Innovative Teaching Grants

2012-20132013-20142014-20152015-20162016-20172017-20182018-2019
# of applications111119292627
# of grants59715181320
$ of awards$6,555$31,755$10,841$55,660$54,329$60,269$80,070

2018-2019

Escape From the Library

Award: $1,376
Level: Elementary
Students Impacted: 553
Subjects: Library Science, Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies
School/Dept: Conley Elementary
We need to develop problem solving activities that combine academics, teamwork and problem solving skills. The goal of this project is getting our students to value and improve teamwork, while applying their academic knowledge and their problem solving skills. STAAR data show we need growth with problem-solving and inferencing. Determination of success will be measured by completion of the academic challenges, and the improvement of or the reduction in time it takes to solve the code.


Automaticity Development in Mathematics

Award: $6,000
Level: Elementary
Students Impacted: 1,000
Subjects: Mathematics
School/Dept: Mathematics
In grades K-3 we encourage the use of strategies for fact recall. This leads to more effective learning and better retention. It also helps with developing mental math skills and number sense. Research published by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), states that students who cannot retrieve basic facts easily get lost and cannot follow the logic of an explanation given by the teacher when the problems are embedded within more complex mathematic operations such as simple algebra or long division. The goal of the project is to support teachers helping students to become fluent in mathematics and to develop a robust sense of number.


Let’s Go Camping in the Middle School Mathematics Classroom

Award: $4,236
Level: Middle School
Students Impacted: 12,000
Subjects: Mathematics, Instructional Technology
School/Dept: Mathematics
This project seeks to bring Brain Camping to middle school Mathematics classrooms. This is a virtual manipulative tool to be utilized with hands-on manipulatives that are in the classrooms. The project will provide mathematics teachers and students with the ability to move from concrete to representational with the use of technology in individual and group settings. The goal is to provide students with a 21st century learning environment prior to entering high school and to increase the use of technology in the instructional setting.


Numerical Fluency: The Building Blocks to Mathematics

Award: $6,000
Level: EC/PK/K
Students Impacted: 1,000
Subjects: Mathematics
School/Dept: Mathematics
Numerical fluency and number sense for young children is fundamental in learning formal math concepts and new skills. Developing number sense in young children is a prerequisite for developing higher level mathematical skills that lead to conceptual knowledge. Number sense facilitates problem solving, reasoning, discussing mathematical ideas and is the foundational building block for all strands of mathematics. The goal of this project is to not only provide support to teachers, but to also inform them of the importance of building number sense and fluency in the primary years. Professional development will be held to discuss and monitor growth in math.


Supporting Campus Coding Clubs of Aldine

Award: $870
Level: Elementary/Middle School
Students Impacted: 500
Subjects: Math, Science, Technology, and Computer Science
School/Dept: Grantham Middle School
This project is for Makey Makey STEM kits for selected elementary and middle school campuses to start and support the establishment of Aldine ISD's first ever Campus Coding Clubs. There is an urgent need for computer science in Aldine as before this school year, there weren't any computer science classes offered in the district. The goal is to provide all AISD students an opportunity to learn how to code with Google CS First, Scratch and physical computing with Makey Makeys. The project can be determined a success with a year-end District Computer Science event for all coding clubs to create and make using Makey-Makeys and more!


Building Mathematicians: Math Fluency without Fear

Award: $5,000
Level: Elementary
Students Impacted: 1,100
Subjects: Mathematics
School/Dept: Mathematics
Number sense for young children is fundamental in learning formal math concepts and skills in elementary school. Developing number sense in young children is a prerequisite for developing higher-level mathematical skills that lead to conceptual knowledge. Number sense facilitates problem solving, reasoning, discussing mathematical ideas and is the foundational building block for all strands of mathematics. The goal of this project is to not only support teachers but to also inform them of the importance of building number sense and fluency in the developmental years of learning. Professional development will be held to discuss and monitor student growth in math.


Being More 3-Dimensional: Exposure, Exploration & Experience

Award: $7,476
Level: High School
Students Impacted: 520
Subjects: Visual Arts
School/Dept: Visual Arts
The Being More 3-D E,E & E proposal is designed to fill a gap in the Art 1 curriculum. Students get exposure, exploration, and experience in the clay arena, so they can choose which art class to continue in during their high school art careers. The one area that many art teachers do not teach in the Art 1 curriculum is ceramics/clay. The 9th grade campuses and the high schools all have kilns so campuses have the capability of reaching this goal. The students enjoy working with clay, but the lack of universities offering ceramic classes leads to teachers being hesitant to run the kilns because they have little or no knowledge in the process or mechanics of the kilns. This need will be met through exposure to working with 3-D artists, exploration of the Houston Center of Contemporary Craft (which focuses on 3-D) and experience with a hands on ceramic project.


The Super Friends Project

Award: $3,201
Level: Elementary
Students Impacted: 300
Subjects: Reading, Visual Arts
School/Dept: Dunn Elementary
We want to propose a Graphic Novel Library for the third, fourth, and fifth grade ELA classrooms. Many of my students have a passion for drawing and art but do not get to have an outlet for their creativity. Making graphic novels available to them will inspire them to pursue artistic expression and share their own stories. The diversity of representation would be an opportunity for students to see themselves in these graphic novels not only in character descriptions but in the illustrations themselves. They will follow along in this unique format carefully following along the script in text bubbles and often in narration.


A Book Baggie for My Back Pack

Award: $5,200
Level: Elementary
Students Impacted: 54
Subjects: Reading
School/Dept: Dunn Elementary
Learning to read is a vital life skill. In order to become competent readers, students must read at home. Many of our students do not have access to quality children's literature, on their independent reading level, to read at home. Students are only permitted to check out two library books per week at school and they often choose books which are not at their level. This project would allow students to "check out" a baggie of 6-10 books at their reading level, to take home and read. Doing so will increase their reading ability and should be reflected in better test scores.


Young Journalists of America

Award: $3,967
Level: Elementary
Students Impacted: 650
Subjects: ELA, Writing
School/Dept: Eckert Elementary
1st - 5th grade students will enhance their writing ability through our newsroom style writing lab. The teacher will facilitate grade-level appropriate, instructionally balanced literacy strategies targeting the academic, social and emotional needs of each student. Instruction in the lab will utilize research-based writing in correlation with Level Up Broadcast. Learners will author content, produce a news segment, and ultimately present their writing as news anchors. This grant will provide resources such as writing kits and resources for research. Mastery will be monitored via local tests, Benchmark and STAAR Writing scores.


