2006 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Exploring Our World Through Music – Finn
This program will expose children to music of other cultures by using authentic folk instruments from around the world. As our community becomes more culturally diverse this program will explore that diversity through a hands-on musical approach.
WaNNa Walk? – Woodward
Childhood obesity is becoming an epidemic. WaNNa Walk? is an innovative program that will promote healthy eating through nutrition education and increased physical activity. Woodward students will count the steps they walk using pedometers. They will then track their virtual progress around Southborough and to other points in Massachusetts.
Economics Made Easy – Woodward
This program provides students with a hands-on experience while they take on the roles of producers and consumers. This project extends on the study of money while simulating a real-world situation of selling and purchasing student-made goods.
Woodward Weather Watchers – Woodward
In this interdisciplinary unit on weather, the students will collect, interpret and report on data from a dedicated Woodward weather station and from the Internet. Additionally, students will practice their public speaking skills while reporting the weather on the morning school announcements.
Neary Literacy Lab – Neary
This grant helps in establishing a literacy lab at Neary. This lab will provide students with a wide range of literacy activities. In addition, the lab provides support resources for parents and professional resources for teachers. Highlights of the lab include Whisper Phones used for quiet oral reading, and CD listening stations.
Individualized Reading – Neary
Using the Developmental Reading Assessment (a tool used in the Newton Public Schools), teachers can accurately assess a student’s reading ability and needs. The assessment goes beyond the reading level, and identifies the student’s specific needs (for example, vocabulary expansion, drawing inferences, comprehension.) In addition, the program provides non-fiction resources to be used in small group instruction.
Fast-Forward to Better Communication – Trottier
Based on research by Emily Rubin, this program is a component of the SCERTS model – a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to enhancing communication and socio-emotional abilities of children. This program takes advantage of video-replay sessions to help students develop better communication skills.
