Diving Into a Vernal Pool Study

Grant: Funds for trips to Norcross Wildlife sanctuary, journals, Handbooks for Vernal Pool Animals, digital and video cameras.
Amount: $1,650.54
Teacher: Marion Reilly, Michelle Nascemben
Students Benefiting from Grant: 20 5th Grade students, Wales Elementary

Students will complete a year-long, hands-on research project on animal habitats. As part of the project, students will visit Norcross Widlife Sanctuary twice, keep science journals, use Handbooks for Vernal Pool Animals, prepare multi-media presentations, and the author of Big Night for Salamanders will visit. This grant is being implemented during the 2011-12 school year. Please check back soon, for more details and a full report of how the Wales Elementary School students benefited from this Ted. grant.

2010-11: Ted. awards $16,137 to 7 projects

2009-10: Ted. awards $11,750 to 6 projects

2008-09: Ted. awards $11,613 to 6 projects

2007-08: Ted. awards $25,448 to 9 projects

How Grants Get Granted

The Ted. Grants Review Committee consists of members of the Ted. Board of Directors and educators not affiliated with the Tantasqua or Union 61 school districts. In order to ensure impartiality, the Review Committee reads the applications with the teachers’ names and schools removed.

When Grants Get Granted

Applications are due by March 1^st and notification of the awards by early June.

What Ted. Funds

Teacher-initiated innovative projects and programs and the materials that support them. The key criteria are listed here.

Ted. Evaluation for Grant Proposals
- Is this a creative, innovative project in teaching and/or learning, (i.e. one that involves “change, expansion, adaptation, enhancement, improvement, challenge, risk, or a new technique which is supported in the literature”)?
- Does the project complement the curriculum goals of the Tantasqua Regional or Union 61 Public Schools?
- Are the goals, outcomes, and activities of the project clearly stated, and completed with adequate detail?
- Will the project benefit large numbers of students?
- Is the project suitable for replication in the school system?
- Are the budget items reasonable and in adequate detail?
- Does the dissemination method and/or evaluation mechanism adequately assess the success of the project?
- What is the overall strength of the proposal?