2010 Elementary School Winners

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Agassiz
Performing Arts - Drama
Agassiz Tech Crew Tackles the Beast
As part of the Agassiz Crew Club, students will produce the musical "Beauty & the Beast Jr." Students will create sets, costumes and props and be trained in sound and light design and operation.
Nicholas Hall - Jan Heyn-Cubacub

Armstrong, G
Performing Arts - Dance
May We Have This Dance?
Students will enhance math and social skills by learning fundamentals of rhythm and music through the dance forms of tap, jazz and ballet. They will learn choreography and participate in a spring performance.
Rebecca Locks

Armstrong, G
Fine Arts - Murals
M.A.S.K = Mural Art Safari Kenya!
Students will take an exploratory journey through the tribal art, animals and flora of Kenya. They will create a collaborative mural project, incorporating the spiritual traditions of mask making & drama.
Patricia Rain McNichols - Kathy Novy, Debbie Plotkin, Elyese Faibisoff, Caroline DelaRosa, Alison Mays, Amy Bernstein, Aileen Cornbleet

Bell
Social Studies - History
Ease on Down the Silk Road
Students will be immersed in the Chinese culture. While exploring the history of the Silk Road, students will learn to raise silkworms, increase their Chinese vocabulary and create silk paintings.
Joanne Groshek - Alaina Mach, Brian Lopez, Amanda Wieland, Joseph Liang

Boone
Performing Arts - Dance
Dancing Through the Decades
Students will study U.S. history through learning dance styles such as square dance, The Charleston, swing, disco, hip-hop, jazz and modern. They will create their own choreography and perform several times.
Gina Spears

Boone
Fine Arts - Murals
Boone Past Present and Future
Students will create floor plans of Boone School for visitors which will feature historic context, fictitious myths and futuristic renditions of the school.
Gail Locke

Burke
Fine Arts - Murals
ShoePRINTS! Walking into Peace!
Students will study public art through the artist Tyree Guyton's Hiedelburg Project and will create emulations of his recovered shoes and paint with messages of peace.
Sara Simon

Cameron
Publications
Picture Our World
To connect school to their lives, students will take photographs that will serve as inspiration for narrative and poetry writing. The photos will be used in final publication and performances.
Gael Byrnes

Carpenter
Performing Arts - Drama
Student Stage Tech Crew
A student crew will be trained to operate theatrical sound and lighting equipment, to complete individual design proposals and to compile cue sheets for use during our school production of Annie.
Heidi Stirling - Lisa Macri

Cassell
Gardening
Sing Me a Song!
Students will develop guitar performance skills, music composition skills, and vocal accompaniment techniques. Students will play acoustic guitars in an after school music enrichment program.
Heidi Farrand

Christopher
Science
Native and Prairie Garden
Students will research, develop and implement a native and prairie garden. They will plan, budget, plant and maintain the garden.
Theresa Benande - Arlene Stark

Christopher
Fine Arts - Murals
Buddy Benches
Special Ed students will build, paint and decorate garden benches, with their classrooms buddies, to enjoy and enhance our school's enabling garden.
Salley McGrath - Joey Kelly, Arlene Stark, Maureen Buending

Christopher
Fine Arts - Murals
Tiles and Pavers and Art, Oh My!
Each student in the school will paint a tile and paving stone which will be placed around the school building, flowerbeds and trees to enhance the beauty of our enabling garden.
Arlene Stark - Patricia Meyers, Salley McGrath

Clark
Fine Arts - Murals
Spring Onto the Path to Reading
Students will design story murals that visually speak their favorite stories and install the murals along the exit prairie Garden path, transforming it into a path to reading.
Marsha Looney - Donnette Rizzo

Cleveland
Performing Arts - Drama
Aladdin's Wish
One hundred students will work together to create, sing and perform in a musical production about the poor boy, Aladdin, from The Arabian Nights.
Joel Duran - Shelley Davis, Cori Hopkins, Cindy Bhontinsky

Courtenay
Fine Arts - Photography
Chicago, My Kind of Town
Students will explore Chicago outside of their neighborhood, learn to take captivating pictures and use their creativity to create a group scrapbook on Chicago and a school mural.
Eleanor Holden - Eduardo DeSoignie, Lindsay Annunzio

Courtenay
Technology
Courtenay Engineering Club
Students in the Courtenay Engineering Club will demonstrate their knowledge of the design process and team building skills. Activities in this program include bridge building and robot design.
Lindsay Mcgowan

