2015-2016 Foundation Grant Descriptions and Coordinating Teachers
Braeside
Computer Control K’nex
Shara Lieberman, Jory Weissman
Fourth grade students will design and write programs to control K’nex models. The
students will then progress through a series of tasks and challenge activities designed to
use critical thinking and problem solving skills.
S.T.E.A.M. Night
Kristin Pressman, Susan Ozawa,
Darien Parker
Students at all grade levels are invited to participate in an independent inquiry science
project. Projects are showcased at a school-wide event.
Edgewood/Elm Place/Northwood
112 Composer in Residence
Mollie McDougall
Students at all middle schools will get to work with a live composer, discuss musical
choices made by the composer, and collaboratively rehearse and perform the original
piece at the All-City festival.
Elm Place
Celticscapes
Susan Haugland
Sixth, seventh and eighth grade students will explore and celebrate Celtic traditions,
history and culture culminating in an evening performance.
Culture to Culture Club
Vanessa Dugo, Miriam Schuman
The Culture to Culture Club is open to all students interested in exploring various
regions and cultures of the world. Students will meet twice per month to research and
plan events to learn about a new chosen culture.
Green Bay
Music Therapy Connections
Mirela Vesa
Special needs preschool students will build social and language skills through music
therapy.
One Word, Two Words, Red Words, Blue Words
Emily Fenbert
Preschool students will be provided with core language visual aids. This will assist all
students develop vocabulary, particularly students who are at risk for language learning
delays.
2015-2016 Foundation Grant Descriptions and Coordinating Teachers
Parent Academy/Academia Para Los Padres
Erika Moran, Nadia DeHaro Vega
The teachers will host workshops for native Spanish speaking preschool parents to
provide support and collaboration. The workshops will include topics such as
development of math, reading and pre-writing skills, differentiation for children with
special needs, and integrating technology into children’s learning.
Pequeños Artistas/Young Artists
Nadia DeHaro Vega
Preschool students will have an opportunity to participate in art classes in their own
school. The art students will study artists from around the world and learn about their
style. Art students will create artwork that resembles the style of the artist they are
studying. Throughout the program art students will also create their own art pieces.
The art classes will take place once a week throughout the school year.
Indian Trail
Award Winning Artists: From Library to Studio
Karen Grost
The purpose of this grant is to provide experiential artistic learning to augment and
promote visual learning and literacy. During Library class, students will read and
evaluate multiple Caldecott winning books with a partner, write mini reviews, and learn
to look for clues as to the media type used for illustrations. Students will create an
accordion style book in which they will mount the artwork created in Art class.
Beyond the Fairy Tale: Empowering Young
Lindsey Petlak, Rebecca Alvarado
Women & their TRUE Inner Princess
The grant, inspired by the amazing new versions of classic fairy tales, will examine the
admirable and inspiring character traits of these stronger, more independent, kind, and
creative new "princesses" and find ways to help the girls learn from and emulate those
traits in their own lives as they begin to experience challenges and difficulties as young
ladies.
Buddy Bench
Josh Funke
The student council at Indian Trail will be creating a bench that creates a visual cue to
other children on the playground that someone sitting on it is feeling left out or needs a
friend to play with. The Buddy Bench will help to create a playground culture of caring
and inclusion. It challenges children to support their peers and empowers them to be
part of the solution. This will be decorated by the students of Indian Trail and the bench
will be placed onto the playground.
2015-2016 Foundation Grant Descriptions and Coordinating Teachers
Indian Trail Times
Ben Brandstrader
The grant vision is for The Indian Trail Times to have a weekly student broadcast and
student centric news broadcast to the school during morning announcements. The
students will write and edit all content before presenting, filming, and editing all filmed
news segments. The students will be given the freedom to innovate and create content
that they feel will appeal to the student audience.
A Journey is Worth a Thousand Words
Laura Golden
Students will be attending a field trip to enrich the learning experience and create
experiences to incorporate into writing. Using the Language Experience Approach,
students will use pictures taken from the trip to create a hardbound book entitled A
Journey is Worth A Thousand Words.
Kamishibai Japanese Storytelling Traditions
Karen Grost
Kamishibai means paper drama in Japanese. It's based on a traditional storytelling
method for children. Students will experience and learn about the tradition in grades K3rd. Students will prepare for and perform stories in the Japanese style and tradition of
Kamishibai storytelling.
