i. Include guidelines, restrictions, & expectations Kathy:
- Toyota TAPESTRY Science Grant: The program is open to middle and high school science teachers residing within the 50 United States and U.S. territories and possessions and it is also open to elementary teachers who teach some science in the classroom or are teaching specialists. Middle and high school teachers must teach at least two science classes per day. All applicants must have at least two years science teaching experience in a K–12 school not including the current school year. Only the Project Director has to meet the above criteria. The project staff may consist of educators of any discipline, administrators, parents, students or anyone who will be directly involved in the project. An individual teacher or a team of up to five people may submit a proposal. The Project Director will be the contact person for the team and will be the sole administrator of the grant money. Applicants may submit only one proposal per year as Project Director.
Proposals should demonstrate creativity, involve risk-taking, possess a visionary quality, and model a novel way of presenting science. Proposed projects should promote exciting and innovative activities to motivate students in science. Proposals may include but are not restricted to:
• innovative instructional strategies
• curriculum development and implementation
• creative uses of technology
• involvement with the community and/or industry
• collaborative programs among students and teachers
• professional and staff development
• involvement of at-risk or minority students
• multidisciplinary or interdepartmental participation
• in-class or extracurricular activities
• solution of a local community problem
- Toshiba Grants for Science and Mathematics: Teachers who are passionate about making science and mathematics more engaging for their students.
Grade 6-12 applications for $5,000 or less are accepted on a rolling basis, throughout the calendar year. Grants requests of more than $5,000 are reviewed twice a year. Applications for grants of more than $5,000 are due August 2, 2010.
- Vernier and NSTA Technology Award: Promotes the innovative use of data-collection technology using a computer, graphing calculator, or other handheld in the science classroom. We encourage you to apply for one of seven $3,000 awards.
Will recognize and reward the innovative use of data-collection technology using a computer, graphing calculator, or other handheld in the science classroom. A total of seven awards will be presented:
One award at the Elementary Level (Grades K-5)
Two awards at the Middle School Level (Grades 6-8)
Three awards at the High School Level (Grades 9-12)
One award at the College Level
Valerie:
- American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Foundation
Science and Math Classroom Grants: This grant is awarded to K-12 schools/districts that use science, math, and/ or technology in their curriculum. Schools are allowed to apply more than once, each award being $200 and the total school awards can be up to $1000. The technological tools, such as cameras, need to have specific lesson plans to support the need for these supplies.
-FedEx Education Charitable Contributions: Request for monetary contributions are accepted year round and reviewed about 3 weeks after receiving the request. FedEX supports schools that work towards enhancing education in the following areas technology, global economics and trade, cultural diversity and innovative programs.
-Tool Factory and Olympus Digital Wish Grants
Digital wish: These grants are award on the 28th of every month and are designed to help everyday classroom teachers find funding for their technology lessons. All you have to do is make a wish list of technology tools you would want and/or need and write a letter explaining why and how you would use them. This is the background of this program: “Digital Wish is a public charity designed to help educators locate much-needed funding for technology. Regardless of whether you win one of these grants, your technology wish list will be posted publicly so that donors can make a contribution to your classroom. It's basically a wedding registry for technology products!”
Grants will be judged based on:
Creativity and depth of your Digital Wish user profile. Tell your story and let the world know how you will use technology in your classroom. The judges look for detailed profiles and compelling classroom ideas. Your profile is your application!
Popularity of lesson plans. Your lesson plan will automatically become part of your class profile. The very best lesson plans will be invited to become part of the national lesson plan library. Every lesson plan on Digital Wish can be viewed, shared, and rated by other educators. The more popular your lesson plan becomes, the better chance you will have to win a grant. Invite your colleagues to share their lesson plans on Digital Wish. Your entire "Friends" network will be one-step closer to winning an award by virtue of sharing.
Quality of lesson plan. Coherent and well-written lesson plans will always be given higher ratings by the judges. Make sure your plan is relevant to the curriculum. All subject areas are rated equally.
