Grant Writing Tips #7 and #8

I've been a little under the weather this past week, but I thought I'd at least keep up with my weekly grant tips. Look for more goodies later this week!

#7 Follow the directions. Seriously.

One way grants are sifted through is by eliminating those who didn’t heed the instructions. Alway read and follow the fine print, down to font size and margins. Your grant application is like a job application. If you don’t follow the word limit, include the required information, or meet the deadline, it’s already over. You’ve shown you don’t really want the “job.” If you have questions about how to complete the grant, there is usually an e-mail or phone number listed for you to contact for information. Better to be safe than sorry in the end.

#8 Grammar and spelling count. Word choice does, too.

Whatever you do, check your work before you turn it in. Nobody likes to read through a paper that’s a minefield of mechanical errors (not even you, teacher). The appearance of your grant application is just another way of showing you do or don't care. Nobody really wants to read something that goes over his or her head, either. Don’t use “big words” in attempt to impress the reader. After all it’s a grant application, not a college essay. Just be your best self, and you may be surprised at the outcome.

APP Time: Nth Fusion Science Apps

So this time, I couldn't just pick one!

It's nice to have some "easy" apps available to students just to review information and reinforce vocabulary. Nth Fusion creates several apps that are engaging and "to-the-point," and my three favorite ones for science have become Landforms, Body Organs, and Life Cycle. They are science, pure and simple - no frills, no super cool interactive features, but for $0.99 each they are great ways to incorporate science and reading skills. Each of these three apps resembles an "e-book" with the way students turn the "page" to the next section. All of these apps have a voice (which sounds like your average teacher, not a computerized person) that reads and explains the information to the student. I love the idea of using my iPad as an e-reader, but not the cost of some of the books on iTunes. So the fact that these apps "read" to the student is a real plus.

Landforms covers every square inch of the earth, both land and water. It is excellent review for a geography and/or geology unit. The students learn definitions and different variations of landforms - I didn't even know there were that many variations of a waterfall (but I do now!). Each section has a quiz, or a "Think and Verify" part where the students can quiz themselves on what they have learned. Some of my students get confused and think the app is "broken" at this point because they want to touch the answer on the screen to see if they are correct. To see if they chose the correct answer, they have to go to the next page.

Body Organs explains the major organs and also includes a section on cells. Each section discusses the parts and purpose or the organ, location in the body, cool facts, and ways to keep that organ healthy. I like the research section on this app (it poses questions for the students to go on their own and find out), but I think the students like the "quiz" part of the Landforms app better. The diagrams of all the body organs are great!

Life Cycle is a bit deceiving in its name, because it includes much more than just, well, life cycles! In addition to the life cycles of a frog, ladybug, butterfly, and plants, there are also the phases of the moon, pollination, rock cycle, nitrogen and oxygen cycles, photosynthesis... whew! I think that's all of them. It's great review and has wonderful diagrams (the nitrogren and oxygen cycles are a bit of a snooze but oh, well). Each cycle just starts over from the beginning with no review or research section.

These apps could be used with primary and intermediate level students. The content and vocabulary may go over the head of primary grades, although higher level student would probably enjoy the challenge of it. If you have a VGA adapter for you iPad, these would be great to share with the class on an LCD projector to review before standardized testing - or any time you need a science break!

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/landforms/id474104965?mt=8

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/body-organs-4-kids/id434151042?mt=8

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/a-life-cycle-app/id394578286?mt=8

Grant Writing Tips #5 and #6

We're halfway there!

#5 Avoid using “filler words.”
I consider any word that can be left out and still maintain the flow of your writing a filler word. Fillers are fluff, the adult version of adding "I hope you liked my story" or "The end" to your essays in grade school. They are little, repetitive words that distract a reader from the purpose of your grant.

For example: the word “will” takes up a lot of space, especially if you have a word limit for your application. You will find yourself using "will" over and over and over...because your project hasn't happend yet. The solution: write your grant in the present tense and the reader can better visualize your project in action. Personally, I think it makes it sound like you have a better vision for your project. Another good word to leave out as much as possible: that. That takes up a lot of room, too. I'm also not too fond of "also."

#6 It’s all about the money. Budget wisely and sensibly.
Just because you can write a grant for up to $10,000 doesn’t mean you should. Those awarding grants want to spread their funds as much as possible. Think of your goals. While many projects do warrant great expenditures to make an idea a reality, keep in mind the materials you request should adequately and appropriately fulfill the intent of your project. Do your research so you can include the best prices for the requested materials. You need to be exact when you get to that all-important page where you need to list your materials and quantity. Remember to include any other extras that may be necessary to get your project off the ground, such as batteries or bulbs. Not that I know anything about having to make a last minute run to get a pack or two of Energizers (cough, cough).

