Virginia Educational Grants 2007-08 Academic Year

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Amelia County Middle School was awarded $900 to document the quality of life in a nearby stream behind the school.  Seventh grade students will test the water quality and monitor the impact of development on wetland regions.  Students will learn how development can be done in a way that does not harm water quality.  They will study the impact of humans on the environment.

Arlington Traditional School was awarded $3,000 to integrate science and math initiatives into inquiry-based activities for pre-kindergarten through 5th grade students.   The students will focus on engineering and designing alternative energy sources with problem solving and hands-on activities.

Baker-Butler Elementary School in Albemarle County was awarded $650 for in-depth science experiments to enhance 2nd grade students’ learning experience.  Students will expand their scientific vocabulary by reading science books and participating in hands-on activities.  Students will also participate in “Matter Day” where they will see science demonstrations by a chemistry professor from the University of Virginia.

Booker T. Washington Middle School in Newport News was awarded $4,500 for “Bringing the Bay and Wetlands Home.”  With this grant, 6th through 8th grade students will have unique educational opportunities focused on the bay and wetlands.  With this grant, students will experience a day on the bay aboard the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s boat, the “Baywatcher.”  They will also explore the wetlands at Ragged Island Refuge.

Broad Run High School in Ashburn County was awarded $1,000 to introduce electrochemistry into 10th through 12th grade classrooms.  Laboratory kits will allow teachers and students to investigate the components of electrochemical reactions through demonstrations and laboratory participation.

Castlewood Elementary School in Russell County was awarded $1,000 for 1st through 7th grade students to create a butterfly garden.  Students will measure and plan the garden while they study the lifecycle of the butterfly.  They will explore the interdependence of plants and insects in a hands-on learning environment.

Charles City Elementary School was awarded $2,100 to engage 3rd through 5th grade students and their parents in Math and Science Madness Night.  Parents will be invited to spend the evening participating in math and science activities with their children.  Participants will use digital microscopes to look at organisms, and play various math games to enforce difficult mathematical concepts.

Chesterfield County Public Schools were awarded $9,500 to implement a new energy unit in the physics curriculum for 9th through 12th grade students.  Physics teachers will receive training in the new curriculum and develop project-based learning opportunities for students.  Students will build science investigation and problem solving skills through a county-wide energy audit which they will conduct on their own school buildings.

Clarksville Elementary School in Mecklenberg County was awarded $1,500 for 3rd grade students to learn about the environmental benefits of control burning.  They will observe a control burn demonstration and walk through a burn site at the John H. Kerr Reservoir.  Students will also plant seedlings to renew a burn site at the reservoir.

Cumberland Elementary School was awarded $3,000 for 2nd grade students to experience a more “hands on” science curriculum.  Students will learn about life cycles of plants and animals and track and record weather data.  This curriculum will involve parents in their children’s learning process so they will understand teachers’ expectations and the Virginia Standards of Learning.
 
Eagle Ridge Middle School in Loudoun County was awarded $3,500 for at-risk 6th through 8th grade students to achieve responsibility and self respect through an after school program.  The program promotes math and science learning with homework assistance and mentorship from people with careers in math and science.

Granby High School in Norfolk was awarded $2,500 for 9th grade students to study the geology of Virginia.  Students will visit the Blue Ridge Mountains and Valley where they will study Karst topography and rock layers.  They will gather soil and rock samples to bring back to the classroom from the Piedmont region.  Students will create topographic maps of each region and study the input and outflow of water in the Coastal Plains region as well.
 
Harrington Waddell Elementary School in Lexington City was awarded $1,000 to engage 2nd through 5th grade students in hands-on science activities. With the help of parents and a local professor, students will focus their energy on scientific investigation and logical reasoning. These hands-on lessons will help the students form a more concrete understanding of the world around them.
 