Life Is a Cabaret

Award: $1,275
Level: High School
Students Impacted: 130
Subjects: English, Theater, Choir, Music, History
School/Dept: Eisenhower High School
Our society's dependence on using technology to communicate with each other has created a need for programs that help our students develop public speaking and public performance oriented skill sets. Soloistic and cabaret style singing lends itself to the application of these skills in an artistic manner. Students will learn how to speak, sing and interact with a live audience while honing their singing and acting techniques. In turn they will be able to apply these skills in their future careers and garner experience communicating with a live audience.


Flex Their Brains

Award: $7,495
Level: High School
Students Impacted: 595
Subjects: Biology
School/Dept: Eisenhower Ninth Grade
We want to address the learning gaps of our students by providing remediation using technology and enhancing their knowledge of technology through a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) organization. Our goal is to enhance the academic performance of students that are not at mastery level in Biology through intensive remediation and reinforcement. Additionally, our students need an avenue to explore 3D technological advances and career opportunities in science. The students will explore the use of technology to meet every day practical needs. Success will be measured by attainment of concept mastery for specific skills and specific products produced.


Skinny Reads for Busy Teens

Award: $5,264
Level: High School
Students Impacted: 600
Subjects: Reading
School/Dept: Eisenhower Ninth Grade
By the time students begin high school their interest in reading is waning. Yet, as educators, we know that reading skills are essential for academic success. Our goal is to bring our students back to reading by providing them with books that fit four criteria. The books will be shorter in length, less intimidating to the struggling reader. Books will be provided that cover a wide readability spectrum and that anyone can successfully finish. We will provide a wider selection of graphic novels and manga which are student favorites. These selections have been shown through research to increase vocabulary and literature skills. We will also increase the number of books that represent the cultures of the students at our school.


Mindcreation

Award: $1,106
Level: Middle School
Students Impacted: 56
Subjects: STEM, Art
School/Dept: Hoffman Middle School
Our students need to be creative and to be problem solvers to become the Nation's Best. They also need to be able to communicate and interact with others to become the productive citizens that we want them to be. By providing our students materials to express their creativity in solving a problem or providing materials to build electronics and circuits, we give them the outlet to use and develop these skills. Students that participate in the program will complete projects involving creating from given materials and building from given electronic components. Completed projects will be documented and students will journal as they work together on the project.


Interactive Music Room

Award: $1,487
Level: EC/PK/K
Students Impacted: 800
Subjects: Music, Science, Social Studies
School/Dept: Keeble EC/PK/K
The music room would be equipped with Chromebooks, gigantic floor keyboards, and table piano keyboards to be used by students on a rotation basis within the general music classroom. The Chromebooks will allow learners to use interactive applications of music theory websites and apps. The gigantic floor keyboards technology will develop gross motor coordination, fine motor skills and language skills. Piano keyboard instructions will support students’ development of self-esteem, coordination and concentration. Each student will have the opportunity to experience hands on piano keyboard playing and computer keyboard playing.


Sensory Room Project

Award: $5,980
Level: Middle School
Students Impacted: 74
Subjects: Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies, Special Education
School/Dept: Lewis Middle School
This grant will be used to provide a sensory room for our students in special education. Most students who have followed a neuro-typical developmental pattern are able to process their environment effectively. However, students in special education need alternative strategies incorporated into their daily routines to process the world they live in. The Sensory Room will assess the following: the sensory learning differences, student engagement and long-term goals by embedding the TEKS objectives and IEP goals into the various sensory activities in the sensory room. We will participate in baseline and ongoing data collection to determine the success of this program.


Raised Garden Beds

Award: $737
Level: High School
Students Impacted: 200
Subjects: Science
School/Dept: MacArthur High School
In order to increase hands-on learning, I am looking to build three raised garden beds. I have many ESL students who benefit from hands on learning. I also plan to include our science department and special education department to enjoy the process. Through the garden beds, the students and I will illustrate concepts such as erosion, weathering, sedimentation, the difference between soil and dirt, and other concepts. This project also benefits from being a permanent fixture so the process can be repeated over the future years as well.


Cultivating the Leader Within

Award: $4,475
Level: High School
Students Impacted: 2,000
Subjects: Education, Training, Leadership
School/Dept: MacArthur High School
The goal is to transform the culture of our school by cultivating a body of great leaders. By adapting "The Seven Habits", students will discover their voices, know their purpose, uncover unique gifts, and gain the courage to: set heady goals, plan, prioritize, organize, and take responsibility. This program will require each participant to maintain good time and attendance, improve grades, decrease referrals, and maintain a daily calendar, to do lists, and goal setting graphic organizers. The desired outcome: student empowerment!


Oh, The Places We Will Go

Award: $7,498
Level: Elementary
Students Impacted: 150
Subjects: Reading, Writing, Social Studies
School/Dept: Parker Elementary
This project will address the reading and writing needs of fourth grade students who are significantly below level and those with limited English proficiency. The project will provide parent workshops in person and using technology so that parents can help their children improve their reading and writing skills. The project seeks to provide parents and students with the resources needed to close significant gaps that exist in the areas of reading and writing. By using technology and through quality instruction, the project seeks to help students gain confidence in their abilities and meet grade level standards on assessments in reading and writing.


Accessing the World Creates Our Future

Award: $1,427
Level: Elementary
Students Impacted: Language Arts, Science, Performing Arts
Subjects: Elementary
School/Dept: Stephens Elementary
This project will develop a program for students to interact with non-handicapped peers to produce dramatic plays and improve parent engagement. Students will utilize dramatic activities to reinforce communication practice. Student performances will provide educational enrichment and foster an exciting learning environment. Varied avenues assist children to develop social and communication skills. Opportunities that students experience foster an environment that opens all eyes to the possibilities. Autism should not be a limiting condition. Experiencing the performing arts can provide an educational experience which helps to close academic gaps.

2017-2018

Mastering Writing through Virtual Reality

Award: $720
Level: Middle School
Students Impacted: 450
Subjects: English, Language Arts
School/Dept: Aldine ISD Middle Schools
The purpose of this grant is to add virtual reality goggles into every 7th grade classroom and offer an engaging and interactive instructional method designed to enhance students' writing proficiency. The ability to extend a lesson and explore learning in this interactive way will enhance students' interest in the writing process by providing new images and virtual experiences to their reference points - expanding their vocabulary, and inspiring them to craft more vivid descriptions in their writing. This award provided funds for a pilot project at one Middle School campus.