Another good rule of thumb: break it up. Write grants for smaller amounts of money and fewer materials at a time to gradually build up to a large scale project. My personal opinion is that a well-written grant with a lower dollar figure stands a better chance than an over-the-top project that isn't clearly expressed - but that's just me.

President's Day Websites

Since I love history and it's Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share two interactive websites on George Washington and Abraham Lincoln that I'm rather sweet on (the websites that is, not the presidents ; ). Hopefully you read this in time to incorporate it into your instruction before President's Day!

Discover the Real George Washington is the most awesome, comprehensive, interactive timeline ever! Developed by Mount Vernon and based on a traveling exhibit of his life, it basically brings the field trip to the classroom through cartoons, video, and pictures of Washington - all in a chronological, organized format. Students love learning about the truth behind the myths about George, his teeth (you even get to see how they made his dentures!), Martha, and his role in developing espionage strategies during the Revolutionary War - which, you will find, is incredibly cool. Your class will love it. It's a great site to show on an interactive whiteboard as a class, or have your students explore it in the computer lab. Students up through middle school would enjoy this website; although the reading and wording is above the primary grades, they would still enjoy the cartoons and some of the videos on the timeline.

Abraham Lincoln's Crossroads is for fifth grade and up. Unless you have already covered the Civil War in your classroom, you may want to wait to share this one with your class. That being said, this is my favorite website created by the National Constitution Center. President Lincoln "talks" you through the decisions he had to make during his political career. Students get to decide what they think Lincoln should do - and then find out the actual outcome. Along the way, other prominent historical figures are introduced, such as Stephen Douglas, Horace Greely, and Frederick Douglass, to name a few. It's takes a while to get through Lincoln's life, and there is a lot of reading involved. While you could introduce it in the classroom, students would probably get more out of it by going through it independently. The website a great way to review the major points in Lincoln's presidency and the Civil War. There is a broadband and a low-bandwith version of this website to choose from; it you want the animated, interactive version, choose the broadband.

Hope you elect these web resources as your February favorites!

http://discovergeorgewashington.org/

http://constitutioncenter.org/lincoln/#

Grant Writing Tips #3 and #4

It's time for the Sunday edition of grant writing tips! Add these to your collection from last week for some practical pointers on writing grants!

#3 Remember your audience.
Those reading your grant and distributing funds are most likely not teachers, especially if the funding is coming from a company or non-profit organization. They are usually business professionals who aren’t familiar with educational terms and lingo. You have to step into their world and write clearly and persuasively. Keep the education jargon to a minimum - especially acronyms (IEP, ESL, and RTI aren't going to ring a bell to them unless you explain what they stand for). Help them “see” your classroom by describing life with your students on a daily basis - in plain English.

When it comes down to it, grants are good PR for the organziations that fund and award them. It's school–business partnership at its finest where both parties benefit. That being said, those project proposals that stand out, that best represent the mission of the company or funding source, are going to become front runners. Learn about the organization awarding the funds. What do they produce or support? What types of projects have they funded in the past? Do your homework and apply it to your writing - and you can make them want you to represent them as a grant recipient!

#4 Don't complain. Ever.
Yes, those reading your grant have heard that classrooms are overcrowded, there isn’t enough money for resources, and teachers are strapped to provide the best for their students. Otherwise they wouldn’t be funding classroom projects. Don’t waste valuable space telling them the obvious. There's a difference between describing your students' needs and just...well, complaining. State what you do to promote student learning in spite of the circumstances. Come across as someone who has a solution to improve your students’ learning environment, not one who dwells on the problems.

Tune in next Sunday for more tips!

Pinterest

Well, I wasn't planning on making a post on this...but if you don't have a Pinterest account by now, you should. My apologies to all the people reading this that are already "Pinterested," but since I have been on Pinterest for the last hour I just want to make sure you all know, from an education stand point, what the big deal is about this web tool!

What's Pinterest? I said the same thing at first. Between social networking, blogging, e-mailing, etc., I don't need another online distraction from my school homework and literally my home work - helloooo, laundry pile! But someone sent me an invite...and the rest is history - and a lot of repins.

Pinterest allows you to easily search for ideas and projects for just about everything, and then "repin" it on pages you create on your board. It's taking surfing the web to the next level. Instead of just bookmarking the websites on your personal computer, you can log onto your Pinterest account anywhere to access all your awesome online finds.

Yes, you can keep "Googling" away for teaching ideas - I'm not knocking that one bit! But Pinterest allows you to collect your favorite crafts, ideas, and projects in a way that is visual (each "board" you create has a picture of each site you pin) and collaborative. You can see boards other people have collected - and if you LOVE what someone else is choosing to pin, you can follow them. It's a great way for teachers to learn from each other and organize the projects and ideas for their classroom. Seriously, how many times have you come across a great idea online, only to forget about it a day later? Pinterest lets you make a virtual bulletin board of your favorite stuff for your life in and out of the classroom.

