McKinley Education Foundation Teacher Grant Recipients
Winners of the 2009 MEF Mini-Grants
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Jessica MacManus, Science Teacher, Gallup Central High
“Wild About Wolves”
Biology and ecology classes will study the plight of wolves in the North American west, with a focus on New Mexico. Students will learn natural history, societal implications of wolves, genetics of wolves vs. wolf-dogs. Classes will be augmented with visits to a wolf sanctuary and presentations by wolf experts. Students will select research topics for class project.
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Scott Farver, 5th Grade Teacher, Indian Hills Elementary
“Rocketry and Math”
Students will study the role of rockets in today’s world, study math concepts related to rocketry, and work in pairs to build and launch model rockets, collecting data from each launch.
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Lauren Tinkoff, English Teacher, Tse Yi Gai High School
“Tse Yi Gai Writing Anthology”
In this whole school writing project, teachers will hold writing workshops during after school mentoring periods, focusing on topics like poetry, short shories, vignettes, expository writing, and writing for activism. Correct grammar, work choice and fluency will be stressed, and at year’s end an anthology will be printed and bound and copies given to all participants.
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Margie Dressler, First Grade Teacher, Thoreau Elementary
“Using Photos to increase Language and Writing Skills”
Using inexpensive disposable cameras, students will take pictures of their home, family and pets to communicate ideas. The students will create individual family books to take home, learning the connection between pictures and words, extending and enriching speaking and writing vocabularies.
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Katherine Barnett Rivas, Science Teacher, JFK Middle School (two grants)
“How 'Dirty' Is Dirt?”
Seventh grade students will learn about dirt and soil and engage in composting – the ultimate recycling. They will learn about soil composition and how dirt acts as a filtration system. They will insert themselves into the larger environment assess the value of composting in order to create rich soil while recycling waste products.
“Safe Chemical Reactions”
Eighth grade students will use chemistry kits specially-designed for middle school students to witness chemical reactions that make things change colors, disappear and explode. This will take notions that are abstract to them, like atoms and subatomic particles interacting, and make them tangible, spurring their interest in science.
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Mirakhel Windsong, Counselor, Indian Hills Elementary
“Integrating Language Arts, Creative Expression and Emotional Literacy”
Books related to character traits, self-awareness, grief/loss, friendship, global/ international awareness and celebration of diversity will be read aloud, after which K-5 students will respond to the book in writing, clay creation, sand tray play, drawing or simple puppetry. Students will explore the concept of each book without judgment or comparison.
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Amanda Markey, Math Teacher, Tse Yi Gai High School
“Making Math Fun: Using Whiteboards in the Classroom”
Students will use whiteboards for math games to learn tactics for solving basic equations, factoring polynomials, describing end behavior in limit notation, etc. The immediate feedback allowed by whiteboards will invest students and further their understanding of math concepts, which will make them excited to learn.
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Laura Milligan, Art Teacher, Thoreau Middle School
“A Tribute to Gutenberg: Relief-Block Printmaking Process”
Students will learn to create relief-block prints to create multiple images, similar to old-style printing presses. They will learn how the printing press revolutionized the world via mass production of literature and artwork. Students will design and carve their own linoleum blocks, and learn about ink rolling and paper alignment and make their own prints, complete with “artist’s marks” for use on future projects.
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Erin Black, 3rd Grade Teacher, Church Rock Elementary
“Photojournals: The Beauty of Our Lives”
Using disposable cameras, students will photograph things important to them, and pick 10 photos to include in a photojournal – a book of pictures with written descriptions or captions. They will use all aspects of writing convention studied throughout the school year as they celebrate the beauty of their lives.