Digital Media and Printmaking

Award: $7,465
Level: High School
Students Impacted: 420
Subjects: Art
School/Dept: Aldine Ninth Grade
Many students do not feel that what they learn in school, especially art class, can apply to their lives or the world. Thus, they think it is all a waste of time. There is a definite need for student integration into the classroom, and classroom integration into the world. By creating projects which will promote student interest and develop creative skills, our students will become better thinkers, learners, creators, and overall better citizens. It is also important to relate lessons to historical and contemporary topics. We intend to use political propaganda posters as a point of departure for these lessons. We will look at propaganda from WWII to present day to gain context and understanding of the project. Students will also discover how art has been a driving force during social and political movements. Along with art, students will learn about history, technology, literature, and psychology.


Building a Bridge Connecting Students to STEAM

Award: $1,496
Level: Elementary
Students Impacted: 870
Subjects: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math
School/Dept: Black Elementary
This proposal seeks to create a Maker Space with a "toolbox" for curriculum based library lesson stations for all students to engage in during library time. Having access to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math kits and tools will help to develop our students' competencies through hands-on projects. The lessons will promote asking questions, solving problems, computational thinking, obtaining, evaluating and communicating information.


Lights, Action, Camera (or Plan, Pre-write, Produce)

Award: $7,441
Level: High School
Students Impacted: 60
Subjects: Language Arts
School/Dept: Davis High School
The goal of this grant is to increase student writing quality using a journalistic approach as the base for all stories produced online. The project will impact those involved in the program by requiring a higher quality of writing to accompany all video stories. Written stories created by students will be published weekly on the student managed media site. Program success will be determined based on both viewership (as determined by site analytics) and written story quality as determined by the instructor.


Traveling the World through Reading

Award: $6,000
Level: Elementary
Students Impacted: 600
Subjects: Reading, Language Arts
School/Dept: Dunn Elementary
This proposal seeks to bring the world to students through books. The project is designed to foster a love for reading, helping children realize that, to begin learning about a country and its culture, all they need is a book in the comfort of their own reading space. Students choose one book from the ten featured countries. They read, talk, and write about it. On their passports, a written opinion piece will state why they recommend the country of their choice based on their readings.


"Au"-some Learners Exposed to their Future

Award: $5,705
Level: Elementary
Students Impacted: 20
Subjects: Vocation Education, Language Arts, Math
School/Dept: Gray Elementary
Students identified on the Autism Spectrum are a unique group of individuals. Recognizing that this population is truly governed by a spectrum of behaviors helps us to realize that their futures will also fall within a variety of outcomes. The important factor is early intervention. Providing hands on opportunities that support higher levels of academic achievement is the goal of this project. Vocation education and communication skills will be developed by utilizing reading and measuring skills to accomplish both cooking and art activities.


Listen to the Learning

Award: $6,342
Level: EC/PK
Students Impacted: 80
Subjects: Language Arts
School/Dept: Keeble EC/PreK
This proposal will provide five classrooms with listening centers. By supplying early childhood students with audio recordings, we support the literature they are learning to read. Audio recordings will reinforce good pronunciation habits and create confident readers. We expect an increase in vocabulary acquisition in our early childhood students.


Technology Initiative 2017

Award: $4,856
Level: Middle School
Students Impacted: 200
Subjects: Instrumental Music
School/Dept: Lewis Middle School
Student computers are utilized for educational musical software, observation of musical performances, and interactive software - Smart Music. The current technology is outdated for the applications the students are trying to use. Students are unable to take full advantage of the resources that could be very beneficial to their musical studies. This proposal will allow the purchase of four new computers and one printer to assist students in accessing a variety of music information more efficiently.


My American Dream

Award: $1,500
Level: High School
Students Impacted: 200
Subjects: English, Language Arts, AEA, ESOL
School/Dept: MacArthur High School
This proposal will target new arrivals to the United States enrolled at this campus. These students have one year to learn English prior to taking high-stakes assessments. The need is great to provide as many varied learning opportunities as possible to increase the students' English acquisition. Students will participate in several field trip activities between January and May and experience real-life language opportunities at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Johnson Space Center, the Holocaust Museum, the Houston Zoo, etc. Each field trip will focus on a specific real-life skill. The students will be tasked with different listening, speaking, reading and writing activities. There will be a common theme and focus during each trip, with a different product due, so students can practice skills necessary for the next English course and their upcoming high-stakes state assessments.


Power Mindcrafters

Award: $6,880
Level: Elementary
Students Impacted: 180
Subjects: Reading, Writing, Math, Social Studies, Science
School/Dept: Magrill Elementary
The Power Mindcrafters project will address our district goals by providing a technology-rich teaching and learning environment through the use of computer programming that inspires fluent Reading, Creative Writing, and Math ambitions in our youth. The project will stimulate the growth in STEM oriented aspirations for our youth and allow our students to match skills with other students around the world who follow a technologically rich curriculum. This project will include First graders who will use technology and move a step farther to create their own stories and games leading to the creation of apps.


Vex Robotics Programming - Active Learners

Award: $7,490
Level: High School
Students Impacted: 20
Subjects: Robotics
School/Dept: Aldine High School & Nimitz High School
VEX Robotics programming brings STEM skills to life. Students develop teamwork, leadership and communication skills in designing, building and operating a robot. Currently students of an 8 to 10 member team gain knowledge through observation, but have limited contact in hands-on development. It is our goal to change their student learning from observation to action. With a limited amount of materials, student teams are larger and students have fewer opportunities for hands-on experiences. By creating smaller teams, students will take an active role, rather than the passive one of an observer and gain greater depth of knowledge.


Trashion Show

Award: $1,234
Level: High School
Students Impacted: 172
Subjects: Art
School/Dept: Nimitz Ninth Grade
The Trashion Show was created so that future students and current students could see art as a viable and interesting subject, rather than just a subject where they assumed all they did was draw. It is also used as a way to help students who couldn't pay their art fees, which had become a major issue for some students. Students could then work on hands-on projects and create complete structural garments that created visual interest. Students will then come up with new and creative ways to solve problems using unconventional material to make clothing.