De Dominguez
Technology
Technology and Language Acquisition
Students with autism will use a multi-level argumentative and alternative communication device to develop language skills and participate in language arts instruction and social skills groups.
Christine Beukema

Disney
Fine Arts - Murals
Exploring Loop Sculpture
Students will learn about Chicago's famous outdoor art collection. They will research the artists, take digital pictures downtown and create their own art gallery.
Yollande Gottlieb

Disney
Technology
In the Footsteps of Rube Goldberg
This unit will allow students to discover physics through inquiry. Students will investigate the basic laws of physics while constructing simple machines.
Bill Cataldo

Disney
Science
A Tale of Two Gardens
Students will test the chemical composition of soil in two areas and use analysis to create gardens that will tolerate abiotic and biotic factors found in the two areas.
Ann Obrien

Edison Gifted
Gardening
Taiko - Big Drums at Edison
Students will learn about Taiko drumming in Japanese history and culture, make drum stands and bachi sticks, learn to play and perform for the school and community.
Deni Drinkwater

Edwards
Performing Arts - Drama
Beauty through Collaboration
Students will present "Disney's Beauty and the Beast Junior." Through this production they will learn the valuable skill of collaboration and the required techniques of musical theatre.
Kate Salisbury - Diana Betout

Erie
Science
The Garden
Fifth grade students will study plant life cycle, research vegetables, flowers and herbs, design, water and tend the garden. Garden edibles will be shared within the school community.
Kevin Mitchell - Heidi DeVooght

Everett
Performing Arts - Drama
Everett In Wonderland
Students will put on a production of Alice in Wonderland for the school community. They will act, design sets and be on the production crew.
Darien Parker - Jane Rezina, Laura Fernbach, Raisa Chubchenko

Evers
Performing Arts - Drama
Once on This Island
Students will perform and work on the technical crew for the Fine Arts Gala. They will present Once on This Island Junior, a score that incorporates math and science through musical rhythms and movement.
Monique Whittington - Barbara Peck, Christopher Davis

Franklin Fine Arts
Science
Dirt Free
Second grade students contribute to the school garden by adding hydroponics. They will grow plants from seed and design permanent landscape signage, displaying the process of hydroponics.
Kelley Burress - Margret Koreman

Franklin Fine Arts
Fine Arts - Murals
Who Are We and Where Are We Going?
Seventh and Eighth Graders will design a mural that focuses on the intersection of history and art. They will incorporate symbols and words to represent their experiences and vision of the future.
Margaret Koreman - Paula Clark, Margie D. Smagacz

Gray
Mathematics
Form Follows Function
Students will study Frank Lloyd Wright and his principle "form following function." They will create their own light screens - lanterns to demonstrate concepts of symmetry and balance through mathematical models.
Molly Reed

Gray
Fine Arts - Murals
Chicago Murals
Eighth graders will each create five murals to be displayed in their school. They will be inspired by famous muralists and the murals painted within the CPS District.
Tasha Welling - Robert Argent, Dina Koustas

Hale
Science
CSI Hale
Students will use "crime scene" technology and concepts to study science. They will use microscopes, chemistry and DNA analysis. Students will learn how science and technology are used by police.
Laura Gray

Hale
Science
Peace Garden
Students will create a Peace Garden, incorporating a variety of multi-sensory materials. These will allow children opportunities to observe, explore, discover and interact with nature.
Christine Sullivan - Patricia OConnor, Yesenia Rodriguez

Hamilton
Science
Where the Wild Things Are
Students with disabilities will establish and maintain life-cycle habitats starting with tadpoles, caterpillars and eggs. They will learn how living things function, adapt and change.
Elizabeth Busch - Nancy Beaucaire, Peggy Walsh

Hedges
Fine Arts - Murals
Menudo Sundays
Students will read stories about a variety of cultures and write about self, identity and family history through their family traditions. Each will tell his story through illustration and a 3D diorama.
Guadalupe Tinoco - Jequelin Salinas, Diana Guzman, Maria Ferguson

Hedges
Fine Arts - Murals
Everyone's Mosaic
A large mosaic mural will be created by both students and parents to encourage a relationship between art instruction, art appreciation and the school-wide community.
Dalia Radecki - Jequelin Salinas, Marina Alonso

Henry
Gardening
Guitars Rock!
Students will learn teamwork and meet group goals as they develop lifelong skills through guitar instruction culminating in a school assembly performance.
Dru Wagner - Thomas Keating

Howe
Gardening
African Music Ensemble
Students will take a journey through African music and its roots. Children will engage in an in-depth study by exploring musicians and their music and learning how to play African instruments.
Sarah Stegmaier - Nancy Evans