Activity of the Digital Wish user. Keep your profile current, invite lots of friends to join your network, and get higher marks from the judges. Remember, every month there are more grants deadlines maturing. You don't have to re-apply to be considered each month!
Tool Factory: “These grants are awarded to teachers with lesson plans involving three digital cameras, a Digital Camera Basics workbook, a Tool Factory site license, and $500 cash. Grants are chosen based on the creativity, student involvement, and the technology effectiveness of the lesson plans.” Application deadlines are in January and June of each year and can give a grant of up to $3,700.
ii. Those responsible for applying, maintaining, communicating, and evaluating Kathy: The technology committee will submit proposals for these grants. It will be up to Linda Fischer for maintaining and evaluating the financial opportunities.
Valerie: Our technology committee will work on the applications and follow through. As one of the creators of the committee, I will handle any additional work or paperwork that builds as a result of the search for financial support. The final approval will be at the discretion of our technology department chair and principal.
b. Considerations for community partnerships and/or corporate sponsors Kathy:
St. Mark's advertises for local businesses and alumni who make donations to the school (they get a banner of their business put up in the gym). Most of the paid advertisements go toward sports, but whoever makes the contribution can direct where they would like their money to go. Valerie:
Williamstown Middle School will seek sponsors based on relationship to this initiative. We will address the reason we are requiring money to purchase these cameras and attempt to appeal to the sponsors. We, the technology committee, will compile our reasoning in a letter to be sent out to local companies that are used commonly for other school activity funding. Fundraisers will also be considered, i.e. dances, raffles, etc.
Funding Our Technology
a. Identify both short & long-term funding opportunities
Kathy:
- Toyota TAPESTRY Science Grant (individual awards vary with $550,000 to give away) http://www.nsta.org/programs/tapestry/
- Toshiba Grants for Science and Mathematics (small grants under $5,000, large grants over $5,000) http://www.toshiba.com/tafpub/jsp/about/HowAp...
- Vernier and NSTA Technology Award ($3,000) http://www.vernier.com/grants/nsta.html
Valerie:
- American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Foundation
Science and Math Classroom Grants
http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=216
-FedEx Education Charitable Contributions http://about.fedex.designcdt.com/charitable_contribution_guidelines
-Tool Factory and Olympus Digital Wish Grants http://www.digitalwish.com/dw/digitalwish/grant_awardshttp://www.toolfactory.com/olympus_contest/olympus_teacher.htm
i. Include guidelines, restrictions, & expectations
Kathy:
- Toyota TAPESTRY Science Grant: The program is open to middle and high school science teachers residing within the 50 United States and U.S. territories and possessions and it is also open to elementary teachers who teach some science in the classroom or are teaching specialists. Middle and high school teachers must teach at least two science classes per day. All applicants must have at least two years science teaching experience in a K–12 school not including the current school year. Only the Project Director has to meet the above criteria. The project staff may consist of educators of any discipline, administrators, parents, students or anyone who will be directly involved in the project. An individual teacher or a team of up to five people may submit a proposal. The Project Director will be the contact person for the team and will be the sole administrator of the grant money. Applicants may submit only one proposal per year as Project Director.
Proposals should demonstrate creativity, involve risk-taking, possess a visionary quality, and model a novel way of presenting science. Proposed projects should promote exciting and innovative activities to motivate students in science. Proposals may include but are not restricted to:
• innovative instructional strategies
• curriculum development and implementation
• creative uses of technology
• involvement with the community and/or industry
• collaborative programs among students and teachers
• professional and staff development
• involvement of at-risk or minority students
• multidisciplinary or interdepartmental participation
• in-class or extracurricular activities
• solution of a local community problem
- Toshiba Grants for Science and Mathematics: Teachers who are passionate about making science and mathematics more engaging for their students.
Grade 6-12 applications for $5,000 or less are accepted on a rolling basis, throughout the calendar year. Grants requests of more than $5,000 are reviewed twice a year. Applications for grants of more than $5,000 are due August 2, 2010.