Parallel Inspiration & Investigation - AP Studio Portfolio

Award: $3,140
Level: High School
Students Impacted: 100
Subjects: AP Art
School/Dept: Visual Arts
This proposal will focus on advanced placement studio art scores and work to increase the overall portfolio scores. More importantly, it will focus on the concentration section which is the curriculum focus for the spring semester. The AP studio art portfolio scores are based on three components: quality (which is five artworks pulled from the breadth and concentration sections and sent directly to the college board for assessment); breadth (which is 12 pieces of art submitted electronically); and concentration (which is 12 pieces of art centered on a sustained investigation reflecting the student artists' individual inquiry, reflecting their artistic voice). The District's AP studio scores reflect that the quality, breadth, and concentration sections for the student assessments trend slightly lower than the global mean for the drawing portfolio but slightly higher for the 2-D design portfolio. The area that this grant is going to impact is two-fold: 1) concentration component, developing student artistic voice through sustained investigation by modeling both teacher and student inquiry; 2) supporting the four teachers new to the Advanced Placement curriculum with new content knowledge, instructional strategy modeling, and examples of exemplars as evidence of success.

2016-2017

Game Salad

Award: $999
Level: Elementary, 3-4
Students Impacted: 30
Subjects: Art, Computer Science
School/Dept: Bethune Academy

The purpose of this grant is to provide exposure, concrete knowledge and applicable skills of advanced technological experiences in developing apps for educational use. The unit is designed in modular format covering one or more topics and featuring a specific game genre or mechanic, giving maximum flexibility to design a program. Upon successful completion of the app development curriculum, students will know the programming fundamentals and mechanics of creating an app of their own.


School-Home Reading Connection

Award: $5,000
Level: Elementary, K-5
Students Impacted: 350
Subjects: Reading
School/Dept: Cypresswood Elementary

This project will allow students access to take-home books specifically on their independent reading levels. With the implementation of this project, student independent reading levels in grades K-4 will increase. It will also ensure that students and parents have materials needed at home to help bridge the gaps in both fluency and comprehension.


Print is Dead, Can We Do Video?

Award: $2,885
Level: High School, 10-12
Students Impacted: 70
Subjects: Language Arts, Technology, Journalism, and Broadcasting
School/Dept: Davis High School

The goal of this project is to give students the opportunity to create an authentic project with a real audience in order to give meaning to their writing. They are focusing on the need to increase student’s quality of writing, not only for the test, but also for real life. Creating a broadcast allows students to experience and explore all of the facets of the writing process through an authentic project.


Camping for a Good Book

Award: $4,809
Level: Elementary, K-4
Students Impacted: 400
Subjects: Reading, Language Arts
School/Dept: Dunn Elementary

The goal of this proposal is to bring a unique experience of reading in the privacy of an outdoor tent where students listen to a read aloud so magical and alive, it sparks their imagination, ignites their desire to continue this habit at home, or in a tent in their backyards, patio, a treehouse, under homemade tents or a nook, safe with a book. Each student brings home a book daily, flashlight in hand, reads, records in their reading log, talks about it in school, making fluency and comprehension evident. When students are attached to the love of reading, it gives them a wonderful experience, it will become second nature to them and all else will improve.


Community Growth Through Service

Award: $964
Level: High School, 10-12
Students Impacted: 350
Subjects: Science, Biology, Art, ELL, ELA
School/Dept: Eisenhower High School

Three years ago, AEF supported a high school project to remodel a dilapidated courtyard into a functional courtyard. Three years later many of the participants have moved on with the tradition of the courtyard being ignored. Students will implement legacy and tradition, through project-based learning. They will investigate science to understand the needs of plant and pond life. They will document the process through photographic essays to complete the work this year, but also maintain the courtyard for years to come.


Robotics Club

Award: $4,999
Level: Middle School
Students Impacted: 100
Subjects: Science, Technology, Math
School/Dept: Grantham Academy

This proposal will give students the opportunity to use hands-on activities to develop their creative imagination, be exposed to career opportunities, and enrich their activities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) program. Whether or not students choose the computer field as a career, programming with VEX Robotics teaches students the important skills of problem-solving, creative thinking, computational thinking as well as team collaboration.


Family Learning Environment

Award: $2,540
Level: Middle School, 7-8
Students Impacted: 350
Subjects: Science
School/Dept: Hoffman Middle School

This proposal seeks to enhance the student learning process by creating a family learning event in our cafeteria that engages students and parents in hands-on STEM activities. The event will include a half-day program that allows students and parents to rotate through stations to be exposed to science, technology, engineering, math and incorporating creative writing. Students will be exposed to the science and math behind force and motion, chemistry, and electricity with support from science teachers and the Children's Museum of Houston to increase their understanding of the concepts and challenge their thinking about STEM.


Stories from the Nest

Award: $1,000
Level: Middle School, 8
Students Impacted: 89
Subjects: Language Arts
School/Dept: Hoffman Middle School

This proposal will give students the opportunity to create a collection of short stories written and published by the students. Students will be afforded the opportunity to experience the writing process from inception through publication. They will celebrate their writing as well as be celebrated by various stakeholders in their community.


Room on the Shelf

Award: $991
Level: EC/PK
Students Impacted: 32
Subjects: Language Arts
School/Dept: Keeble EC/PK

The vision of this project is to create a center that allows students to explore and develop their vocabulary through the use of familiar household objects and manipulatives. The new center will have a Classic Dollhouse as the centerpiece with the furniture for each room divided into separate storage boxes, accessible to the students. They will use the dollhouse, furniture, and posable families to create their own house. Through cooperative pretend play, students will use 2-3 word combinations to express themselves. This new center is a way to bring a home connection to school. It will provide students an opportunity to build their vocabulary and use their new vocabulary to express themselves.


Groundwork Literacy Project

Award: $4,960
Level: Elementary, K-1
Students Impacted: 40
Subjects: Reading
School/Dept: Kujawa Elementary

This proposal seeks to obtain funds for the purchase of the kindergarten and first grade research based Leveled Literacy Intervention kit (LLI), by Fountas and Pinnell. The use of this material will help build foundational reading skills for English language learners while increasing reading levels, and decreasing reading deficiencies. LLI is balanced literacy that is unique in the fact that parents take an active role in their children’s education. Another factor is this program builds confidence in students, which ties into our school’s mission statement that understands the importance of teaching the whole child.


Visually Impaired-Access for All

Award: $3,532
Level: PK-2
Students Impacted: 50
Subjects: Reading, Writing
School/Dept: Lane School

Students who are blind or visually impaired often do not have a wide range of books available to them in the classroom or library. The books they need may be large print, a braille format, or another tactual format. These students need the same exposure to print text to learn reading and the process of writing as do their fully sighted classmates. The goal of this project is to get more books in the correct format into the hands of the blind and visually impaired students at home and at school.