Kilmer
Physical - Adventure Ed.
3F's Club-Food, Fun, Fitness 4 Life
Fifth and sixth grade students will benefit from a vast array of strength and cardiovascular training equipment and keep a nutrition log to achieve an improved level of physical fitness and nutrition.
Zijada Cobovic - Kelli McCue

Lafayette
Fine Arts - Murals
Art Class at Last
Students will learn the art of mosaics and printmaking while working collaboratively on pieces to adorn the front entrance, auditorium and hallways of our school.
Suzanne Drake

LaSalle II
Fine Arts - Murals
Exploring Spanish through Art
Students studying Spanish will use a variety of art projects to better learn vocabulary and enrich their understanding of the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries.
Cara Bucciarelli

Lincoln
Science
Matter Matters!
Eighth grade students will perform chemistry experiments such as making silly putty and slime, testing foods for Vitamin C and iron. They will create and present a Chemistry "magic" show for the third grade class.
Susan Nutter

Lincoln
Science
Linking Literacy with Life Science
Special Ed students will join other students in an inquiry-based investigation and data recording on small mammals. Seventh grade students will guide their third grade partners through an owl pellet inquiry.
Amy Andrews - Susan Nutter

Marquette
Fine Arts - Murals
Butterflies at Marquette and Beyond
Students will learn about the life cycle of butterflies through a hands on experience involving observation and illustration. We will learn by drawing, painting, printmaking and going on a field-trip.
Jennifer Lenihan

May
Science
Come Fly With Us!
First grade students will observe the butterfly life cycle through a classroom butterfly sanctuary. The students will cultivate and plant a butterfly garden where they will release the butterflies.
Kiah Nolan - Perry Schroeder

May
Performing Arts - Music
Opera - Yes We Can
Students will be read stories related to an opera. They will explore audience behavior, voice parts, actors' roles, props and scenery. They will critique a live opera and perform their own.
Valerie Betts

Mitchell
Physical - Adventure Ed.
Bobcat Bootcamp
Bobcat Bootcamp is an interactive physical fitness project that enables students to research, learn and facilitate rigorous exercises through multi-media for various learners.
Patricia Anderson-Butt

Mitchell
Social Studies - History
Native American Journey
Our grant is an engaging, cross-curricular project where students will experience the culture of Native Americans through participation in traditional arts including weaving, music and gardening.
Julie Toole - John Carroll, Becky Benkiser

Mitchell
Language Arts - English
Urbanus Intentio
Students will use literature to discover and explore the relationship between the urban environment and the individual. Using a multidisciplinary approach, students will design and build a city.
Donna Wipf - Alicia Love

Mitchell
Performing Arts - Dance
Dragon Dancing Parade
As a World Language School, our students engage in literary and cultural instruction specifically for China. They will be in a Dragon Dancing Parade to celebrate Chinese New Year.
Mary Ann Durso

Mitchell
Language Arts - English
Reading Principles & the Principal
Pre-k and Kindergarten students, their principal and teachers will collaborate to create multi-sensory, interactive literary take-home kits in English, Spanish & Russian. They will demonstrate for parents.
Luis Soria - Jill Woodworth, Sandy Grimmer

Montefiore
Entrepreneurial
Chicago Historical Sports Emporium
Students will be entrepreneurs and philanthropists. They will establish a company that sells hand-made items and some of the proceeds will be donated.
Vondietra Butler - Kushan Thomas, Daniel Froman, Ron DeRhenzis, Frank Williams

Moos
Fine Arts - Murals
Connecting with Art
Students will create art using drawing, collage, sculpture and movement to discover connections between art and literature.
Anna Berg

Moos
Fine Arts - Murals
African Drumming Academy
Students will experience the African cultures of Guinea and Ghana through drumming. Students will create and perform rhythms characteristic of the native people of these cultures.
Tiffany Frayer

Nobel
Publications
I Am An Author
Students will have a personal experience with literacy by writing and illustrating their own books. They will share their work with family and peers and will read their stories to younger students.
Joan Mendelson - Michael Cruz, Ashley HIggins, Jacquelyn Cook

Otis
Performing Arts - Drama
Wow! A Chinese Opera
Students will perform a Chinese Opera after researching and writing about ancient China. Students will act, dance and sing songs that portray festivals that were an important part of life in ancient China.
Barbara Conner - Massimiliano Gioia, Monica Wulf, Margarita Cisneros, Janet Smith