Holladay Elementary School in Henrico County was awarded $3,000 for “Mad Science Family Fun Nights” so parents and students can enjoy an exciting evening focused on science.  Kindergarten through 5th grade students and their families will see demonstrations and participate in hands-on science stations where they will investigate the scientific principals that underlie some of their own toys and necessities.
 
 Hugh Mercer Elementary School in Fredericksburg was awarded $2,000 to increase parental involvement in 1st grade classes through a learning partnership among teachers, students and parents.  Teachers will develop math toolkits with hands-on materials and instructions for students to take turns bringing home.  Parents will use the toolkits to work with their children and reinforce mathematical concepts at home.
 
Isle of Wright County Museum Foundation was awarded $1,000 for the Educator’s Ethnohistory Institute, a 3-credit college course which studies life-ways in Tidewater, Virginia, prior to the 1770s.  Kindergarten through 12th grade teachers will have the opportunity to discover resources about Native American cultures prior to European contact with an emphasis on math and science.
 
J. W. Alvey Elementary School in Prince William County was awarded $2,300 to enable 5th grade students to analyze and document the effects of natural disasters or human exploitation on Earth.  Students will use the internet and “Google Earth” interactive satellite software to study the changes of the earth over time.

Kersey Creek Elementary School in Hanover County was awarded $1,000 to enhance 4th and 5th grade students’ knowledge of electricity.  Science kits will help students plan and conduct investigations into the characteristics of electricity.  They will use metric measures to collect, record and report data.  Students will also learn about the ability of electricity to be transformed into heat, light and mechanical energy.

Lynnhaven Middle School in Virginia Beach was awarded $1,900 for 7th grade students to improve water quality of the Lynnhaven River.  Students will identify environmental problems in the river and design natural buffers to reduce run-off and conserve natural resources.

Meadville Elementary School in Halifax County was awarded $1,200 to enhance the science curriculum in kindergarten through 5th grade classrooms.  This grant will fund science projects for students who will dissect owl pellets and construct cell models.  These activities will encourage students’ interest in environmental science and technology.

Mount Vernon Community School in Alexandria was awarded $3,500 to equip 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students with the science and math skills they need to advance their education through hands-on activities.  These daily math and science activities will require students to use the scientific process to solve problems and develop their own investigative skills.

Parry McCluer High School in Buena Vista City was awarded $2,500 for 9th through 12th grade students to investigate plant forms in a greenhouse built on the school grounds.  This outdoor classroom will help students understand biology and plant life.  Students will visit the greenhouse to observe and maintain the plants while studying fungi and the plants’ responses to the environment.

Poquoson Elementary School was awarded $1,000 to provide 3rd through 5th grade students with literature to introduce mathematical lessons and set the stage for learning.  Through cross-curricula teaching, teachers will use lesson plans and manipulatives to help solve problems presented in stories.  Teachers will also be able to check out kits with lesson plans, books and a list of needed materials to use in their classrooms.

Portsmouth Explorers 4-H Club was awarded $1,400 for “Project WET” to encourage kindergarten through 12 grade students to appreciate their water resources.  Students will gather and analyze data from local rivers, creeks and swamps.  They will visit local water environments such as the Chesapeake Bay and the Great Dismal Swamp to make real life connections with their class work.

Powhatan Junior High School was awarded $2,500 to implement a recycling program for 7th and 8th grade students.  With the help of the school administration and maintenance staff, students and science teachers will collect aluminum and paper products to recycle.  The project will raise money for the purchase of extra science equipment.  Students will see the direct effect of recycling on their surroundings.

Prince William County Public Schools Office of Science was awarded $6,500 to engage 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students in math and science activities that focus on energy resources and conservation.  Students will study how force and motion impact energy choices.  Newsletters about the units will also be sent out to parents to encourage students to discuss new ideas with their families at home.

Richlands High School Air Force Junior ROTC in Tazewell County was awarded $1,000 to teach 9th through 12th grade Cadets the value of global positioning systems.  Students will understand how GPS systems interpret information from orbiting satellites and translate that information into longitude and latitude.  They will use the technology to locate specific destinations on a map.