STEM Girls Club

Award: $4,865
Level: Elementary, 1-2
Students Impacted: 20
Subjects: Math, Science, Reading, Writing
School/Dept: Mendel Elementary

The Girl’s STEM Club (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) is designed to give our girls opportunities to build levels of scientific and mathematical literacy through hands-on investigations and challenges through the use of Lego Educational kits. The efforts of this program will include science and technology based upon evidence that young people need to experience these subjects beyond the school day for post-secondary readiness.


Lego Story Tellers

Award: $991
Level: Elementary, 3-4
Students Impacted: 30
Subjects: Writing
School/Dept: Mendel Elementary

The Lego Story Starter will help Bilingual and English Learners with the basic mechanics of a story and engage students to be confident and inspired readers and writers. The Story Starter set will allow students to work together to create and build stories with LEGO bricks and use the Story Visualizer to photograph, write and publish their writing. In the process, students will be able to acquire both social and academic language and increase English language proficiency levels in the domains of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Story Starter will be used during class as well as before and after school.


Sensory Integration Tools

Award: $3,337
Level: Elementary, K-4
Students Impacted: 400
Subjects: All
School/Dept: Odom Elementary

This proposal requests the purchase of sensory tools to be used in both the general and special education classrooms. Every student has an individual way of processing the sensory information in their environment and then using that information to make sense of their surroundings. At times a child may need a tool to help him engage those specific neurological processes. By providing a sensory tool that addresses visual, auditory, tactile, etc. needs, the opportunity for effective learning is increased.


Balancing Literacy with Balance Balls

Award: $991
Level: Intermediate, 5
Students Impacted: 110
Subjects: ELA, Reading
School/Dept: Parker Intermediate

This proposal seeks to purchase balance balls and resistance bands, as well as leveled readers. The balance balls and readers will be used to provide students with opportunities for movement in the classroom that does not distract other students. Stability balls provide students an opportunity to satisfy their sensory needs. In reading and writing workshops, students will be afforded the opportunity to utilize the stability balls or sit in chairs. The chairs will be affixed with resistance bands so that movement will still be possible. The leveled readers will provide students at all levels with books that are appropriate for them.


Genius Hour

Award: $3,893
Level: Elementary, K-4
Students Impacted: 580
Subjects: Science, Technology, Math
School/Dept: Smith Academy

This proposal seeks to create a Maker Space Genius Hour equipped with the necessary materials to provide high level, thought provoking activities that will sustain for years to come. A "Genius Hour" will be provided at least four times per nine week grading period. During this time, real-world issues with problems to be solved will be addressed. Students will showcase their solutions each nine week grading period through video, photographs, and social media posts.


Taking Art History out of the Dark Ages

Award: $4,969
Level: Elementary, K-4
Students Impacted: 30,000
Subjects: Visual Arts
School/Dept: Visual Arts

This proposal focuses on devising and providing materials for units in kindergarten through 4th grade which seek to increase student achievement in reading and writing by incorporating high quality, age-appropriate children’s literature into the art classroom, while promoting creative and critical thinking in the arts. The lessons will address Aldine ISD goals by using Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) instructional strategies to advance academic language, while at the same time having students apply knowledge gained from stories about the lives of famous artists to create individual works of artistic expression.


A Book A Day

Award: $2,604
Level: Elementary, K-4
Students Impacted: 30
Subjects: Reading
School/Dept: Worsham Elementary

This grant will provide a diverse number of books in the classroom library to increase student interest in reading. It will also provide books that can be sent home every night for them to practice reading with their parents. This proposal will also provide more guided reading books. This will ensure that there are a good supply of books on each level to meet the diverse needs of the student population. With the identified added reading materials we can meet the district goal of having all kindergarten children reading at level E when they finish kindergarten.

2015-2016

Five Point Intersection-Designing Cross-Curricular Units

Award: $4,848
Level: PK-12
Students Impacted: 3,800
Subjects: Visual Arts
School/Dept: Visual Arts

This proposal calls for utilizing Community resources in the design of engaging cross-curricular units which infuse artworks into TEKS-based learning activities. This plan requires teachers to visit museums to gain an understanding of local works, and then provides teachers the time and space to collaborate on activities which make connections to art history and core content areas. Finally, teachers would have their students produce artworks inspired by the local art.


Resonance Trainers: Improving Air Support, Tone Quality, Resonance, and Articulation

Award: $3,022
Level: Middle School, 7-8
Students Impacted: 155
Subjects: Band
School/Dept: Aldine Middle School

Diaphragmatic breathing is the foundation of producing good pitch, tone and resonance of sound. Like an athlete, developing this physical skill is important to every musician, and is best taught by establishing muscle memory through repetition. Students struggle with grasping this concept and importance of unrestricted air flow. The Resonance Trainer is designed to help students visualize air flow, self-monitor and adjust. Use of the Trainers will improve student diaphragmatic breathing, pitch, and tone supporting their achievement of Aldine ISD Fine Arts goals and University Interscholastic League (UIL) standards of music performance.


Outdoor Classroom/Community Garden

Award: $4,559
Level: Elementary, K-4
Students Impacted: 950
Subjects: Science, Reading, Math, Writing
School/Dept: Black Elementary

Funding for this project will be used to create an outdoor classroom that will be used for all content areas and grade levels. Included inside of the fenced area will be five raised bed gardens that campus stakeholders will have access to throughout the academic year. Also inside the area will be a shed to store garden materials as well as student seating and a dry erase board. The objective of this project is to increase student success in all grade levels by providing students with hands-on learning that scaffolds throughout their academic career.


Sharing the Love

Award: $1,000
Level: Elementary, K
Students Impacted: 20
Subjects: ELA
School/Dept: Black Elementary

Aldine ISD is embracing a Balanced Literacy approach to ELA instruction, aligned with research that demonstrates the power of Interactive Read Alouds and Shared Reading to develop fluent readers with excellent vocabulary and comprehension. To support this rigorous academic instruction, this project will build a library referred to as "Special Treasures"-favorite read aloud story books that will allow the students to enjoy the stories that are read independently. They will retell and act out the stories to strengthen fluency, comprehension, inference and other important reading skills.


Reading Buddies

Award: $2,139
Level: Elementary, 1-3
Students Impacted: 500
Subjects: ELA
School/Dept: Conley Elementary

From emergent to high-level readers, we teach them all! This project provides a solution to student needs by purchasing books, supplies and materials to establish a "Reading Buddy" program whereby high readers pair with low readers from other grade levels to foster a stronger learning community, self-confidence in reading, and mentorship among students. Benefits include: an intrinsic desire to read, learning comprehension and fluency strategies from peers, and achieving personal reading goals.


