The following Robert P. Bell grants totaling $2,335 have been awarded to local teachers for the first grant cycle of the 2009-2010 academic year. It is estimated that over 1,300 Delaware County students will benefit from these grants.
- Jodi Scales, Selma Middle School, was awarded $301 for seventh grade language arts students to participate in a unit of study on classical mythology that will culminate in a creative small group museum exhibit. After extensive reading on the subject matter, the students will work in groups of three to research a chosen god or goddess and present their findings in a verbal presentation and visual museum display that involved the students creatively teaching others what they have learned.
- Nancy Swickard, West View Elementary School, was awarded $280 for students to create works of art based on the ancient treasures of Egypt. This project will coincide with the cross-curriculum study of Ancient Egypt and will complement lessons learned on class field trips to visit the traveling King Tut exhibit at the Indianapolis Children's Museum.
- Barbara Miller, Cowan Junior/Senior High School, was awarded $68 for tenth grade English students to write book reviews, movie reviews, and video game reviews over the course of the school year for publication in their own mini tabloid for their middle and high school peers.
- Amy Cullum, Wes-Del High School, was awarded $100 for Spanish students to study the geographical and cultural aspects of Mexico. As a culminating activity, each student will create two postcards of an aspect they studied in the unit. Postcards will be shared with other students to allow them to experience Mexico without even leaving the classroom!
- Stephanie Lennon, Daleville Junior/Senior High School, was awarded $194 for ninth grade biology students to construct a 3D model of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) using an array of materials to enhance their knowledge about the complex structure of DNA.
- Danny Thornburg, Wilson Middle School, was awarded $190 for seventh grade alternative education students to study watersheds and the relationship between land use and water quality. Students will participate in water quality testing and monitoring of local watersheds.
- Carol Burt, High Performance Academy, was awarded $350 for elementary art students to study Gustave Klimt and his love of Byzantine mosaics as well as historical mosaics from Roman and Islamic art and contemporary works by Marc Chagall. These artworks will serve as the inspiration for an 80" by 180" mosaic tile wall made up of tiles created by every student in the school.
- Suzy Fox, Yorktown Middle School, was awarded $52 for seventh and eighth grade language arts students to create word pictures with the use of descriptive, clear writing. Students will read the book Don't Let the Pigeon Eat the Hot Dog by Mo Williams, which describes a pigeon's vivid account of eating his first hot dog. The students will be given their own hot dog to enjoy and must write a descriptive paragraph describing their own hot dog eating experience.
- Becky Juday, West View Elementary School, was awarded $244 for fourth and fifth grade students to create a model of a mound similar to those built by the Indiana Mound Builders. Mounds will be created from cardboard tubes, sculpting clay, paint, and artificial grass. Each mound will have a "viewing window" made from Plexiglas, and mounds will be on display for other students to enjoy.
- Laura Kingsley, Storer Elementary School, was awarded $125 for special education students to create individual books featuring photos from the students' home and community environments to encourage nonverbal and verbal communication.
- Stacy Morton, Burris Laboratory School, was awarded $86 for second through fifth grade students to study the people and art of the Middle East. A guest speaker from Kazakhstan will share her experiences and artifacts. Students will view and discuss works of decorative and functional art from the region and will study the history of wool felting. At the conclusion of their studies, students will be introduced to the process of felting and create their own wool felted balls.
- Felicia Gray, High Performance Academy, was awarded $250 for third grade students to study ancient Egyptian culture. Students will work in groups to create relief maps of Egypt and will learn about the religion of Ancient Egypt including the gods/goddesses, mummification process, and afterlife. Students will also create jewelry and their own game boards for the ancient game of Senet.
- Felicia Gray, High Performance Academy, was awarded $95 for third grade students to research clothing, jewelry, and head coverings worn by people of various stature and social standing in Ancient Egyptian society. As a culmination of this study, students will design and make clothing to represent these different people in Ancient Egyptian society and hold a fashion show, "Fashions from Afar-Both Time and Place" for students, staff, and the public.
Bell Grants of up to $350 are awarded to teachers with innovative ideas, programs or projects designed to stimulate learning in their students. The deadline for the next round of grants in the 2009-2010 academic year is December 1, 2009.
For more information about Bell Grant applications, contact Suzanne Kadinger, Foundation Program Officer, at skadinger@cfmdin.org.
