| 1.
What did your project set out to do? What outcomes did you identify for your
project? |
The primary teachers at Linder (K, 1, 2) spent a lot of time discussing ways to help children improve their reading/writing skills, and decided that one of the main focuses this year would be to work on increasing and improving vocabulary usage. After having read the book Bringing Words to Life, we decided to try using movement to explore vocabulary, which is what we asked Kay Braden, our Artist-in-Residence, to help us with. Therefore, Kay shared her talent to help our children explore the meanings of certain vocabulary through sound, space, line, rhythm, contrast and movement. |
2. What
did the project accomplish? Who was served and how did they benefit?
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We saw a new "spark" in our students when it was time to explore new vocabulary, and Kay really inspired our teachers to try using the ideas that she shared with us to make learning more meaningful for the kids. We all noticed an increase in students' use and understanding of an extensive list of vocabulary. These activities were done in each Kindergarten, First, and Second grade classroom. |
| 3. How
do you know that your project accomplished these things? What evaluation
methods did you use?
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As I stated above, we saw a significant increase in vocabulary usage with our students. Some classes reviewed vocabulary and movement daily, and began using more movement to introduce new vocabulary. Some classes made Vocabulary Books, using the words that were studied to draw and write what each word meant. Other classes came up with new poems or stories using the vocabulary that had been taught. |
4. How
will you share the results of your program with others?
(These might be other school personnel, parents, press/media, PTO/PTA,
local or state policy makers, etc.) |
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We kept everyone in the Linder Community updated through the school newsletter, and many of us added information about it in our monthly notes to parents. We tried to get the newspaper involved, but they had just done an article from Linder about a visiting author that we had a few weeks before Kay got started. We could have done more, but it was a very busy time for us all, and that was about all we could handle at the time.
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Please
attach photographs (please limit to 400 pixels wide!) or other documentation
that helps others to understand your project. Label the documentation with text
that explains what it is and how it shows the project’s accomplishments.
(nothing to display) |
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