Code the World You Want

Award: $957
Level: Elementary, 2-4
Students Impacted: 200
Subjects: Math, Science, Language Arts
School/Dept: Goodman Elementary

This project will engage students in cross-curricular, hands-on learning environment using Lego Mindstorms Education EV3 Robotics, Code.org and Tynker, while learning how to build and program robots with EV3's. Providing students with hands-on learning with an emphasis on projects and team building, they will begin to create life experiences that will prepare them for real world situations. With the use of computer-based programs, students are given the opportunity to explore and learn at their own pace allowing them to become leaders in their learning environment.


When Stories Come Alive

Award: $5,000
Level: EC/PK, PK
Students Impacted: 600
Subjects: Language Arts
School/Dept: Hinojosa EC/PK

Oral language development is vital to the success of students. By providing experiences for students that enhance discussion, retelling of stories and development of student stories, teachers can directly support oral language, writing and reading skills. In order to address changing times in education, it is important to offer more hands-on experiences for students as well as create an environment conducive for storytelling. This project seeks to provide teachers and students with a storytelling package for each classroom which includes storytelling items and bookshelves.


Gone STEMing! Learning Through Robotics

Award: $4,999
Level: Intermediate, 5-6
Students Impacted: 300
Subjects: Technology, Science, Math
School/Dept: Houston Academy

EV3 Robotics has given us a different way to use technology that doesn't necessarily involve computers. While computer programming is part of the implementation, the funded robotics is providing different ways to instruct lessons on the 21st Century Skills and STEM objectives. Students will gain valuable skills in programming and coding through the use of Lego MindStorm EV3 robots. Students will be able to compete in robotic competitions at the district level as well as regional competitions. This will give them valuable skills they can use later in life and help them in their careers. The students will develop their individual skills as well as team collaborations.


Arts Alive Lab

Award: $4,988
Level: EC/PK, PK
Students Impacted: 801
Subjects: Language Arts, Writing, Art
School/Dept: Keeble EC/PK

This project will allow students to experience art, culture and customs while encouraging students to develop their oral language through art projects, cultural experiences, and writing projects. All students will participate in hands-on art activities that target artists and their style of painting through a campus lab. Students will be able to participate in centers that focus on an artists' country. Additionally, students will display their art work, and will provide a writing sample and orally present it. Families will be involved through homework activities that provide opportunities to discuss respecting differences in cultures while encouraging oral language and writing skills.


Nursery Rhyme Story Box

Award: $5,000
Level: EC/PK, PK
Students Impacted: 650
Subjects: Language Arts
School/Dept: Kujawa EC/PK

This proposal will provide books and materials to create manipulatives for use in nursery rhyme centers. Each teacher that participates will choose a different nursery rhyme. Each person will be provided a book associated with their nursery rhyme and they will create manipulatives for each person in the group. The outcome is that by the end of the year, each participant will have approximately fifteen books and fifteen manipulative kits to go with the different nursery rhymes. Students will be exposed to the fifteen different nursery rhymes during the year to assist with their oral language development.


Vending Machines for Vocational and Life Skills

Award: $4,200
Level: High School, 12
Students Impacted: 95
Subjects: Language Arts
School/Dept: Lane School

This activity/task allows students to gain knowledge and skills in not only using vending machines that they will encounter in the community setting, but also vocational skills on how to run and operate one. Students learn how a vending machine is used and how to stock and manage the machine. A simple countertop vending machine will be utilized and stocked with snacks of students/teachers choice. The vending machine is available for staff and students to make purchases at appropriate times. The revenue is used to restock the machine. This activity will be self-sufficient year after year.


Smart Music

Award: $2,400
Level: Middle School
Students Impacted: 60
Subjects: Band
School/Dept: Lewis Middle School

This proposal seeks to purchase the SmartMusic program for use with 60 students at their homes. The students will be surveyed in December 2015 for the technology requirements to run the program from home. The program costs $40 per student for a calendar year subscription. The program will begin in January 2016 and will include the last half of the student's seventh grade year. If there are not enough seventh graders with the technology requirements, eighth graders will be asked to participate. The instructor will do a blanket purchase of sixty subscriptions and then give the students a code to install on their computer or iPad. The teacher will have the capabilities to monitor student activity and assign or reassign to other students if there is not sufficient time invested in the program. The teacher will be able to track student usage through various assignments.


Mobile RTI Assistive Technology

Award: $4,907
Level: Elementary, K-4
Students Impacted: 70
Subjects: Reading, Math
School/Dept: Mendel Elementary

Funds from this proposal will be used to purchase Chromebooks for RTI Tier 2 and Tier 3 for students to use. The Chromebooks will be divided among each RTI interventionist to have access to at least four Chromebooks on which they will be able to place research-based programs for student use. The students will use the Chromebooks 2-5 times per week when pulled by their assigned interventionist. The students will spend half of their RTI time working on targeted skills on the Chromebook programs. The remaining time will be spent working on the same skill with their interventionist. This will allow the instructor to intensify the interventions by decreasing the size of his/her groups. Increased access to Chromebooks will also make it possible for students to be progressed and monitored every two weeks empowering the interventionist to have a higher quality lesson plan based on individual needs.


Mentor Texts for Readers and Writers Workshop

Award: $4,855
Level: Elementary, K
Students Impacted: 20
Subjects: Reading and Writing
School/Dept: Thompson Elementary

To enhance the quality of instruction, participation, and modeling techniques, these teachers would like the opportunity to equip each classroom with mentor texts in an innovative way. Mentor texts are literature that teachers and students will read initially in a lesson and reread throughout the year for many different purposes. Mentor texts are to be studied and imitated. They help students take risks and try new strategies. During the writing workshop, students are to live, work and learn as writers. They observe their lives and the world around them while collecting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing narrative and expository texts. Students receive direct instruction in a mini-lesson in which the teacher explicitly names a skill proficient writers use that is within reach for most of the class. The teacher then demonstrates the skill and provides students with a brief interval of guided practice. Students then have the time to write, applying the repertoire of skills and strategies they have learned, while receiving feedback through one-on-one conferences and small group instruction designed to move them along trajectories of development.


Integrating Literacy in the Mathematics Classroom

Award: $4,898
Level: Intermediate
Students Impacted: 523
Subjects: Mathematics
School/Dept: Wilson Intermediate

The goal of this project is to provide each 6th grade mathematics classroom with high-rated, engaging mathematics reading books, problem-solving tools, and vocabulary building manipulatives that cover the focused objectives in 6th grade math. Providing students with these resources during small group, stations, and cooperative learning activities will lead to expanded academic vocabulary, improved critical thinking skills, and increased ability to make real world connections with math.