Otis
Special Ed
The Sensory Program
Students with autism will receive sensory therapy, helping them to adapt and accommodate the way their senses learn about the world. This will increase their ability to function successfully.
Sasha Hallagan

Otis
Gardening
Living in Rhythm
Older students will learn traditional percussion, songs, and dances from West Africa, the Middle East and Brazil. Students with autism will use drums as a communication tool as part of music therapy.
Monica Romano

Owens
Performing Arts - Drama
Arts Mixed in a Chocolate Factory
All students in fine arts, music, drama and dance come together to produce "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."
Linda Norby - Linda Maffiola

Palmer
Science
Our Growing Garden
Students will take ownership of the school garden by researching, caring for and decorating it with student-made artwork.
Christine Swiderski

Pasteur
Fine Arts - Murals
Art Becomes Me III
Students will study the techniques of famous artists to create original pieces of art using different media. Students' artwork will reflect different units of study and will culminate in an art show.
Susan Buchanan - Julia Vazquez

Peirce
Performing Arts - Music
The Adventures of Lewis & Clark
Students will perform a mini-musical about American explorers, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, and their expedition across the United States to the Pacific Northwest in the early 19th century.
Brooke Thompson - Lianne Fritz, Haneefa Muhammad, Suzanne Schaefer

Pershing Magnet
Science
Thinking Like a Scientist!
Students will use scientific inquiry to explore animal classification. They will use museum resources and classroom experiences to discover animals, their adaptations, habitats and life cycles.
Catherine Tanner - Margo Martin, Smita Garg

Portage Park
Gardening
Roots of Rhythm: World Drumming
Students will make drums to enhance the school's program by integrating drumming into music, art, history and drama curriculum.
Mark Britt

Pritzker
Performing Arts - Music
Xylophone Ensemble
Students will learn music theory, ensemble playing and performance etiquette through studying the Gamelan Orchestra of Indonesia. They will learn about Indonesia and its role on the Silk Road.
Jenai Jenkins

Randolph
Science
Sensory Garden
Students will plant a sensory garden offering them a peaceful space in a difficult area of the city.
Patricia Morin

Salazar
Language Arts - English
A Reading Merry Go Round
Students will participate in book club-like Literature Circles which encourage and foster an environment fit for lifelong readers. Students select their books and take a 'role' at each monthly session.
Susan Echeverria

Sawyer
Performing Arts - Drama
Lights! Camera! English!
Immigrant students will acquire English skills in an interactive, natural setting. Fifth and sixth graders will learn acting, mentoring and video skills while producing videos.
Mary Ann Fischer - James Pfieffer, Rosalee Buenostro, Maureen Fruhwirth

Stone
Technology
Magnificent Mystery Machine
Over 100 students will apply math, science and art to research, illustrate and fabricate simple machines into a large-scale kinetic installation and a video will document a concluding performance.
Mark Nelson - Erica Cheung, Anna Kong, Shirley King, Gretta Nagle

Stone
Performing Arts - Drama
Seuss-a-palooza!
Students will grow as performing artists, learn about diverse musical styles, develop their own voice and imagination and explore issues of responsibility as they produce Seussical Jr.
William Marsland - Jamie Perry

Swift
Performing Arts - Drama
The BEAUTY of Performing
Students will enhance reading fluency by repeated reading as they prepare for a Broadway Junior production of Beauty and the Beast.
Kelsey McLachlan - Katie Loveland, Angela Maniaci, Samantha Gamble, Gina Goodfriend

Tarkington
Publications
Tarkington Press
Students join writing workshops where they develop manuscripts. Manuscripts may be submitted to the school literary magazine where they are critiqued by trained peer editors.
Susanna Lang - Meghan O'Connor, Katie Schneider

Telpochcalli
Science
Birdhouse Boulevard
Students study the life cycle of butterflies and create artistically embellished birdhouses which will adorn the trees in Telpochcalli's community garden.
Jennifer Klonsky - William Estrada, Rebecca Provencher

Volta
Performing Arts - Dance
Arabic Dance and Music
Students will increase their understanding of the culture of the Middle East through learning a traditional folk dance, dabkeh. They will play Arabic percussion instruments.
Alice Saba - Jamil Qandah

Waters
Fine Arts - Murals
Uthando=Love
Students will study South Africa and create handmade dolls that will be donated to the many children who have been orphaned due to disease and poverty in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Amy Vecchioni - Nancy Beza

Waters
Social Studies - History
Roots of Rhythm
Each class in the school will adopt a country and learn about its history, politics, geography and culture. Students will learn its musical rhythms and perform.
Nadine Zelle