Natick Center T Station Mural Project
Barbara Milot, Arts Curriculum Coordinator, Natick Public Schools; Natick Center Associates; MBTA
Natick High School student volunteers will create a large outdoor mural on the back wall of the south side of the Natick Center T Station platform. The planning, design, and execution of the mural will be done by students, supervised by NHS teachers, and directed and coordinated by an artist consultant.

Peer Mediation Training for Kennedy and Wilson Middle School Students
Nancy Nichols, School Psychologist, Wilson; Maureen O'Neill, Guidance Counselor, Kennedy; Jim Hill, Guidance Dept., NHS; Karen Dalton-Thomas, Guidance Dept. NHS
Peer mediation is a form of conflict resolution which is a way for students to solve problems in a non-violent and peaceful way by talking to each other. Students are trained to be neutral third parties who help other students work together to create solutions to disputes.

The Well Versed Student: Learning Through Poetry
Shoshanah Starr, 2/3 Teacher; Karen Belsley, parent, Lilja
A collection of materials, including a diverse range of poetry books and art materials, will be created in order to learn using multiple intelligences to promote reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. This project will provide students with the opportunity to explore, interpret, and respond to poetry.

Reptiles and Amphibians
Scott Dixson, Teacher; James Lauzon, Program Coordinator, North Star
North Star students will join with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Commission to survey, catalogue, and record data pertaining to the shrinking reptile and amphibian population in Massachusetts. During this hands-on project, the students will utilize and demonstrate an understanding of the reptiles and amphibians, as well as their evolution, heredity, and ecosystems.

Weather Station
Brett Lubarsky, Student, NHS; Vera A. Larkin, Science Teacher, NHS
This grant will provide the Natick High School Science Department with a weather station to coincide with the Freshman course of Physical Science. This will not only enrich the curriculum, but will also extend the positive experiences gained at both middle schools.

Connect the Dots: Building a Classroom Resource Library
Martha E. Curran, English Teacher, Wilson Middle School
Building a classroom resource library in the 8th grade at Wilson Middle School will enable teachers to create interesting, integrated, multidimensional and exciting lesson plans for the thematic study of the tapestry of humanity. It will also enhance the skills of students as they learn to use these resources to research and cross reference historic periods to gain a more complete understanding of and appreciation for the history of human achievement.

Science Software
Jim Brown, Science Chair; Don Petrone, Science Teacher, Kennedy Middle School
This grant will develop an interactive science classroom for teaching 7th graders. Students will be the focus of the learning environment and will be given more responsibility for their learning through the use of the science software.

Orff Instrumentation, Part 2
Kris Hill, Music Teacher, Lilja School
Orff methodology is an integrated approach to music education that links listening, rhythmic speaking, singing, instrumental music, movement, improvisation, and composition. It will allow students increased opportunities to experiment, improvise, compose and perform instrumental music.

The Hand Development Kit in a Pizza Box
Marty Guild, Occupational Therapist, Preschool & 1st Grades
The Hand Development Kit in a Pizza Box will help our preschool and first grade students with prewriting and handwriting skills. The kits contain selected materials and toys that promote improved muscle coordination, pencil grasps, and fine motor coordination abilities.

Curtain Up! Exploring Science and Literature Through the Creative Arts
Lisa Char-Smith, 1st Grade Teacher; Laura Erwin, 1st Grade Teacher; Susan Getty, 1st Grade Teacher; Marcy Klay, 1st Grade Teacher, Ben-Hem
This grant will provide first graders with the opportunity to learn about literature and science through the creative arts by allowing them to put on two exciting musical plays. Using the visual arts to help create their costumes, props, and sets for the two musicals, the children will sing, dance, act, and have fun while exploring important curriculum areas.

Development Mathematical Knowledge in Kindergarten through Spatial, Musical and/or Bodily Kinesthetic Intelligences
Carol Finn, Kindergarten Teacher, Ben-Hem
This project recognizes that students have different ways of knowing and absorbing information. It aims at improving the mathematics performance of kindergarten students whose dominant intelligence is visual-spatial, musical, or bodily kinesthetic. It involves construction with manipulatives, movement activities, games, musical and rhythmic activities, and art projects.

Multiplication Mastery
Kathleen M. Hart, Special Ed Teacher; Paula F. Bloomquist, 3rd Grade Teacher; Danice Smith, 3rd Grade Teacher; Hilda J. Colten, Music Specialist, Memorial Elementary School
Multiplication Mastery is a two-part program to help all third grade students master the multiplication tables. It will give children who have strong musical intelligence or spatial intelligence an opportunity to learn a skill which is most easily mastered by children with strong mathematical intelligence.

Rhythms of the World
Hilda J. Colten, Music Specialist, Memorial
This collection of diverse musical instruments will reflect the countries and cultures the children study as part of the curriculum, and those studied for the Multicultural Fair which takes place each spring. Playing the instruments will add to the knowledge of the specific country while at the same time affording the children the opportunity to integrate the multiple intelligences: musical, bodily-kinetic, spatial, logical-mathematical, and linguistic.