2014-2015

Biotechnology Component

Award: $786
Level: High School, 9
Students Impacted: 750
Subjects: Biology
School/Dept: Aldine Ninth Grade

The current set of TEKS call for students to conduct an experiment using gel electrophoresis equipment. The purpose of this proposal is to acquire the necessary equipment to fulfill the TEKS, while also providing a foundation for enrichment biotechnology opportunities. This will provide a more engaging experience to students who currently carry out this technique through internet simulations. This foundational set of equipment can be added to over years in order to feature a Biotechnology club or supplemental science class.


IPC Engaging Activities

Award: $2,900
Level: High School, 9-12
Students Impacted: 120
Subjects: IPC and Physics
School/Dept: Carver High School

IPC and Physics are traditionally classes where the students struggle with the science concepts taught. By providing the students with more hands on engaging activities, academic growth will increase. When students are engaged, they are less likely to have behavior problems and are more likely to be successful with their academics. I am requesting this funding to purchase complete lab kits for the students to have more hands on engaging activities to reinforce the concepts covered in these science classes.


Inspiring Student Reading

Award: $1,000
Level: High School, 10-12
Students Impacted: 240
Subjects: Business Management, Global Business, Entrepreneurship
School/Dept: MacArthur High School

I have discovered that most of my students avoid reading at all costs. I want to create a classroom library full of titles that interest students and inspire them to read a little each class period for their enjoyment. The titles will be current and relate to my content. I would like students to vote on books to create a library of their choosing. Each year I would like the current classes to add to the library, to keep it up to date. The variety of current topics related to Career and Technical Education will motivate all of my students to read. Ideas that I have include biographies, business related to true crime, historical non-fiction, titles related to technology, and possibly an online book subscription. The library will start with fifty books, more than enough for each student to read a book at the same time. As a Career and Technical Education teacher, focusing on business management, entrepreneurship, and global business, I want my students to read about their interests in my class. This project can reach all 240 of my students.


My American Dream

Award: $2,500
Level: High School
Students Impacted: 45
Subjects: English, Language Arts
School/Dept: MacArthur High School

Our school serves forty-five recent arrival students to the United States. We want to provide our students with field trips to experience Houston, while simultaneously practicing conversational English. Prior to field trips, social and academic vocabulary will be developed. Possible learning destinations include the Science Museum, Minute Maid Park, Houston Ship Channel, Johnson Space Center, Holocaust Museum, local library, picking berries at a local orchard, having a picnic at a local park, or attending a play. We would like the students to provide input on where they would like to travel in Houston. The needs of teenage recent arrival students are different than younger students. No matter the language, teenagers are social and learn through social opportunities.


Incoming Freshmen-STEM Connection

Award: $2,200
Level: High School, 9
Students Impacted: 100
Subjects: Algebra, Biology, Health, Dance
School/Dept: MacArthur Ninth Grade

The Incoming Freshmen Grant is for incoming freshmen to investigate the new campus, procedures, discipline, and academia. The project includes but is not limited to algebra investigation, biology experiments, health, dance, planning, and organization. Students will interact with NASA/Lockheed employees through hands on investigation, experiments, questions and answer sessions. These events teach the students to think critically and prepare them for higher learning. Preparing the students for college academically and providing them opportunities to visit aerospace engineering facilities and meet with technology specialist give students valuable insight. Students also earn high school elective credit from participation in the summer program.


Enrichment Program Using Splash Extended School Year Program Kit

Award: $774
Level: Middle School, 7-8
Students Impacted: 11
Subjects: All
School/Dept: Stovall Middle School

Purchased program will be used in Special Education classroom, as enrichment to core subjects. The materials can be used at any time, in a group setting or during one on one time, to improve skills in different areas. Teachers can teach topics in any order they choose, a single unit accessible for all students with no need for multiple books. Well thought out, engaging, and fun activities will help to improve not only academic skills but also classroom behaviors. This product can be shared across the district to help not only Special Education teachers but also can be used in general ed classrooms with low functioning students.


Peer to Peer Helping Hands

Award: $681
Level: Middle School, 7-8
Students Impacted: 900
Subjects: English, Math, Science, History
School/Dept: Teague Middle School

We plan to extend our after school peer tutorial program to include all core subjects where students will help their peers. Our program will include lessons aligned with classroom lessons to give students additional ways to grasp the subject concepts. Students will be able to use programs for learning assistance on Google Chrome Books. Manipulatives will provide multiple learning experiences and hands on activities. Our program will provide supplies, so all students may participate. Students will be recommended by teachers or identified by test scores and grades. Our program will provide an incentive field trip for students who participate consistently.

2013-2014

Making Science Relevant Through Field Trips

Award: $1,000
Level: High School, 9-12
Students Impacted: 70
Subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics
School/Dept: Carver High School

Field trips help to make science relevant and rigorous which increases curiosity and the intellectual thought process. Funding from this grant will allow students to visit the Health Science Museum which allows students to gain meaningful hands-on experiences through differentiated instruction, directly linked to course objectives and content standards.


Phoenix Courtyard: A Project Based on Building a Cross-Curricular Professional Learning Community

Award: $5,000
Level: High School, 10-12
Students Impacted: 370
Subjects: Math, English, World History, Visual Arts, Welding, International Baccalaureate
School/Dept: Eisenhower High School

This project uses hands-on relevant applications in science, history, English, mathematics, visual arts, and some Career and Technology courses to bring a previously beautiful courtyard that has fallen into disrepair back from the ashes, just as the Phoenix. The final product of a beautiful and instructional courtyard is the outcome, but the real benefit will be from the collaboration, cross-curricular work, and the building of a professional learning community throughout the journey.


PreK Scientists

Award: $5,000
Level: EC/PK, PK
Students Impacted: 650
Subjects: All
School/Dept: Hinojosa EC/PK

We have been very fortunate to have the opportunity to provide science lessons and materials for our 650 PK students in our science lab class. Our students visit the class once a week for 30 minutes. Although we offer many demonstrations, it is difficult to create many lab experiment opportunities for every child. In order to address changing times in education, we feel that it is important to offer more hands-on experiences for our students. We would like to provide actual lab experiences for each child. This project would provide the materials and resources necessary for this endeavor.


