Ms. Michele Watkins, a teacher at Cub Run Elementary School in Virginia, was recently awarded an AAE Foundation Classroom Grant to purchase a GPS unit, water testing kits, and field guides for her fifth grade classroom. The funding has allowed her to spice up her unit on landforms and oceans by providing a way for her students to explore the environment around them.

Ms. Watkins integrated the new materials into her curriculum with a number of innovative activities.  She held a combination geo-caching/potluck event for students and families, where the students used the experience of geo-caching to explore their surroundings and collect animals for their model ecosystems.  Using their field guides, students were able to learn about the plants and animals that inhabit Virginia’s ecosystem.  Ms. Watkins’ class is also shipping water testing kits to classes around the world where the students will be able to share and compare data while making global connections.

Hands-on projects can greatly inspire students, according to Ms. Watkins. “I have heard that students need to love and understand something before they will value it and take care of it,” she stated in her grant application.

We offer our sincere congratulations to Ms. Watkins! Her students will benefit for years to come.

AAEF teacher scholarships and classroom grants are competitive awards available to all educators. Apply online to receive a classroom grant or scholarship for professional development or classroom materials.  Be sure to mark your calendar for the fall deadline, March 1, 2013.

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