Europe South Smart Money Project SY 20-21
The Europe South District's Smart Money Project is a program for educators to apply for projects that support innovative projects they believe will have a direct impact on improving the learning experience and achievement of students in their classrooms. The projects are connected to the school’s continuous improvement action plan and will include activities related to student writing and/or mathematics achievement.Â
These projects were awarded in the spring of 2020 and implemented during the 2020-2021 school year.
The Marksmanship Program or Competitive Precision Shooting offers students an opportunity to participate in a co-ed, varsity marksmanship sport with other DoDEA-Europe schools. The program applies to all 9-12 high school students providing an intellectually stimulating and educationally rigorous classroom as well as extracurricular activities. The Marksmanship Program directly supports the goals of the DoDEA Blueprint offering students real-time application of critical thinking skills, STEM-based learning, and a platform to demonstrate student achievement. Students who successfully participate in the program have opportunities to apply for high school and college scholarships.
Grant Funded Equipment – 2 Creedmoor portable air rifle ranges and shooting mats.
The Virtual Reality Classroom Kit was implemented as an extension activity to enhance student learning about landforms in middle school social studies classrooms. Co-teaching with the Educational Technologist the teacher introduced students to various landforms through a virtual reality "tour". The VR viewers extend student learning through exploration of landforms in addition to small group discussions about what they observed in the viewer. The virtual reality classroom is beneficial because it provides differentiated support both to those students who struggle with understanding the terrain of different landforms while also benefiting students who are able to independently evaluate landforms through guided information. The next step is to provide students and opportunity to create their own VR landform tours projects.
Grant Funded Equipment – 1 RobotLAB Virtual Reality Classroom 10 pack
Project – Innovation Communication Studio
Project Description - The Video Communications and Production classes at Vicenza Middle School have been growing over the last few years. The Innovation Communications Studio project is designed to provide a real-world video production experience for students to match what students are experiencing in other DoDEA video productions programs. Student success and achievement is contingent upon accessing required video production hardware and materials to gain mastery of middle school CTE course competencies and standards. Students are able to operate audio and video equipment to produce professional-quality video projects. Students are able to capture clear audio and well-focused video producing; a student news show, commercials, public service announcements, and school event promotional videos.
Grant Funded Equipment – 12 Canon Vixia video cameras, 12 SanDisk memory cards, 12 Manfrotto tripods
Project – 3-D Technology Classroom
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Project Description - The 3-D Technology Classroom project centers around the integration of a 3D scanner and 3D printer promoting active learning in the Creative Thinking classes. The implementation of 3D hardware and software helps to promote student engagement and student participation through creative-thinking and problem-solving. All students will have a depth of knowledge and discover 3-D software, computer programming, and 3-D printing. Students will integrate the use of the 3D tools into their independent study projects.
Grant Funded Equipment – 1 MakerBot Replicator 3D printer, 6 rolls of filament, 1 Afinia 3D scanner with turntable