"When I Grow Up, I Want to Be…" A Pathway to College/Careers

Award: $1,355
Level: Intermediate, 5-6
Students Impacted: 650
Subjects: Technology, Theatre, Fine Arts, Core Subjects
School/Dept: Houston Academy

The use of the grant funds will enable a group of intermediate grade technology students to incorporate 21st century skills by researching, designing, and creating a series of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) on college and career choices. The students will produce the PSAs in order to inform their peers about what it takes to prepare for college and careers.


Painted Peaceful Playground

Award: $5,000
Level: EC/PK
Students Impacted: 712
Subjects: PE, Language Arts, Math
School/Dept: Kujawa EC/PK

Students will learn and grow physically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively through the use of a newly constructed painted concrete playground. Teachers will be trained on how to effectively teach children rules and routines for the use of the playground as well as how to play a variety of games.


Making Vocabulary Visually Relevant

Award: $3,600
Level: High School, 9-12
Students Impacted: 60
Subjects: Biology
School/Dept: Nimitz Ninth Grade

We will use the digital photography class to enhance our biology classes by using DIIMSA vocabulary strategies to build our students' STAAR vocabulary and writing skills. We will use the student photos to address the biology TEKS. We must continually address the vocabulary to make sure the students are successful on the state exam. We will also use the photos as writing prompts during our campus writing Wednesdays.


Math in Motion

Award: $1,000
Level: Elementary, 1
Students Impacted: 25
Subjects: Math, PE
School/Dept: Stovall Academy

Number sense and fact fluency are essential components in developing 21st century learners. This project is focused on developing first grade students who are number savvy, through hands-on experiences that are meaningful and motivational. The framework developed by the GeoMotion Group builds math fact fluency in counting, addition and subtraction. As students listen to the mathematics lyrics, they move to the correct numbers on the Phone or Clock Mats. The target of the Math in Motion project is to utilize the whole-brain philosophy along with kinesthetic movement to create a stronger connection in number sense and fluency.


Integrating Literacy in the Mathematics Classroom

Award: $4,800
Level: Intermediate, 5
Students Impacted: 481
Subjects: Math
School/Dept: Wilson Intermediate

The goal of this project is to provide each 5th grade mathematics classroom with highly rated, engaging mathematics reading books, problem-solving tools, and vocabulary building manipulatives that cover the focused objectives in 5th grade math.


Pick It and Click It-Classroom Response System

Award: $5,000
Level: Intermediate, 6
Students Impacted: 493
Subjects: Math
School/Dept: Wilson Intermediate

This request will fund the purchase of 5 classroom response systems. The system we are requesting is innovative in that it allows students to log short answers/fill-in-the-blank responses. This is especially relevant in light of the need to increase students' higher-level thinking and writing skills. Research has shown that writing and/or explaining answers is superior to the selection of the true/false or multiple choice responses. Use of this system in our mathematics classrooms will allow for enhanced formative assessments as teachers endeavor to evaluate progress and ensure success for each student.

2012-2013

Experiences that Develop Artistic Voice

Award: $1,000
Level: High School
Students Impacted: 65
Subjects: Art
School/Dept: Eisenhower High School
The accessibility of arts experiences at museums, galleries and with professional artists is restricted to our students by cost and transportation. Rigorous programs such as the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) and the Advanced Placement Art (AP) are pushing to meet the college readiness standards by breaking down the traditional classroom walls to have more varied experiences. The curriculums of each of these courses highly encourages students to experience professional works of art, as well as create works of art reflecting personal experiences and voice. This grant will allow the students to be successful in achieving their ultimate goal: their own artistic voice. This grant proposal aligns with many of the goals by targeting students with a rigorous and relevant curriculum and instruction that will help increase the college readiness indicators and especially help in meeting the school's goal of higher IB and AP scores.


Biggest Loser Challenge

Award: $2,952
Level: High School
Students Impacted: 300
Subjects: Health, PE
School/Dept: MacArthur Ninth Grade
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently published a report that 14% of adolescents in the United States are overweight. This figure has tripled in the last twenty years. The greatest cause of teen obesity is the lack of physical activity combined with unhealthy eating habits. To combat this issue, I am implementing a plan of physical fitness and nutrition monitored in a Biggest Loser Challenge for all students at MacArthur Ninth Grade campus. Physical education and health classes during the school day serve as the foundation for exercise and education in the area of nutrition, disease prevention and basic physiology. The Biggest Loser competition will serve as the monitoring tool where students will see visible changes and manage their own fitness goals. Our program will utilize pre and post testing using Fitnessgram. Monthly measurements will track the visible changes to show student success. At the end of the school year, a comparison will be made to show students the progress they have made during the school year.


Taking the Mystery out of Music History

Award: $1,000
Level: Middle School
Students Impacted: 80
Subjects: Choir
School/Dept: Shotwell Middle School
Our proposal will allow the formation of the first AISD madrigal singing group at the middle school level. "Taking the Mystery out of Music History" would entice, enrich, and enthuse students by providing an outlet to learn, appreciate, and perform (in period-style costumes!) a genre of music not previously experienced. This proposal will also allow for the utilization of new music facilities on AISD campuses by filling stages and classrooms with creative and innovative productions. These quality performances will be presented for the enjoyment of all stakeholders and enrich relationships among our students, schools, parents, and community members.


Award: $603

Level: Elementary
Students Impacted: 800
Subjects: Reading, Writing, Social Studies, Math
School/Dept: Thompson Elementary
This proposal seeks to provide for the creation of an outdoor classroom. It will include a human sundial, an interactive clock and a weather station to incorporate math and science TEKS in a hands-on environment. Each component of the Outdoor Math and Science Classroom will be utilized by faculty and staff throughout the entire school year, since it is a cross-curricular space. We have an ideal location available in our fenced-in lot behind the school. The outdoor classroom will allow teachers the opportunity to collaborate in creating innovative techniques to teach the children TEKS in a way that will be more relevant and memorable to all learners.


The Literacy and Technology Learning Experience

Award: $1,000
Level: Intermediate
Students Impacted: 88
Subjects: English, Language Arts
School/Dept: Wilson Intermediate
This program proposes to increase student literacy and achievement in reading through the implementation of e-readers in small group workstations within the ELA classroom. Through the use of motivational technology, students will develop a love for reading and a desire for knowledge-thus, creating life-long learners. Today's "tech-savvy", information-aged students stand to make great strides in literacy levels when inspired by incorporation of technology into the subject-area curriculum. The use of e-readers will get the attention of reluctant readers and provide them with an additional methodology which can help improve reading fluency and expression.