Using Reader’s Theatre, Burrel Elementary students read and performed various stories from the Greek Gods to Cleopatra in class to bring stories in literature and in history to life. The goal of this project was to improve reading comprehension and fluency. The reading program allows students to improve their reading skills while having fun and gaining confidence as they performed the scripts in front of the public.
Students in the Ag Biology course at Kerman High School found local resources to grow 88 heads of lettuce using 35 gold fish. They learned all of the bacterial breakdown of Nitrogen and the Nitrogen cycle and were able to incorporate what they learned to monitor the plant health and the fish health. Students learned about the nitrogen cycle, water quality assurance, and raising fish and growing food. They also learned the basics of testing for water quality through a closed system and maintaining the appropriate nitrate and ammonia levels.
Students at Washington Colony have transformed their ability to take quality pictures. Throughout the year they learned about using a digital camera, photography concepts, and editing pictures. Students learned about the different capabilities of digital cameras and started applying them as they made steps to improving their picture quality. Students also took their knowledge of photography concepts and applied them by taking portraits at sporting events, to capturing the beauty around them, and everything in between.
Kepler Neighborhood School has successfully purchased equipment, designed the program, and begun implementation of it’s Minds-in-Motion Maze. Students thoroughly enjoy the colorful brain and body strengthening equipment and exercises. TK & Kinder students are using the twist boards and balance beams to strengthen core muscles and improve balance. They're using bean bags for visual tracking and coordination exercises as well. Exercise mats are used for hurdles, crawling, and rolling exercises.
Battery powered drills are an essential part of the Firebaugh High School Construction Technology program and current trends are seeing an increase in their usage. The Innovation Grant provided the opportunity to increase the availability of these tools for students in the program. Students were able to take the tools to construction competitions, which enabled them to work faster and with more accuracy. With their experience using these tools, students will be better equipped for jobs in the construction industry.
If You Build It, They Will Learn, was a project at Riverdale Elementary School that encouraged students to work collaboratively to build a Rube Goldberg type of machine. Using research, collaboration, engineering practices, physics concepts, design, testing, data collection, refining, and writing and communication skills students worked to solve a problem using a series of simple machines to accomplish a task.
Let it Grow! provided students at Pacific Union Elementary an opportunity to participate in a hands-on learning experience on propagating plants in a greenhouse.
The Math Station project in Ms. de Leon's classroom at Eric White Elementary in Selma Unified, has allowed students to practice math skills at a variety of different levels through the use of iPads and the online program IXL.
The CyberPatriot program at Parlier High School is a National Youth Cyber Education Program created to motivate students toward careers in cybersecurity and other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
The Family Literacy project engaged students and their families in a unit designed to improve reading fluency and comprehension. This project was a continuance of the Family Literacy Nights that were started two years ago to improve reading fluency, comprehension and overall student confidence.