Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars*
SMS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Library Books
The current book offering at Saline Middle School is lacking in the areas of diversity, immigration, African-American, Hispanic, LGBTQ and special needs students. We would like to strengthen this offering by acquiring additional books to appeal to all SMS students.
Engaging All Communicators
The goal of this project is to increase staff and peers to feel comfortable communicating and engaging with a student who utilizes an Augmentative Assistive Communication (AAC) device.
a.) Grant funds will be used to purchase 3 IPads and an iPod. Proloquo2Go will be placed on the devices. The iPod will also have music on it so that students can practice commenting about music and youtube videos.
b)Monthly mini-presentations (10-15 minutes) will be held in 6th-grade homerooms/7th/8th-grade science/social studies room with AAC users to provide staff/students strategies/visuals/activities to engage. The IPads will be used to provide general education students to practice using the communication devices prior to engaging with the AAC students so that communication interactions will be more natural and engaging. Afterschool, monthly mini-presentation (10-15 minutes)will also be held for interested staff. Mini-presentations will contain information about strategies/activities including modeling, aided language stimulation, extension/expansion, utilizing visual supports, and recasts which are evidence-based strategies that facilitate learning for AAC learners.
SMS Reflection Center
Historically, the room, Jake Fosdick’s office, has been used for in-school suspension and small group testing. Now, the room is also used for lunch groups and individual student reflection. We want to extend the use of the space for restorative justice sessions and as a calming center for students experiencing anxiety. Updating the decor of the room creates a more calming, welcoming, and safe space and re-frames the use of the space for students and staff.
To the Beat of the Drum
Students will play “To the Beat of the Drum” during music therapy sessions. Exploring their imagination through song, rhythm, and tune while building communication through verbal and nonverbal expressions. “To the Beat of the Drum” will allow students to express their creative and communicative sides in a diverse environment for all. The rhythmic component of music is organizing to students with sensory processing differences which enables them to feel calm and open for learning and communication.
Hovercraft Obstacle Course Design Challenge
This design challenge will require students to collaborate, research and think critically to solve a problem. The hovercraft will serve as the control in this scientific challenge. Students must research, design, and build a way to steer the hovercraft. They will be able to test out and improve their design to, in the end, steer their craft through an obstacle course.
Fresh Air Learning Spaces
The Fresh Air Learning Space project aims to expand 7th grade learning spaces outdoors by furnishing outdoor seating and work areas for students in the shared 7th grade courtyard. Currently, the courtyard is accessible by all teachers in the 7th grade, but there a limited number of broken plastic chairs, causing the courtyard to be basically unused.
The SMS Podcast/Radio Center
It has been many years since the physical plant of Saline Middle School has had a radio station type program where students from the various aspects of school life could be interviewed and share their backgrounds, ideas, and accomplishments with their classmates specifically and the larger school community (parents, surrounding community, other school buildings within the district) in general. The proposed SMS Podcast/Radio Center would serve as a creative outlet for students at Saline Middle School interested pursuing activities and careers in the areas of radio and digital entertainment. The students would engage in the space and use the equipment and resources provided by the Foundation for Saline Area Schools Building Grant to create digital and shared content that would support a wide range of the Saline Area Schools Vision Compass and Learner Profile. Initially, the experience would take place before and after school and during student lunches, with the hope of the class expanding into an elective course at our school.
Keeping Speed Stacking Alive!
Between the years of 2005 and 2007, a successful series of FSAS Grants came together to create a complete set of classroom Speed Stacking supplies. Speed Stacking is cup stacking, where an individual attempts to create different blends of pyramids with cups while being timed.
We are very proud to say that roughly 13 years later, our Speed Stacking supplies are still used on a daily basis! With constant use comes the need for new supplies to keep this worthwhile program moving.