Richmond County Elementary School was awarded $1,000 for kindergarten through 5th grade students to participate in a series of math nights to strengthen school-home connections.  On math night, parents and students will play games and participate in activities that model strategies for helping students at home.  At the end of the evening, parents will receive materials to continue the activities at home with their children.

St. Paul High School was awarded $3,200 for a science and math peer tutoring program for elementary school students.  High school students will participate in training to assist in math and science classrooms during the school day.  They will lead the way in encouraging elementary aged students’ interest by tutoring students in math and science.

Stuarts Draft Elementary School in Augusta County was awarded $900 to help 2nd grade students understand the water cycle.  Students will illustrate the stages of the water cycle and participate in a PodCast to be used by other students in the school.  They will write and practice their own passages about the water cycle which will be recorded and watched at the end of the unit.

Surry County High School was awarded $3,100 to build environmental awareness in 6th grade students by addressing the issues of waste disposal, recycling and community impact.  In this program, students will build a compost site to create mulch for fertilizer-free gardens.  They will investigate the balance between air flow and moisture, carbon-nitrogen ratios, and organic chemistry.

Tandem Friends School in Charlottesville was awarded $1,000 for an applied math and science class for 5th through 10th grade students.  The grant will integrate math concepts and carpentry skills.  Under the teacher’s instruction, the students will research and build a solar power system which they will install in the school themselves. 

The Kellar School in Fairfax County was awarded $1,000 for 6th through 12th grade students to prepare for their future in math and science.  The grant will provide graphing calculators to the students so they will receive a sophisticated math education and will be prepared for college and the work force.

The New Community School was awarded $3,000 for a computer interface system to enhance 6th through 12th grade students’ learning abilities.  With this software, students will be able to measure real-life phenomena, test hypotheses, analyze dynamic relationships and draw conclusions in their own visual learning styles.

Virginia Air and Space Center in Hampton was awarded $5,000 to provide an authentic scientific experience for 4th and 5th grade students to increase understanding of environmental issues and facilitate student communication.  The project allows students and teachers to participate in field investigations into the water quality of their local environment.  They work to understand, protect and restore the environment.

Virginia FIRST LEGO League in Glen Allen was awarded $10,000 to challenge the creativity and math skills of 4th through 9th grade students.  Students will work together to build robots that will solve problems related to energy choices and fuel efficiency.  Through this program, students will explore the ways energy choices impact the economy and the environment.

Western Branch Primary School in Chesapeake was awarded $650 for “Math Family Fun Night” for kindergarten through 2nd grade students and their parents.  Participants will rotate through math game stations which reinforce math concepts such as counting skills, money sense and time.  “Math Family Fun Night” will help parents and students understand and communicate with each other about math concepts. 

Westfield High School in Fairfax County was awarded $1,000 to provide a visual learning opportunity for 9th through 12th grade students.  This grant will actively engage at-risk students with new technology for teaching math concepts.  Electronic whiteboards present visual representations of problems and solutions to students which enhance their learning process.

Westover Hills Elementary School in Richmond City was awarded $3,000 for an outdoor learning center in the courtyard of the school.  Pre-kindergarten through 5th grade students will create an outdoor learning center, complete with a bird and butterfly habitat, weather station and vegetable garden.  Students will learn about pollination and the interdependence of birds and insects.

Woodbridge Senior High School in Prince William County was awarded $1,000 to supplement chemistry lessons with new technology for 10th through 12th grade students.  Students will monitor pH levels and collect data with sensors to analyze in their lab reports.  This new technology will help students evaluate data for more precise results during laboratory exercises.

Woodville Elementary School in Richmond was awarded $3,000 for Pre-kindergarten through 5th grade students to explore the James River through hands-on activities in math, science, social studies and language arts.  Students will study early settlers on the James, present day economic benefits, and recreational possibilities of the river.  Students will create posters and books about the river’s physical features such as depth and rock formations.