Concord Education Fund

GRANTS AWARDED 1997-1998

Ten grants were made totaling $43,305. Awards include grants that reach children in all schools within the Concord Public Schools and the Concord-Carlisle Regional High School. Grantees include teachers, staff and parents. Grants are:

$2,835

We're All Alike. We're All Different, Willard School Pilot in one kindergarten The grant supports development of an extended day kindergarten pilot program open to Willard children using the social studies theme as a focal point for curriculum. The grant will support curriculum development, project management and materials.

$1,350

Examining & Understanding Critical Turning Points in Contemporary World History Through Children's Literature Willard Schools, Pilot in one 3rd grade class The grant supports curriculum development and materials for an expansion of the 3rd grade social studies curriculum to include critical events in world history using children's literature.

$1,360

Colonial Garden Alcott School All 1997 graduating 3rd graders through their 4th grade year. The grant supports enrichment of both science and social studies curricula through a children's garden planted with crops related to early American studies units. The project will be a collaboration between 3rd & 4th grade teachers to create project continuity between school years. The grant will support curriculum development, project management and materials.

$7,120

Writing and the Mobile Computer Alcott School Pilot in one 5th grade class including collaborative activities with one kindergarten class. The grant pilots the use of newly available children's lap top computers in significant numbers in the classroom to test the benefits to children's writing and research skills of increased computer access. The grant will support the purchase of 10 Apple eMate 300 computers for the class.

$2,056

Integrating Social Studies and Music Thoreau School, Pilot in one 1st grade & music classes This grant supports a collaboration between the 1st grade and music teachers to integrate a pilot social studies unit about families and childhood focusing on Ghana with a unit about African music, which plays a significant role in the culture. The grant will support the purchase of musical instruments and other music materials.

$700

A Garden for Integration ‑‑ Bringing the Life Sciences into Life Thoreau School. All 1st grade classes. This grant supports the expansion and integration of parts of the 1st grade life science curriculum by creating a butterfly garden adjacent to the classroom for observation and study. The grant will support the purchase of supplies and materials for the project.

$3,750

Earth/Space Science Inquiry and Investigations All elementary schools grades K-4 This grant supports the expansion of science curricula in meteorology, geology, astronomy and meteorology at the elementary level. The grant will support the design and development of large and small scale equipment [e.g. weather stations] and classroom kits as well as preliminary teacher training in their use.

$1,134

The Land We Share, Concord Middle School, 7 th grade In its first year, this grant provided for the collaboration of the science and social studies departments, forty community experts and the entire seventh grade to participate in a case study of a land use issue here in Concord. Funds supported curriculum development, teacher training, and equipment. This year’s follow-up funds provide dollars for evaluation and further development of the unit for the 1997-98 school year.

$13,000

Critical Thinking: reading Connections for Math, Science, English, Social Studies and World Languages, Concord Middle School The goal is to enhance the CMS teachers’ ability to help all their students become more powerful readers and to improve their skills in order to interpret, analyze and evaluate more complex text in each of their academic subjects.

$10,000

Expanding Health Fitness Education, CCHS New curricula in the Health and Fitness Department of CCHS is putting greater emphasis on the integration of health education and fitness activities and on teaching students to become more involved in managing their own health education. This grant project will provide equipment to enable the introduction of muscular fitness and cardiovascular endurance as part of a new health education curriculum design.