The Innovation Grant awarded to Coalinga High School allowed Mrs. Aguilar to update and provide multi-sensory activities and resources in her sensory room. From oozing visual timers and therapy putty, to color changing blocks and a tactile interactive wall panel; these items have been used as positive reinforcements and have been incorporated into the student's individualized schedules.
Students at Kingsburg Elementary School utilized heart rate monitors to track and collect their effort during physical activity using the Heart Zone WASP system. The benefits of such a system was to collect individual fitness data to promote objective learning through a data driven platform. This type of system encouraged communication between the teacher, parent and the student in an effort to improve the student’s fitness and learning, while incorporating the parents into promoting a healthy lifestyle support team.
Poetry Luau Night at Jackson Elementary in Selma Unified was a success! Close to 100 family members attended and celebrated the love of poetry. Students wore matching t-shirts that they designed and read poetry to their families with incredible confidence. Everyone enjoyed desserts, lemonade, and signed autographs. The evening was recorded and a movie is being made for the students to take home as an end of the year gift. Not only was the love of reading instilled and confidence built, but most importantly it was an event for the whole family to enjoy.
The Riverdale High School FFA installed a Smart Greenhouse Remote Monitoring System to maintain a controlled temperature and moisture level within the greenhouse environment. Extreme temperature and moisture levels can kill plants within hours. Students planned, budgeted, ordered, and assembled components.
Students in the Migrant Program at Parlier High School were able to participate in two, two-hour events that were science related. The students who participated had a wonderful time learning about science and engineering practices through the art of making. Students made various projects such as bots, motor cars, and rockets. The activities that the students participated in allowed them to collaborate and work in teams. Students would get competitive and wanted to be as creative as they could be.
Students at Pacific Union Elementary had a chance to explore bridge building first hand with the K'nex bridge building kits. They selected a bridge to build and then had to work in groups of 5 to build it. Each group chose a different style of bridge to build and really enjoyed the experience. Through trial and error they were able to complete their bridges. Let’s Cross That Bridge After We Build It! was a STEM project that encompassed multiple curriculums and provided an opportunity for students to work collaboratively in the classroom in a way they enjoyed.
Students who may fall, spill, or have a personal hygiene issue at Monroe Elementary will be served with an on-site washer and dryer to help promote and maintain proper hygiene that leads to good health and attendance. This will alleviate the stress on families to provide clothing or leave work to pick up their children. Additionally, having an on-site way to clean school-issued athletic uniforms will prevent loss of these costly items and will assist in maintaining items in good condition.
Orange Cove High students were able to purchase both tools and materials to build this years Deep Space Robot. The objective of the game was to create a robot that was able to shoot dodge balls into rocket ships and collect panels to place on cargo ships, and our robot was successful in doing both. Students learned how to work together to build a robot, create a business plan, plan out the steps in accomplishing the objective, and a finance plan that included a cost analysis of the materials used to create the robot.