“Sign Me Up” … $ 139.94, Grades 1-12, Denise Durbin
This will allow for the purchase of “Signing Time Life Skills DVD” an American Sign Language Clip and Create set to enhance communication skills with non verbal students The DVD set will enable students to be more independent by teaching the sign language for basic life skills. Although these students can hear, current research indicates using many modes or learning with sign language helps hearing children to retain the knowledge learned for a longer period of time. The physical, visual, and aural modes are employed when combining sign language with spoken English. The signs will also give non-verbal students a voice. The project will enable students with very low communication skills to communicate more effectively. Non verbal children can learn the signs for life skills, such as expressing feelings, self care, arid daily living. Students who receive their academic instruction in the special education classroom will learn and correctly use at least 15 new signs during a classroom activity by the end of the school year. During the week students will be given more examples and stories with the new sign and encouraged to use the sign during lessons in the classroom. Aides and other students will also use the signs when appropriate to foster the functional use of the sign. As new signs are learned they will be added to the expanding sign vocabulary already being used each day in class. As the end of the year approaches the students should have 15 new functional signs!

Write it the Right Way!… $189.60, Kindergarten, Julie Bloss
Grant funding will provide each Kindergarten classroom teacher with the DVD “Alphabet Frog Street Live!” The DVD includes alphabet stories, vocabulary word lists from the stories and basic writing lessons taught by the ever popular Mr. Pencil! Each week the Kindergarten phonics program emphasizes a letter of the week. The Frog Street DVD will be used to supplement the phonics program by teaching basic handwriting of the letter, vocabulary words beginning with the letter and other literary activities such as discriminating between words that begin with the letter of the week, etc. The DVD will be used on the smartboard for interactive activities. From left to right in the picture are Julie Bloss, Kristi Allen, Becky Fields, and Shaun Curl.

Reading with Success…$718.09, 3rd Grade, Deana Glasgow
Literacy is a crucial and fundamental part or learning in our classroom. I need sets or authentic literature that I can use in guided reading groups to help nurture the love of reading and grow students as readers that need to be taught through that text. This is a very important part or literacy learning by using guided reading groups. The students are being guided through the text with direct instruction by the teacher. Students then are “practicing” their reading by trying to move to a more independent level. The teacher is present with each group to instruct, guide, listen, model, observe, and assess each reader so that every child may succeed. Every day during the ninety minute reading block, thirty to forty minutes will be set aside where guided reading groups meet together to learn. while the teacher meets and watches with each guided reading group the other students are engaged at learning stations, independent reading, and/or writing projects. Shown at left are Kristi Wallace, Kristy Allen, Deana Glasgow and Lynn Pagels.

Measuring Up In Science … $1,129, 6th Grade, Robert Cleveland
This grant will obtain two sets of scientific measuring instruments for two 6th grade science classes. The measuring instruments are the following: set or graduated cylinder sets, triple beam balance, spring scales, and meter sticks for each Science classes. These are some of the basic items needed for the science class to work in groups when doing labs that involve measuring volume, mass or time in different lab actives.

Global Collaboration…$814.27, Grades 4, 5, and 6; Susan Smith
This will allow students to hear and feel the rhythms and music from around the world with a collect ion of 17 authentic instruments from Asia, Africa, Europe, South and North America. Our community is somewhat homogeneous and many students have a limited base of experience. This project brings the world to then…it enables them to see and hear and experience things they only see on TV. The more we learn, the more we grow. The more we grow, the better our community. By so doing, it will improve our community through increased understanding or people from other parts or the world. As the children hear the rhythms and music of other parts of the world, social studies lessons will literally come to life! The students will come away from the units with newfound respect and appreciation for each part or the world and it’s unique contributions to mankind. By singing and playing those songs in class, they will be featured in the Spring Program, 2012 which is performed by the 5th graders while the 6th grade will perform during the veteran’s Day program next year. Pictured are Lynn Pagels, Susan Smith, and Becky Fields.

SCORE WITH SEQUOYAH BOOKS…$906.04, Grades 4, 5, and 6, Dr. Jo Martin
Each year our library uses the Sequoyah Book Awards program as a voluntary motivational reading program for a year long celebration or reading. The Sequoyah [look program ,initiated by the Oklahoma Library Association, encourages students from Oklahoma schools to read books of literary quality. In this year the library has chosen a theme that centers around our two university teams, OU and OSU. Crimson and orange helmet decals with students’ names on them will be used to track the students’ progress towards their reading goals. At the end of the school year, a “Reading Celebration” assembly will be held in the gym and a drawing for three $ 100 Savings Bonds will be held and certificates will be awarded to all participating students who reached their reading goal during the school year. The 4th grade students should read at least 10 of the 16 books on the Sequoyah Children booklist, the 5th grade students should read 11 books on the Sequoyah Children’s booklist and 4 from the Intermediate booklist, and the 6th grade students should read 9 books on the Sequoyah Children booklist and 11 on the Sequoyah intermediate booklist. At the end of the year, certificates will be given to students who reached their goal and their names will be placed in a drawing for one of three $100 savings bonds donated by three local banks. In the picture are Dr. Jo Martin, Kristi Wallace, and Robert Cleveland.

Imagineering…$285.92, Grades 7 and 8, Melinda Jarvis
Provides a new series of interactive DVDs designed to reinforce and enhance the science curriculum. Science principles are reinforced while students build and share the roller coaster of their dreams and other science challenges. Imagineering will engage the auditory and visual learner and renew interest in science. Each science teacher will have access to these stimulating learning tools. These DVD’s can be used on the interact smartboards as well as with computers by the individual students (who are selectively given access codes). In the pictures are (from left to right) Kristy Allen, Pat Dodson (principal), Melinda Jarvisl and Tom Riggs.

R2D2 In The Classroom…$6,798.42 Grades 7 and 8, Ed Trumbull
With the advent of the Robotics Program in the 7th and 8th grades, this will provide 11 laptop computers with the software for the robotics engineering curriculum. Students will be using these computers and programs for guidance for building instructions, programming instructions and instructional videos with the LEGO Mindstorms Education Software to write robotics behavior programs then down load these instructions to their NXT Robots. This will allow the highly popular mobile computer lab to be returned to the usage for the rest of the teachers at the school. In the pictures are (from left to right) Kristi Wallace, Pat Dodson (principal), Ed Trumbell and Shaun Curl.

Robots to the Rescues ….$4,150, Grades 9 to 12, Jeanne Smith
The purpose of this project is to purchase a VEX robotics kit for a new robotics class. With this robotics kit, students are given hands on opportunities to design, build, and program a robot which incorporates multiple scientific disciplines including, math, engineering, and computer science. It will increase the number of opportunities for students to be involved in robotics, to provide students with hands on experience increase awareness of the robotics in STEM education. This is to build on the successful program initiated last year at the high school. The pictures shows (from left to right) Lynn Pagels, Jeane Smith, Don Malone and Kristi Wallace.