
Title: The Great Escape
Level: Elementary
School: Bentworth Elementary Center, Bentworth School District
Contact: Virginia Vasko, Kelly Jenkins, Joy Gazi, Judy Zolak, Sara Greenlee
This grant will transform the school halls into
the Underground Railroad as fourth graders study
about southern slaves seeking their freedom in
northern states. Students will examine the life
and culture of Blacks in slavery, learn how they
survived on their journey to the North, and understand
the struggle for freedom. Reading, English, math,
social studies and science lessons will revolve
around this theme. As a culminating activity,
the students portraying slaves, Union and Confederate
soldiers, abolitionists and plantation owners
will host an evening called "The Flight
for Freedom" to demonstrate what they have
learned.
Title: Cowdogs and Crime Fighters
Level: Elementary
School: Hiller Elementary School, Brownsville Area School District
Contact: Martha E. Davis, Kevin Kelley, Lori Sabo, Ray Ebbert
Building on fourth, fifth and sixth graders’ natural
love of animals, adventure and the Old West,
this project seeks to engage students in listening,
reading and writing activities that will promote
reading and improve reading comprehension.
Title: Little Red Hen
Level: Elementary
School: Cox-Donahey Elementary School, Brownsville Area School District
Contact: Rae Lyn Duke
This grant will use animals as a theme and real-life
experience to enhance student interest in learning
in several subject areas. Students will learn
about egg incubation and will care for the school
hens. Science, reading, math, and language arts
lessons will be built around the excitement of
observing these and other animals in the school
and classroom.
Title: Terrariums Across Town
Level: Elementary
School: Duquesne Elementary School, Duquesne City School District
Contact: Darlene Lengel, Terri Harris, Lori Oleksak, Jim Pash, Mary
Ellen Yanity
Through this environmental awareness grant,
special education students will create terrariums
and then share them with elderly residents as
a welcome for spring. Students will learn about
household plants that may be used in a terrarium,
including the light and water requirements for
each plant. The students will learn how to construct
the terrarium from gravel to soil to plants.
They will also make decorative animals from seashells
for the terrarium. Finally the students will
visit the local senior citizen high rise to deliver
the terrariums for the residents to enjoy.
Title: The Garden of Happiness:
Cultivating a Community
Level: Elementary
School: White Oak Elementary School, McKeesport Area School District
Contact: Stephanie Budd, Erin Abrams, Trudy Giammario, Joanne Hoffman,
Alice Saxon, Constance Nichols, Adrienne Stewart, Pam Kamerer, Rula Skezas, Sandy
Hrabley, Michelle Pasternak
Using the story, The Garden of Happiness, as
inspiration, this grant project will find fourth
graders participating in a multi-disciplinary
study and actively involved in beautifying the
grounds around the flagpole at their school.
The children will not only learn about plants
and flowers but will also create and paint a
mural. The dedication of this special area will
be on Earth Day, 2001.
Title: Awaking to an Alarm
Level: Elementary
School: Centennial Elementary School, McKeesport Area School District
Contact: Ashlee M. Stephenson, Gail Miracle
This grant hopes to address the issue of tardiness
at school as it teaches children how to use an
alarm clock. The children will learn how to tell
time, how to set an alarm clock and time-management
skills. Parental involvement will also be a key
component of this project.
Title: Flight Into Nature
Level: Elementary
School: Monessen City Elementary School, Monessen City School District
Contact: Alice Pastella, Maureen Yelletz, Eva Matinsky, Dayna Frolo
In this environmental awareness project, students
will learn about the butterfly lifecycle and
flowering plant growth cycles and will adopt
an acre of Dominican Republic rain forest. Students
will follow their environmental theme through
language arts, social studies and science lessons.
The study will culminate with a butterfly release
with their parents in celebration of Earth Day.
Title: Solar Horsepower Derby
Level: Elementary
School: Port Vue Elementary School, South Allegheny School District
Contact: Debra J. Pliska, Stephen Slafka, Joan Adams, Sharon Schwab, Sharon
Kerti, Arlene Gaydos, Linda Lesnak
Sixth graders will apply their knowledge of
solar energy in creating a workable and usable
object of transportation. Students will investigate
the variables that affect solar energy transfer.
Using this information, they will build a model
solar car to race against other student-built
models. Through this first-hand experience, the
students will learn about solar energy as an
alternative source of power.
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