Learning Through Music
Rebecca Alvarado
Using a class set of ukuleles, the students will be taught how to play the ukulele and to
play songs that will reinforce the learning taking place in the classroom. Songs and
music are a great strategy for teaching young students new concepts and are especially
useful for teaching students who are learning English as a second language.
Mrs. Potter’s Mushroom Farm
Karen Grost
In conjunction with the library unit on Beatrix Potter, each first grade class will “plant” a
mushroom kit that will be stored in their classroom. Students will plant, feed (water),
check temperature of environment, observe and record details about mushroom growth
in conjunction with other Beatrix Potter activities. Mushrooms grown will be sent home
with students and can be eaten.
Social Thinking
Jenna Didier, Rachel Williams, Mari Lagone
This grant teaches children with various social skill deficits how to utilize positive social
skills and interact with others in multiple settings. Lessons will consist of reading social
scenes, role playing, lecture/discussion, watching videos with discussion, and projects.
2015-2016 Foundation Grant Descriptions and Coordinating Teachers
Indian Trail/Wayne Thomas
Laser Music
Beth Heile
Through this grant, a set of BEAMZ, a laser-based musical device that can connect to
nearly any electronic device (i.e. computer, iPad, smart phone, etc.), will be purchased
for the Indian Trail and Wayne Thomas music programs. These will allow all students to
activate a sound by touching the light beam.
Lincoln
Curtain Up
Kim Luedtke, Kim Wagner
First and second graders will work with a teaching artist from Chicago Children’s Theatre
to understand and act out how the characters solve the problem stated in the
plot. They will analyze points of view of characters, study rhythm and rhyme of phrases
and present the story to the entire school, retelling it in their own voices. Music and art
will be tie-in to the performances. The project will culminate in a performance for
Lincoln students and for Lincoln parents.
KidsTellitWrite
Beth Kenar
This grant supports students in an exciting writing workshop with author, storyteller,
teaching artists and certified bullying prevention trainer, Sue Black. She will engage
students in a series of workshops that she describes as hands-on, experiential, on your
feet with creative energy, with oral brainstorming and story crafting with partners prior
to writing.
Lincoln Goes Country
Janet Lubetkin
Fourth and fifth graders will learn about how country music developed from gospel and
blues and farm songs to the most popular genre in current music. Working with
playwright and lyricist Matt Boresi and composer Rachel Page from the Music Institute
of Chicago, fifth graders will explore how music grew out of an agrarian culture and
changed as industrialization took effect. Fourth graders will explore regions of the U.S.
including the South, Plains and North, to create a script that traces the path of country
music.
Northwood
Roots Fest
Carolyn Frye
Cultural diversity in the performance arts will be celebrated through performances and
workshops given by professional storytellers, actors and musicians.
2015-2016 Foundation Grant Descriptions and Coordinating Teachers
Uke KAN Play Ukulele
Regina Mele
Eighth grade students will have the opportunity to learn to play ukulele during music
class and to perform during Roots Fest.
What is Your Story?
Luisa Benson, Suzanne Sosnowski
Eighth grade students will learn about U.S. History and its effect on students' personal
histories in English, Language Arts and Social Studies classes, and then learn to express
their thoughts and feelings by creating and performing spoken-word pieces with
resident artist Adam Gottlieb, a teaching artist affiliated with such diverse organizations
as Young Chicago Authors and Louder Than A Bomb youth poetry slam festival.
Yoga for the Special Child
Zoe Seder, Sammi Roth
This grant will provide professional yoga instruction—both physical and mental-- to
special education students to help reduce stress. Breathing, awareness, patience, and
self-care are among skills that will be learned.
Oak Terrace
Banker's Game
Peter Samaris
Using hands-on beads to represent different base ten values, MyPath first-fifth graders
will learn about such mathematical concepts as number sense, estimation, place value,
skip counting, borrowing and regrouping.
Cocinando con Matematicas
Erica Brady
Through cooking, students will learn about mathematical concepts, writing, and
nutrition. Learning will culminate in the publishing of a Spanish language cookbook and
a video cooking show, all produced by students.
Lessons with Legos
Steve Hodgson
Working with Legos, MyPath fourth and fifth graders will work with hands-on materials
to learn about such mathematical concepts as perimeter, area and volume of a
structure; equivalent fractions, engineering and creative problem-solving.
