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Connecticut Innovation Grants Will Expand STEAM Education

Science, technology, engineering, art and math education could advance with the help of innovation grants.

(TNS) — COVENTRY, Conn. — School officials recently released several innovative grant projects that will be funded throughout the school district for educational initiatives in the fields of science, technology, engineering, the arts or mathematics.

A six-member committee reviewed all of the grant proposals from throughout the district, which were submitted at the end of last school year, school officials said. Officials said the following 2016-17 grants were selected:

--Geodesic Dome Aquaponics Green House, submitted by Timothy Dillon, Coventry High School science teacher, in the amount of $3,000.

Students will construct the geodesic dome to serve as a laboratory to teach sustainable agriculture and aquaculture to high school students.

The green house will serve as a learning lab for biology, earth science, environmental science, alternative energy, culinary classes, microeconomics classes and a new unified science course teaming regular education students with special needs students.

--Science Technology Energy Matter Science Museum, which will be an in-school science museum, submitted by Angela Puccia, a second-grade teacher at Coventry Grammar School, in the amount of $1,295.

This will be an in-school field trip scheduled for Oct. 3, where students will have the ability to explore Mobile Ed's STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) Museum.

It will have a variety of interactive stations that focus on topics such as energy conservation, friction, gravity, invention, problem solving and team building.

--Wiggle While You Work, submitted by Erin Beason, a K-2 math interventionist, and Lisa Dutton, a physical education teacher, both at Coventry Grammar School, for $700.

This grant involves students working to plan and conduct an investigation in collaboration with their peers to explore ways to keep their bodies alert, focused and on-task throughout the school day.

This yearlong activity will see if an increase of movement and physical activity results in an increased ability to learn and retain new information.

©2016 The Chronicle (Willimantic, Conn.), distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.