Getting to Know the Arlington Education Foundation s Innovations in Education Grants An application guide for teachers We are thrilled you are considering applying for an Innovations in Education grant and are eager to support you as you strive to engage students and reach them in new and exciting ways. Over 65% of all AEF grant applications have been accepted in the past -- we want yours to be one of them in the future! Overview Innovations in Education Grants support innovative and creative teaching and learning projects in the Arlington Public Schools. Successful projects will be new to the teachers and students involved and will transform learning in specific and visible ways. We are particularly interested in supporting pilot efforts that can be adopted later by a wider audience, as well as enrichment projects that enhance curriculum and/or community at the classroom, school, grade, department, or district level. Who can apply Arlington Public Schools staff parents, or community members are all eligible to apply. Non-school-based applicants must partner with the Arlington Public Schools. Please consult with your AEF school representative bef ore submitting a grant application. Grant Amounts: $250-$3,000 Key Guidelines The project must be completed within 18 months from the date of grant approval. A final report on the project and documentation of all expenses are required. Grant recipients should be prepared to help AEF publicize their grants, for instance by attending AEF events or submitting press materials and publishable photos. Any proposals for technology must be approved by the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction of the Arlington Public Schools.
Grant applications may include professional development and teacher training, but AEF grants will not fund standard classroom supplies, equipment, or videos. Additional AEF grant guidelines can be found at: http://www.arlingtoneducationfoundationma.org/wp/grant-guidelines Deadline for Applications Applications must be postmarked no later than November 15 (for fall grant review cycle) and April 15 (for spring grant review cycle). How We Evaluate Applications The board of AEF reviews each and every application very carefully, using the five categories below to guide our evaluation. ENRICHMENT: What are this project s goals and expected outcomes? How will the project enhance curriculum and instruction? INNOVATIVE/CREATIVE: Is this project based on a new idea and/or method? Is this project different than other programs or techniques that have been tried before? While direct duplication of a previous grant is discouraged, we welcome new, fresh spins on previously-tried techniques. REACH: Does this project benefit many students, in multiple classes, grades, subjects and/or schools? Over what timeframe? [NOTE: Grant applications can be submitted in partnership with a school s PTO in an effort to provide greater reach, but this is not a requirement]. SCALABILITY: Could this project be replicated or scaled by teachers, classrooms, or other schools in Arlington? LONGEVITY: Can this project provide a lasting benefit to Arlington's schools? How will the learnings from this project be shared?
Your School Rep is Here to Help! The Arlington Education Foundation school representatives are available to offer advice and to answer questions about the grant application process. Your rep will be your spokesperson at the grant application review meeting where winning grants are selected. Please use your rep as a resource, as they can help set you up for success and advocate for you! How to apply: Ready to apply? Download the application at www.aefma.org/innovation (the link is half way down the page). With the permission of past grant recipients, on the following pages, we are providing three sample applications that were successful. We hope they are helpful to you as you prepare you application. GOOD LUCK!
Sample Application 1: Ukulele Hero
Sample Application 2: Thermal Imaging Project
Program/Project Description Project Title: 8 th Grade Thermal Imaging Project Provide a description of the project including key goals and anticipated outcomes and/or benefits for both students and teachers. The 8 th grade science curriculum includes a unit on the topic of thermal energy and heat transfer. Historically this has been a challenging unit for students, as the flow of thermal energy is not directly visible, but rather must be evaluated by indirect means with a slow and limited technology (primarily measuring with thermometers). The concepts are not as tangible as in other units, making it difficult for students to explore and observe the processes independently. This grant would allow the 8 th grade science team to purchase a class set of thermal imaging adapters that would work with currently available technology. The thermal camera adapters described in this proposal can attach to cell phones and ipads to allow the device to display thermal images using a free, manufacturer-developed app. Students will be able to visualize heat sinks, heat sources and observe the flow of thermal energy in real time in a medium that is compelling and accessible. This equipment, including one thermal imaging adapter per lab group (6 lab groups in a class) and one adapter for the instructor, would allow us to expand and enrich our current curriculum and would allow more independent, inquiry-based activities to complement traditional instruction. Since the 8 th grade science team works closely together to plan and schedule curriculum activities, we can easily develop several inquiry-based projects for use with the devices and plan a schedule that would allow each cluster to use the devices in turn. These devices can also be made available to students in the Ottoson Middle School Science Fair Club who may wish to undertake a project related to thermal imaging, which was not previously available as an option. Given that the thermal energy and heat transfer unit is a standard part of the 8 th grade curriculum, these devices will be used each year. Students will gain a more thorough understanding of the concepts and will be engaged and active in their learning. 