PDAF Successful Project Profiles

Elementary Level

School Year
2025-2026	2024-2025	2023-2024	2022-2023	2021-2022
2020-2021	2019-2020	2018-2019	2017-2018	2016-2017
2015-2016	2014-2015	2013-2014	2012-2011	2010-2011

2022-2023

Alpha Room Enhancement
22-23/16/E

School: Dr. W A MacLeod Consolidated School
Grade: P-8
Employer: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Andrea Pentz

The title ALPHA Room is an acronym that comes from our commitment to PEBS (Positive Effective Behavioral Supports) which emphasizes the importance of Academics, Leadership, Participation, Healthy Lifestyle and Attitude. We will create a “Zen Zone” to support students' social emotional well-being and promote self-regulation. The area will include a comfortable setting with breathing and self-regulation strategies. We will have two Smart Gardens for the Alpha Room which will be used to grow herbs for our school’s backpack program. Food insecurity is an issue within our school community. These gardens will support student programs, and benefit many of our families.

Bridging the Gap
22-23/29/E

School: Tantallon Jr Elementary School
Grade: P-1
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Steven Johnston

The teachers of Tantallon Junior Elementary are looking forward to incorporating their Alphabet Sounds Teaching Tubs in both the French and English programs. We believe that this resource will be very beneficial in providing alternate and consistent learning material for the grade primary and one classrooms. The alphabet learning tubs give students a chance to be physically involved during their vocabulary, oral, articulation and phonological awareness in a range of ways. These miniature objects help ground their learning and bridge the gap between the pre-primary play-based learning to the more traditional based model of pictorial based learning material (i.e. photographs, photocopies, slideshow and flash cards). We really appreciate receiving this generous grant and plan on using the kits immediately for our daily activities. This project bridges the gap between the concrete world of toys/objects to letters, words and story writing.

Tower Gardens
22-23/34/E

School: Forest Ridge Academy
Grade: PP-6
Employer: TCRCE
Project Coordinator: Nicole d'Eon

Forest Ridge Academy is dedicated to providing students with healthy meal options. Last year we purchased a salad bar unit with money from the Uplift grant, and fresh salads became a very popular menu item. When the local greenhouses that we partner with to obtain produce shut down for the winter months, providing fresh salads became a challenge because of the growing costs of groceries. This led to our decision to begin growing our own produce. We recently received a grant from the NSTU program development fund to purchase three tower gardens, which will allow us to grow our own fruit and vegetables to supplement our salad bar. This will help us keep costs down, and allow all students access to fresh salads. We are excited to experiment with these towers, and for the projects it will allow us to develop in the future!

Explain That Again
22-23/36/E

School: Bedford South School
Grade: P-8
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Shelly Bembridge

The Explain That Again project will offer differentiated instruction and targeted intervention for students who may have difficulty applying or keeping pace with whole class instruction. Students and teacher will use iPads to record instruction and create student exemplars, videos, screencasts, pictures, and multi-media resources with the aim of providing students with the opportunity to work at their own paqe and re-watch lessons as needed, when needed. This initiative will be a collaborative and cross-curricular project that is embedded within the grade two curriculum with a focus on the universal design for learning principles to make the resources more accessible.

L'entrainement croisé (Crossfit) à l'élémentaire
22-23/38/E

School: Beaubassin
Grade: P-5
Employer: CSAP
Project Coordinator: Nathalie Drouin

Le projet d'entrainement croise(Crossfit) a l'elementaire vise a amener une activite nouvelle et inspirante pour les jeunes dans les cours d'education physique. Le Crossfit etant populaire de nos jours, je crois qu'il saura interesser les jeunes a prendre part a une activite innovante qui vise leur sante et leur bien-etre global. Grace a la variete du materiel, les eleves seront amenes a pousser leur limite a leur propre niveau et peut-etre les amener a prendre en main leur sante a l'exterieur de l'ecole. Le materiel est adapte a leur groupe d'age, a leurs habiletes afin d'assurer leur securite.

Le Floorball en éducation physique
22-23/39/E

School: Beaubassin
Grade: P-5
Employer: CSAP
Project Coordinator: Regis Belanger

J'ai soumis ce projet dans le but d'amener une activité nouvelle et sécuritaire que je pourrais offrir à mes élèves dans le cadre de mes cours en d'éducation physique. L'argent reçu servira à acheter du matériel de différentes grandeurs et en quantité suffisante pour satisfaire les besoins de nos élèves de différents niveaux. Il combine les habiletés reliees au hockey, mais dans un cadre qui se rapproche des règles du soccer. Je crois que ce projet motivera nos élèves à être actifs et sera, à mon avis, une activité amusante et intéressante pour atteindre le programme scolaire en éducation physique.