- Vernier and NSTA Technology Award: Promotes the innovative use of data-collection technology using a computer, graphing calculator, or other handheld in the science classroom. We encourage you to apply for one of seven $3,000 awards.
Will recognize and reward the innovative use of data-collection technology using a computer, graphing calculator, or other handheld in the science classroom. A total of seven awards will be presented:
One award at the Elementary Level (Grades K-5)
Two awards at the Middle School Level (Grades 6-8)
Three awards at the High School Level (Grades 9-12)
One award at the College Level
Valerie:
- American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Foundation
Science and Math Classroom Grants: This grant is awarded to K-12 schools/districts that use science, math, and/ or technology in their curriculum. Schools are allowed to apply more than once, each award being $200 and the total school awards can be up to $1000. The technological tools, such as cameras, need to have specific lesson plans to support the need for these supplies.
-FedEx Education Charitable Contributions: Request for monetary contributions are accepted year round and reviewed about 3 weeks after receiving the request. FedEX supports schools that work towards enhancing education in the following areas technology, global economics and trade, cultural diversity and innovative programs.
-Tool Factory and Olympus Digital Wish Grants
Digital wish: These grants are award on the 28th of every month and are designed to help everyday classroom teachers find funding for their technology lessons. All you have to do is make a wish list of technology tools you would want and/or need and write a letter explaining why and how you would use them. This is the background of this program: “Digital Wish is a public charity designed to help educators locate much-needed funding for technology. Regardless of whether you win one of these grants, your technology wish list will be posted publicly so that donors can make a contribution to your classroom. It's basically a wedding registry for technology products!”
Grants will be judged based on:
- Creativity and depth of your Digital Wish user profile. Tell your story and let the world know how you will use technology in your classroom. The judges look for detailed profiles and compelling classroom ideas. Your profile is your application!
- Popularity of lesson plans. Your lesson plan will automatically become part of your class profile. The very best lesson plans will be invited to become part of the national lesson plan library. Every lesson plan on Digital Wish can be viewed, shared, and rated by other educators. The more popular your lesson plan becomes, the better chance you will have to win a grant. Invite your colleagues to share their lesson plans on Digital Wish. Your entire "Friends" network will be one-step closer to winning an award by virtue of sharing.
- Quality of lesson plan. Coherent and well-written lesson plans will always be given higher ratings by the judges. Make sure your plan is relevant to the curriculum. All subject areas are rated equally.
- Activity of the Digital Wish user. Keep your profile current, invite lots of friends to join your network, and get higher marks from the judges. Remember, every month there are more grants deadlines maturing. You don't have to re-apply to be considered each month!
Tool Factory: “These grants are awarded to teachers with lesson plans involving three digital cameras, a Digital Camera Basics workbook, a Tool Factory site license, and $500 cash. Grants are chosen based on the creativity, student involvement, and the technology effectiveness of the lesson plans.” Application deadlines are in January and June of each year and can give a grant of up to $3,700.ii. Those responsible for applying, maintaining, communicating, and evaluating
Kathy: The technology committee will submit proposals for these grants. It will be up to Linda Fischer for maintaining and evaluating the financial opportunities.
Valerie: Our technology committee will work on the applications and follow through. As one of the creators of the committee, I will handle any additional work or paperwork that builds as a result of the search for financial support. The final approval will be at the discretion of our technology department chair and principal.
b. Considerations for community partnerships and/or corporate sponsors
Kathy:
St. Mark's advertises for local businesses and alumni who make donations to the school (they get a banner of their business put up in the gym). Most of the paid advertisements go toward sports, but whoever makes the contribution can direct where they would like their money to go.
Valerie:
Williamstown Middle School will seek sponsors based on relationship to this initiative. We will address the reason we are requiring money to purchase these cameras and attempt to appeal to the sponsors. We, the technology committee, will compile our reasoning in a letter to be sent out to local companies that are used commonly for other school activity funding. Fundraisers will also be considered, i.e. dances, raffles, etc.