2. Approximately how many students and teachers will be involved in the project? If the project includes a classroom component and the applicant is not a classroom teacher, then the proposal must include the names of the teachers who will be involved and describe their roles and levels of involvement. (In this situation, it is advisable to have one of the teachers sign the proposal as a coapplicant.) 400 Students per year (variable based on the size of each 8 th grade cohort) 4 Teachers (can also be made available to Tech teachers and Science Fair Club Advisor, as needed)
3. Describe the innovative aspects of the project. (I am going to address both Questions 3 and 4 below) 4. How does the project supplement existing educational programs within the school/system? To date, there is limited hands on access to the Thermal Energy and Heat Transfer unit in the 8 th grade curriculum. Students have traditionally had difficulty connecting with the concepts, since heat energy is not directly visible. We discuss vocabulary and concepts and currently offer one lab activity which involves observation of temperature changes under conditions which would produce radiant heat transfer. With the technology requested in this grant, the students would have an opportunity to explore thermal energy and heat transfer by using thermal imaging cameras. The requested devices attach to ipads and cell phones through the headphone jack to allow the device to display thermal images using a free, manufacturer-developed app. This will produce wonderful opportunities for inquiry-based exploration as the students explore the classroom and the school for patterns of thermal energy and heat transfer. They will be able to see the changes in heat signature around windows and doors, decide if materials are good heat insulators, compare heat transfer from bodies at rest and bodies after exercise. There are many exciting possibilities. We will be able to see heat conduction through a metal bar or convection currents around heaters. These possibilities are exciting because they will engage students with many different learning styles. The product I am looking to purchase is called Compact, by Seek Thermal. It is small, sturdy, and connects directly to ipads and iphones. It can operate in both photo and video mode and students can save screenshots or videos of the thermal images they are seeing through the camera. I have chosen this product over other similar products, as the device draws power directly from the ipad or iphone to which it is connected. This means that the device does not require batteries, plugs, cords or recharging between usage. This makes it ideal for steady usage throughout the school day by multiple classes. http://www.thermal.com/products/compact There is a 30-day return policy and a one-year warranty on the products and they come with a waterproof storage case. They are relatively simple devices and we will be able to test them and use them within the first 30 days to ensure that they meet our educational needs. 5. Is this a pilot project that could be duplicated by other teachers, classrooms, or schools? Yes, this is a project that could easily be duplicated by other teachers, classrooms or schools. As stated above, the entire 8 th grade science teaching team will be able to use these devices in turn, so that all 8 th grade students have the opportunity to use them. If there are other grades or classrooms that explore thermal and energy and heat transfer, this technology would be appropriate to use for many grade levels.
6. Provide an estimated timeline for the project, including start date, key milestones, date of completion, and date you expect to submit your final evaluation. Upon approval of this grant, I would purchase the devices right away. The 8 th grade usually studies this topic in mid-january, so we would schedule lab activities and explorations using these devices during the current school year. The 8 th grade science team would use the equipment for the first time in January of 2017 and would then work yearly to improve and build upon the results and success of the previous year. I will evaluate the success of the inquiry-based explorations and lab activities upon conclusion of the curriculum unit and make recommendations for modification of the unit for coming years. I anticipate that this equipment will be used successfully for many years to come.
Project/Program Budget Request A detailed budget must be provided by all applicants. PROJECT TITLE: 8 th Grade Thermal Imaging Project TOTAL AMOUNT REQUESTED: $1893 Please provide a detailed project budget. Include the total cost of the project, the amounts available or pending from other sources (including other grants submitted), and the amount requested from AEF. Project Budget: Purchase of 7 Compact thermal imaging attachments 7 @ $249 each = $1743 http://www.thermal.com/products/compact 4 hours of curriculum planning and lesson development related to the devices purchased 4 @ $25 each = $100 2 hours of evaluation, reporting, documentation 2 @ $25 each = $50 Total Request $ 1,893 I have not requested funding from any other sources. I will speak with the supplier in an effort to obtain discounts related to the educational purpose of the purchase. Free shipping is available. I anticipate being able to purchase the devices tax-free, as befits a municipal school district.