The Steel Drum Project
Susan Siciliano
Students in 5th grade will learn how to play the steel drums. Steel drums have a unique
sound that cannot be imitated by any other instrument.
Learning to play the steel
drums will give students increased opportunities to play pieces with the sounds that are
authentic to various musical styles from many places
2015-2016 Foundation Grant Descriptions and Coordinating Teachers
Turtle Math
Howard Templer
In previous years various animals and insects have been studied by the students to
create real world examples for math calculations. This next year turtles will be used in
the classroom to engage students’ curiosity toward math learning.
Worms Eat Our Food Scraps
Patricia Castro
The program will engage students in hands-on earth science, math, and language arts
learning experiences in the areas of sustainability and environment. Students will have
the opportunity to participate in the vermicomposting (composting with worms)
program.
Ravinia
Reflections on the Wild: Observations and Interpretations
Sharon Steckel
Of Regional Flora
In this multi-disciplinary unit, fourth grade students will be introduced to the fields of
botanical drawing and poetry as they relate to science within the context of nature.
Students will develop an appreciation for the preservation and protection of native
species.
Robotics in 1st Grade
Andrea Dunning
Through the use of the Lego Education WeDo program, students will be able to use
technology and engineering concepts to “program” a robot. The WeDo program
introduces young students to simple machines, motors and sensors.
Storytelling in Kindergarten – They All Have Stories to Share
Amy March
Students will be engaged in a yearlong study of the art of storytelling. Literature, visual
media and technology will serve as springboards for students to learn how to express
themselves creatively, and with the ability to speak effectively for a variety of purposes.
Students will also learn how to use puppets and props to enhance their performances.
Red Oak
Lego Story Starters
Kate Strong
Students will work in groups of three collaborating to write an original fairy tale. This
project will employ Lego Education StoryStarter, a hands-on learning tool that enhances
students’ reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.
2015-2016 Foundation Grant Descriptions and Coordinating Teachers
Literature with Laughter
Valerie LaRiviere
Students will enjoy mixing literature with laughter by writing short stories some of
which will be selected by the Griffin’s Tales student performing arts group to be brought
to life in skits, plays, songs and raps created by the college students and performed by
them for the Red Oak students.
Mallet Mania
Kaitlin Zawacki
Xylophones will be purchased for the Red Oak music program so that there will be a full
classroom set. Students will no longer have to switch between partners or sit out for
some of the class experience because until now there were too few xylophones.
Meet the Lincolns
Matt Hollander
President Lincoln and Mary Todd will be coming to Red Oak to talk with third, fourth and
fifth graders. Rumor has it that these actors are the most sought after and highly
regarded Lincoln/Todd impersonators in the Midwest. The assembly will kick start a
biography project for the third grade and the Illinois History Project of the fourth grade.
Sherwood
A Celebration of Mexican Folk Heritage
Kathryn Polyack
The Sherwood art, music, library and gym teachers are collaborating on a project for the
entire study body to learn about Mexican folks arts. Students will hear authentic
Mexican folk tales from a professional storyteller; create papel picado, sugar skulls and
paper mache in art class; learn traditional Mexican songs and dances; and incorporate
Mexican folk heritage in PE/health class as well.
Elementary Engineers
Anne Schultz
Fourth graders will participate in various engineering tasks following the design process
of asking a question, imagining, planning, creating, and evaluating or improving. The
project will culminate with a field trip to iFly where students will learn about STEM
careers and STEM in the real world, and perform activities that deal with solids, fluids,
forces, measurement, recording data and interpreting results.
Makerspaces
Helen Weiss
Sherwood fourth and fifth graders will benefit from the purchase of a LittleBits circuit kit
from which they can make a flashlight, light-sensing alarm and learn about electronics,
and a Makey-Makey invention kit which allows students to combine art and engineering
on the internet. Students can use these kits during an optional lunchtime club.
2015-2016 Foundation Grant Descriptions and Coordinating Teachers
Wayne Thomas
Wisconsin Fast Plants
Katelyn Lorenz
Wisconsin Fast Plants will be purchased for students to grow as part of their third grade
science unit on life cycles. Students will measure the plants, graph their growth, draw
what they are observing and share information with their peers.
Yoga for Focus, Engagement and Brain Breaks
Deb Smith
All grade levels will have yoga activities brought into the classroom to help students
become more relaxed, focused and engaged.