SPARTA TOWNSHIP PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ACTION GRANT PROGRAM

May 2004

Identification Form

Project Title:   	The World Down Under

Amount Requested: $ 1,179.00

Applicant (s) Name(s):               Theresa McMahon
                         Lynnette Babb
                         Melissa Gargano

School:		         Mohawk Avenue School                  

Date:			         May 27, 2004

Received by: _________________

Date: _________________

Time: _________________

SPARTA TOWNSHIP PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ACTION GRANT PROGRAM

May 2004

APPLICATION

Please type or use Black Ink.

Project Title:	Do not identify yourself or your school in the title or any part of this application:
 
The World Down Under

1.	Demonstrated Need: Describe the need for the project.  Be specific.

A Great Barrier Reef videoconference would provide a unique and valuable community connection as an integral facet in our study of invertebrates, ecosystems, and environmental issues. With the increasing fragility of coral reefs, it is important that students become proactive in the care and preservation of aquatic ecosystems.  The Great Barrier Reef, the most complex and biologically diverse system on earth, is in peril as a result of human activities along the shores and even on the land.  As a result of these activities, critical habitats are harshly impacted.  

	Our goal is to obtain monies for three Great Barrier Reef videoconferences for a total of 150 students. At the cost of $1,179.00, this will further extend and enhance our existing science curriculum.

2.	Objective:	Describe the overall purpose and include specific, measurable objectives.

•	Describe the types of interactions that occur between living and non-living components of the ecosystems.
•	Predict the effects on the natural environment of activities associated with industrialized human societies.
•	Interpret data pertaining to the ways in which matter and energy move in an ecosystem.
•	Explore invertebrates, their habitat, and how they co-exist in their environment.
•	Identify and critically analyze various types of special associations that may occur between organisms within communities, such as symbiosis.
•	Construct diagrammatic representations of food webs, on the basis of observed or inferred feeding relationships.

3.	Activities:	Describe activities planned to reach your objectives.  Show who, what, when, where, how.

Activities may include:

•	Using body characteristics, students will identify and classify various invertebrate phyla.
•	Students will observe invertebrates in their natural coral reef habitat.
•	Students will utilize knowledge gained as they actively participate in a videoconference and interact with scientists and scuba divers on site. 
•	Students will construct a food web diagram.
•	Students will develop several questions from the six levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy prior to the conference. 
•	Students will respond to questions posed in a post conference session.
•	Students will participate in an authentic problem-based task focusing on the conservation of the coral reef.
•	Students will create a coral reef model illustrating all invertebrate phyla such as a diorama, bulletin board, or a mural.

4.	Budget:	Prepare a realistic budget and include timelines.

		Three video conferencing sessions at $393.00 each for a total of $ 1,179.00.

  	        The videoconferences will be scheduled for mid-winter of 2005, so monies would be needed by September, 2004 for the reservation of dates.

Total Amount Requested: $ 1,179.00

5.	Evaluation:	Describe how you will evaluate your project.  Relate evaluation directly to objectives.

•	The evaluation of student-posed questions and responses based on Bloom’s Taxonomy 
•	Pre & post tests 
•	Rubric assessment of coral reef model and conservation of coral reef problem based-task
•	Journal reflections

6.	Impact/Support of District Goals: Explain how this project has a positive impact upon the district.  Describe ways it may be expanded or shared.

	The Sparta School District encourages the integration of technology into all aspects of our curriculum.  The Great Barrier Reef Videoconference will allow for unification of science and technology through collaboration and communication with Australian scientists.  This innovative, interactive experience opens our classrooms to the global community.  The reef videoconference will increase student awareness of the need for conservation efforts, will help develop connections between varying cultures, and will unify us as guardians of the earth and its natural resources.