Middlesex Savings Bank Honor Grant
roboNatick Adds Life to Math
Joel Bradford, Natick High School
This project enhances a new and exciting program at the High School, roboNatick Team. A partnership of students, parents, corporate funding and NEF, this program will grow to 30 students from 14, encompassing curricular objectives in math, science and technology and offers an opportunity for students who are eager to be challenged in these academic areas. This is an expansion of a program that took first place in regional robotics competition and then went on to National competition.

Smartboard Presentation System
John Astill, Natick High School
This grant funds a Promethean Activboard Pro Smartboard to be used in a shared computer lab. All math faculty have use of this computer lab and will be able to enhance the delivery of material via the smartboard which comes along with learning resources, on-line tutorials and lesson plans. Students will be able to "see mathematical models in action and be able to interact with those models." This grant allows for integration of the latest technology in the classroom to enhance teaching and learning for this new generation of students.

Mastrangelo/Whelan Honor Grant
Connections Between Math and Music
Jane Weaver, Lilja and Ben Hem
This grant is designed to help students appreciate the connection between math and music. It uses Bose Corporation’s “In Harmony with Education.” Through the use of an oscilloscope, band instruments and handmade instruments, students will learn about the relationship between pitch and length. Mathematical skills include graphing, measurement and data collection. With the oscilloscope, students will be able to watch the visual representation of sound. Forth grade classes at two elementary schools will benefits from this program. It could be expanded across all elementary schools if successful.

Cognex Honor Grant
Interactive Graphing Calculator
John Astill, Natick High School
This grant will be used to purchase a TI-Navigator Classroom Learning System which links student calculators to the teacher’s computer, allowing the teacher to give instant feedback to individual students on his/her work and to project students’ work on a screen in front of the classroom. Insightful solutions to problems can be instantly shared, and students will be able to save data on their calculators. The committee liked the idea of quick assessment of student work, and , again, the integration of technology that will reach many students.

Comcast Honor Grant
Engineering is Elementary
Kathi Browne - Across Elementary levels
This grant is across all elementary schools and integrates basic engineering principles into all fourth grade classrooms in the district. The lessons to be used were developed at the Museum of Science and are cross-disciplinary, synthesizing concepts from math, science and engineering. Fifteen teachers will be trained as trainers and provide training in the individual schools.

Mathworks Honor Grant
Future Engineers
Peter Souza, Wilson Middle School
This grant will fund an expansion of resources for the Robotics and Engineering Club at Wilson Middle School. It is expected the club will double it’s numbers from 30 to 60 next year. The program integrates concepts from math, technology and science as students develop engineering designs using LEGO Mindstorm ROBO Technology Kits. There is a natural connection with the High School club.

Wilson Connections Mural Project
Ruthanne Schill, Wilson Middle School
This grant will aid in the project’s completion of a mural depicting great mathematical thinkers of both Western and Eastern world cultures and illustrates the mathematical concepts related to worldwide decorative arts. The project involves interdisciplinary lessons in math, art, social sciences, history and technology. All Wilson students will be involved and the project has broad reach within the community.

It’s A Fact
Karen LeDuc - Across Elementary Levels
This grant will fund classroom materials to supplement and enhance math lessons on everyday math skills, including fluency in number facts. Materials include: number cards used to play games reinforcing math facts, manipulative coins to be used in development of money concepts and analog and digital clocks. Goals of this project are to enhance student conceptual understanding of time, money and math facts.

Boston Scientific Honor Grant
Science Club
Kathi Browne, Natick High School
This grant will help in the formation of a Science Club, giving students interested in science and math an opportunity to work as a team and compete in science competitions. Students sharpen their skills by practicing and responding to questions in the format of the competitions, competing with each other and learn to use the buzzer system. Funds will be used to purchase a Buzzer System and also materials for engineering challenges.

Jordan's Furniture Honor Grant
Video Analysis
Kathi Browne, Natick High School
This grant will fund video equipment (software and camcorder) that will allow the capture of real-world phenomena on video and analysis on computer in the science classroom. This enables experiments that happen too quickly or have to much complexity to be analyzed by traditional methods and facilitates downloading some experiments as video files and their subsequent analysis on students' computers.

Fair & Yeager Honor Grant
Groundwater Models
Kathi Browne, Natick High School
This grant will be used to purchase of two groundwater models for students in ecology classes to study the water cycle and the effects of contamination on the water supply using the scientific method. This equipment will allow students to design and perform experiments aimed at decreasing pollution of the water supply.

Longfellow Sports Club Honor Grant
Remote Operated Vehicle
Doug Scott, Natick High School
This grant is for the equipment and supplies needed to build an underwater remote operated vehicle using computer hardware and software skills. This robot is being made from "scratch," from plans on the web, and will probably require some trial and error. It is expected that this project will be done partly in class and partly during free time.

Fuel Cells
Kathi Browne , Natick High School
This grant will fund 7 fuel cell kits. Using the kits, students will construct a hydrogen fuel cell which can then be used in science classes to study a wide range of topics. These include, but are not limited to, the study of electrolysis of water, use of solar power to generate electricity and effects of direct and indirect radiation to power a fuel cell car.