The following Robert P. Bell grants totaling $2,549 have been awarded to local teachers for the third grant cycle of the 2010-2011 academic year. It is estimated that over 750 Delaware County students will benefit from these grants.
- Lane Brand, Delta High School School, was awarded $391 for high school anatomy and physiology students to create models of organ systems in the human body using modeling clay. Students will use toothpick flags to label organs and major disorders of the organs.
- Barbara Miller, Cowan High School, was awarded $399 for tenth grade English students to participate in drama circles to be videotaped and shared with their peers. As a culminating activity, each drama circle will choose one activity to write and perform while being filmed, such as interviewing the author or rewrite and perform the ending of a play.
- Teresa Schwer, Royerton Elementary School, was awarded $290 for fifth grade art students to explore the history of quilts, especially in the African-American culture. Students will study Faith Ringgold’s biography, write about a special memory of their own, and then create a related quilt square using fabric crayons and muslin.
- Sherry Makowski and Lora Byrum, Muncie Central High School, were awarded $345 for high school biology students to test the effects of small variations of the ambient temperature of two or three degrees can show differences in growth and development of caterpillars. Students will cultivate the host and nectar plants for the butterflies’ environment before raising caterpillars into adult butterflies.
- Kiki Pavlechko, Yorktown High School, was awarded $422 for high school fine arts students to study the work of Andy Warhol and then participate in two different types of printmaking. They will then partner with kindergarten students to create original alphabet plates for their classroom.
- Jodie Scales, Selma Middle School, was awarded $268 for middle school reading students to participate in a unit aimed at getting kids excited about reading. Students will read their choice of books and then mount posters on their lockers rating each book on a five point scale. The posters and book reviews will help stimulate book discussions in and out of the classroom.
- Stacy Morton, Burris Laboratory School, was awarded $339 for elementary art students to study the art and cultures of Asia. Students will create origami cranes to be sent to the Peace Memorial in Hiroshima as well Asian style kites to be flown in the school’s yard.
- Ashley Ernstberger, Royerton Elementary School, was awarded $95 for fourth grade students to study the book, “The Patchwork Path: A Quilt Map to Freedom.” After studying about the role of “Freedom Quilts” in allowing slaves to safely make it to freedom, the students will work together to create their own “Freedom Quilt”. Students will then use their quilt squares as inspiration for a writing piece done from the point of view of a slave who is trying to escape to freedom.
Bell Grants of up to $450 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 2010-2011 academic year is April 1, 2011. For more information about Bell Grant applications, contact the Foundation's Program Officer, at skadinger@cfmdin.org. or click here for more Information.