A Pinterest account is free, although if you request an account you may have to wait a while for it to go through. The best thing to do is to have someone who already has an account to send you an invite (much, much faster). Try it out, and I'm sure you'll quickly be inspired by all the ideas on there! Who knows? Pretty soon I may be following your board!

http://pinterest.com/

APP Time: FREE Everyday Math Apps February 7-9

Remember those FREE Everyday Math apps I told you I would let you know about? They're here for a very short time, so get downloading!

For those of you not familiar with the program, Everyday Math is a standards-based math series through McGraw-Hill. Throughout the series, games are used to reinforce math skills and concepts - and they're pretty fun, too! If you are able to access the math series through your online account (eGames and ePlanner), you can play the games online together before having the students play them on their own, whether it be on the computer, the board games, or...now the iiPad! Even if you don't use Everyday Math in your curriculum, your students will still benefit from the skills and strategies used in these games.

So for the next three days (February 7 - 9), you can download the following Everyday Math apps for FREE: Addition Top It (adding and comparing sums, kind of like playing the card game War), Monster Squeeze (number line and number recognition), Equivalent Fractions (it will remind you of Solitaire), Beat the Computer (basic multiplication facts), and Divisibility Dash (my favorite, I mean, my students' favorite). I've never had my students dislike an Everyday Math game, either on the computer or the iPad. The computer games and apps are nearly identical, and the skill reinforcement they get from playing is undeniable. If you are wondering about the grade level range for the apps, Addition Top It and Monster Squeeze are more for the lower grades (1-2), while grades 3-5 would benefit from all of them except Monster Squeeze (just a little too "young" with the big, orange monster and all).

This is a nice collection of Everyday Math apps to get you started. There are many more, and most run around $1.99. I've never paid for an Everyday Math app because I've always waited until they have their special weeks when they are free. Apparently March 14th (Pi Day) is the next possible time that there will be more free apps, so take advantage of the ones available now to enhance your math instruction!

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/everyday-mathematics-addition/id413312885?mt=8

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/everyday-mathematics-monster/id414294235?mt=8

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/everyday-mathematics-equivalent/id417016316?mt=8

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/everyday-mathematics-divisibility/id428594346?mt=8

Grant Writing Tips #1 and #2

I figured since I've been posting a lot of grant opportunities, it wouldn't hurt to pass on some of my tried-and-true tips for writing successful grants. So here's what I'll do: each Sunday for the next 6 weeks or so, I'll post some helpful grant writing strategies. I'm pulling these from a presentation I gave earlier this school year, so some of you may find these familiar.

So you want to write a grant...

#1: There is nothing wrong with cute. Start out smart and create a catchy title!
The title of your grant is like a movie preview. A snazzy, catchy, play-on-words will capture the reader’s attention and set your application apart from the rest! Acronyms are also a great way to name your project and set its purpose. Will your preview capture your audience's attention?

#2: Think project, not product.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting a Smart Board or an iPad for your classroom. The fact that you simply want one, however, shouldn’t be the focus of your grant. Develop an experience or project for your students that have them using the materials requested in an innovative manner. What are your students’ weaknesses? How could you reach them better? What are your instructional goals? That alone should drive the focus and content of your grant.

Check in next Sunday for tips #3 and #4! Have a great week in the classroom!

Beyond Question Student Response System Grant

Disclaimer: I have a set of interactive student responders, "clickers," remotes, or whatever you choose to call them. They are amazing. You enter the questions using the software, students log in using their remotes (which is easy enough for even a younger student to do independently), and students "click" in their answers as they appear on the projected device. Once all students have responded to the questions, you as the teacher receive instant feedback to share with the class on their progress - no grading of papers required (my favorite part). Did I mention they are amazing?
So, I guess my disclaimer for this grant is that I have a different "brand" of student responders than I am featuring in this post. The one I use in my classroom is the SMART Response PE System. I'm sure that all of the different types of responders (which seem to be appearing more frequently) that are on the market have their similarities and differences, so if anyone has experience using another type of responder, feel free to comment below. Just felt that I should clear this up, being that my motto is classroom tested and teacher approved.
With THAT being said, Beyond Question is offering a $1000 grant for their student response system. There is an application on their website to download in PDF, and apparently the deadline is "rolling" (in grant-speak, that means they accept applications continuously or until funding runs out). The difference left over after applying the grant is $399, which for a set of 30 responders, receiver, and software isn't too bad. If you have funding in your school to provide for the amount left over from the grant, this opportunity is definately one to consider.
Even if you don't have an interactive whiteboard, you can still utilize responders as long as you have a computer and an LCD projector. The receiver (included in most response systems) is what captures the data from the remotes, not the interactive whiteboard. Just thought I'd through that out there!
http://www.bqlearning.com/Beyond-Question/k-12-grants2