Fresh Produce Hydroponics
22-23/45/E

School: Hilden Elementary
Grade: P-6
Employer: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Rachelle Levangie
Project Team Members: Sarah Densmore

Hilden Elementary students have been busy planting and learning about agriculture this spring! Mrs. Sarah Densmore's grade 1/2 students and Ms. Rachelle Levangie's grade 5/6 students each planted a Tower Garden Hydroponics unit with lettuce and salad mix. It was decided that a short crop was needed before the end of the school year. We plan on sampling our products in a few weeks with a bit of veggie dip and a few more veggies. In September we will experiment with longer growing plants like tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, other salad greens, kale, swiss chard, spinach, and herbs. Yum!

Translanguaging: Supporting EAL Students in the Classroom
22-23/54/E

School: Park View Education Centre & others
Grade: P-12
Employer: SSRCE
Project Coordinator: Cindy Kowalyk
Project Team Members: Calee Blanchard (Bluenose Academy), Heather Kirby (Chester Area Elementary & Middle Schools, Bayview Community School), other schools: Bridgewater Elementary, Forest Heights Community School

Supporting English as an Additional Language (EAL) students within the classroom is essential. Translanguaging is the process of multilingual learners integrating all known languages in order to best learn and communicate in an individually meaningful manner; a student may listen, view or read a text in their home language, develop ideas in their home language or a combination of any languages they speak, and translate the final product into English. The goal of this project is to provide EAL students access through technological and material support that allows incorporation of translanguaging strategies within the classroom.

2021-2022

Year-Round Indoor Garden
21-22/10/E

School: Shannon Park School
Grade: 2
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Hunter Kelly

The year-round Indoor Garden project gave Grade 2 students at Shannon Park School the opportunity to grow fruits and vegetables in the classroom. We started growing our plants in September and have been enjoying eating the produce that has grown. We used one of the zucchinis to make zucchini bread together. The project allowed for students to take responsibility for caring for something. Students take turns watering and checkin on our plants to make sure they are healthy.

Social Emotional Learning : Curriculum Integration through Visual Arts
21-22/11/E

School: A.G. Baillie Memorial School
Grade: P-6
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Saucha Fitt

Going into the 2021-22 school year we, as staff and students, will be adjusting to our new normal. We need to continue to bridge the gaps that Covid created, and help foster problem solving and teamwork with students. I’ve created STEM boxes to create an opportunity to learn a new and engaging concepts. It also allows my students to differentiate their way of learning and exploring. STEM has endless possibilities, as well as benefits to students. It invokes skills such as critical thinking, creativity, cultural awareness, collaboration and problem solving; all aspects we strive for as teachers.

Project Kicksled
21-22/17/E

School: Meadowfields Community School
Grade: P-5
Employer: TCRCE
Project Coordinator: Aselin Ettinger

The "Kicksled" Project supports student engagement, promotes and highlights inclusive education, cultural pedagogy, encourages active pursuits and extracurricular enrichment opportunities. This project will be a part of our Physical Education/ Adapted

P.E. programming at MCS. These Scandinavian sleds are practical, engaging, fun and highly inclusive. When used, students are fully engaged and participating with / including ALL classmates as the sleds allow for both active and passive use. These sleds are a means to remove barriers before they even appear. They can be used to meet a variety of physical education curriculum outcomes while promoting inclusive education and lifelong active pursuits.

Ms. B's Kalming Kozy Korner
21-22/19/E

School: A.G. Baille Memorial School
Grade: P-6
Employer: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Danielle Bourgeau

Since Covid-19 has impacted the last two years, students and staff mental health and well-being has been significantly impacted. We have come to realize the importance of supporting our students' mental health and well-being in and out of school. We need to have the resources and ability as teachers to support our students going into post pandemic life. By creating a “Kozy Korner” and SEL library in our school, it would improve our students' overall well-being, while also being a calming place for students to go. All while having the resources teachers and staff need to incorporate SEL lessons into their daily lessons.