Sample Application 3: CO 2 Car Race
Program/Project Description Project Title _CO? car race 1. Provide a description of the project including key goals and anticipated outcomes and/or benefits for both students and teachers. We hope to create not just a project, but an event through which students will learn physics, engineering, mathematics, data analysis, design, computer skills, all of which are a part of CADD. We also believe the event will promote cross-curricular cooperation between math, science, the arts, and CADD. The photo gate technology that we are requesting can be used to improve existing speed and velocity projects in physics classes. In CADD class we are attempting to create a CO2 car race. Students in our race will create designs of cars using 3D modeling programs, and then the cars will be 3D printed using the 3D printer in our CADD class. With the technology grant, we would like to purchase a track system which includes photo gates and sensors which will be able to precisely gather time, speed and velocity data as the cars go over the start and end lines, or the gates. With this track and photo gates we will be able to use our cars as prototypes to test our designs and improve upon their drag, friction, propulsion and learning more about the design process. This track will benefit both our CADD program as well as the science department, which can use the track for their own projects. We want to create a school wide (and maybe include the middle school as well) C02 car race in CADD class. In order to accomplish this, we want a track called the "Pitsco Impulse G3 Dragster Racing System". This project is a step above others similar projects because it takes the process to a more advanced level. Instead of making cars solely out of wood and pre-bought pieces, we will have students design and 3D print every part of their vehicle for the race. Not only will this track allow us to accomplish the project, a localized track will allow students to test their design and improve them based off their results. This gates will further benefit learning by providing the precise measurement needed to iterate design improvement based on results, which is an important part of design CADD and science. This will also improve problem solving skills and display use of CADD in the real world situation. This project benefits students in a many ways. Students will have a hands on situation where kids must apply the skills of CADD students. Another benefit to buying our own track is that this project will enable future students to replicate the race and improve this project. This creation of models and testing is the backbone and foundation of CADD and engineering
2. Approximately how many students and teachers will be involved in the project? If the project includes a classroom component and the applicant is not a classroom teacher, then the proposal must include the names of the teachers who will be involved and describe their roles and levels of involvement. (In this situation, it is advisable to have one of the teachers sign the proposal as a coapplicant.) About 65 Students per year will participate directly in the CADD classes. Many more students and teachers will potentially participate through collaborations with high school physics and art classes, and through the middle school DML and engineering classes. 3. Describe the innovative aspects of the project. Along with CADD students working to 3D print cars for the race, other classes, such as physics and art, will be able to cooperate in the project. This will be possible with the use of photo gates that come with the track. Photo gates are used at the start and end of the track to accurately measure the time it takes an object to get from one gate to the next. This will allow students to calculate different items through this including velocity. Additionally, there is room to expand the project to art classes, as well as the wood shop, in order to increase the scope of the project. Art students can work to make the cars visually appealing and in the wood shop, students could possibly replicate the 3d printed designs that we create in CADD class. Also, other projects that measure precise speed and velocity can be adapted to use these gates. Physics for example already does similar experiments, and these gates can be used by them to make those experiments better. This track includes a starting mechanism consisting of launch pods, launch triggers, a start gate, control box, and a start mat. There is wire to keep the cars on the track and photogates to time the cars. Timing the cars will be vital to the success of this project, on top of the obvious benefits of seeing how fast the cars are, we can use it to calculate things such as the exact speed of the cars. It has both auto launch to ensure a fair race and manual launch if necessary, which will allow us to perform different tests with this track. 4. How does the project supplement existing educational programs within the school/system? This project ties in knowledge learned from physics, math, engineering, CADD classes from around the school and build on a similar version of this project at the middle school. We will take it further by having students design the cars themselves in CADD programs and focusing on the engineering and physics aspects of the project. Students can apply loiowledge from science, math, and CADD classes to solve for the drag of their cars, the speed, and friction. With the power of the photo gates, students can gather electronic data and delve deeper into their experiments than they were previously able to. Through this, Students will be able to use this track to improve their understanding of
CADD and how to apply CADD to the world around them. However, other Fields will be tied into this project as well. Students will apply Art skills to improve aesthetics and wood shop to build pieces of their C02 cars. 5. Is this a pilot project that could be duplicated by other teachers, classrooms, or schools? This is a pilot project that can be duplicated every year within CADD. However, each year this project will be able to further develop as students can apply more loiowledge to their cars and build off of previous designs. The race will grow each year, and will improve based on the results of the previous year. This will not only be duplicated by CADD classes, but also can be used by physics classes and at the middle school. For example, Mr, Macuk, a physics teacher, conducts a similar project using a friction based track which is less accurate regarding measurements. With this new track, photo gates allow for a more precise measurement of time, which will allow for calculations to be more exact. This new track will benefit the science department. 6. Provide an estimated timeline for the project, including start date, key milestones, date of completion, and date you expect to submit your final evaluation. Date May 8 June 15 June 20 June 25 Milestone Get and set up track Print CO2 cars Race Improve, Innovate, and Ratify Computer designs
Project/Program Budget Request A detailed budget must be provided by all applicants. PROJECT TITLE CO? car race TOTAL AMOUNT REQUESTED $1420 Please provide a detailed project budget. Include the total cost of the project, the amounts available pending from other sources (including other grants submitted), and the amount requested from AEF. $1195.00 for the track +$75.00 for tax +$150.00 for C0 2 cartridges $1420.00 dollars for the total project We don't have any other funding opportunities available for this project