Multi Activity Environment
21-22/21/E

School: Duc d'Anville Elementary
Grade: P-6
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Sarah Barron
Project Team Members: Jessica Sutton

We created a Multi Activity Environment room within our school to address the specific needs of our students who have Autism, behavioral concerns, anxiety, and so much more. Having a room suited for all ages and abilities was an important factor when creating the environment. This room has a relaxing atmosphere with pleasant surroundings, soothing sounds, tactile experiences, massage and vibrations experiences, sensations, and gentle movement. Through the use of this room students are learning to self regulate and reduce agitation, increase their independence and ability to choose what sensory supports will help them successfully self regulate.The Multi-Activity Environment room in an inclusive space that will be beneficial to so many students at our school.

Art on Wheels
21-22/27/E

School: Port Maitlland Consolidated Elementary
Grade: 6
Employer: TCRCE
Project Coordinator: Sherisse Dixon
Project Team Members: Mallory Pottie

Art should play a vital role in our students' education, and with the recent emergence of STEAM we are starting to place higher value on the arts component in our integrated program. If we wish to incorporate Arts in a valuable manner we need to have access to supplies and materials to integrate it into our daily planning. Oftentimes ,art supplies are scarce, unorganized, and spread throughout a building, making it difficult to access and use. Our goal is to create two “art on wheels” carts to provide staff and students with a stocked, easy to access cart with art supplies ready to go. Each day the art cart can be rolled into a classroom, allowing students a day where they can easily express their thoughts, ideas, and understanding of material in an artistic way and deepen their understanding.

Bois d'avenure
21-22/31/E

School: Ecole wedgeport
Grade:P- 6
Employer: CSAP
Project Coordinator: Tiffany Frotten
Project Team Members: Kelley D'Entremont

Le projet «Les bois d’aventure» a été conçu afin d’offrir plus d’occasions à nos élèves et à notre communauté de faire des apprentissages et de s’amuser dans les pleins airs. On voulait aussi encourager aux élèves de faire plus d’activité physique. L’espace offre aussi des lieux de rassemblement pour les élèves où ils peuvent avoir des discussions ou tout simplement se détendre en nature. Depuis que le projet est terminé, les élèves sont très excités de visiter et explorer l’espace.

Pronoun Power and Self-Love!
21-22/35/E

School: Shannon Park Elementary
Grade: P-6
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Jasmine Figg

In today’s day and age students’ mental health and well-being is at the forefront of education. Pronoun Power and Self-Love! combines a push for gender identity and self-love, along with the need to reach out to our entire student population to empower them academically, socially and emotionally. Students learn to design and create with the Circut Maker machine to make pronoun stickers and positive gender identity and mental health messages to be displayed around our school. The goal of this project is to create a positive, safe space where everyone feels represented.

ARTSOUNDS
21-22/42/E

School: Duc d'Anville Elementary School
Grade: 1
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Denise Wilson
Project Team Members: Carrie Currie, Robin Jensen

“ARTSOUNDS” is an innovative project that combined Music, Visual Arts and Social Studies. In this project, students learned about the art work of the French artist, Henri Matisse, and made connections to Acadian artists of Nova Scotia. Students learned of the resiliency of Matisse, and also the Acadian people. Students created a collective piece of art work and then used musical instruments to create a musical composition that represented the art work. Young children composing music do so most effectively through the use of instruments. The “Artsounds” final project was presented to teachers, parents and fellow students as “Performance Art.”

Bringing Math to Life with Manipulatives at School and Home
21-22/49/E

School: St Anne's Elementary
Grade: P-2
Employer: CBRCE
Project Coordinator: Dawn Spracklin
Project Team Members: Joelle Crawley, Murrina Ryan

This project allowed us to create a math tool kit for each student in grade P - 2. It gave them a chance to actively have them involved in the classroom and to use the kit as an extension of learning in the home environment. The tool kits included play doh, measuring tapes, beaded number line, bead bracelets, bead sticks, and templates for 5 frames, 10 frames, number bonds, number lines, hundreds chart, 50 chart, 10 chart, part part whole mat, subtraction mat, say it make it draw it mat, number of the day template, and white board with marker. The classroom tools included life size 5 frames, 10 frames, number lines and number bonds. The classroom tools were laminated and made portable so that they may be used for outdoor learning. The students enjoyed being involved in making each of the manipulatives. It took a bit longer than we had hoped to get the kits ready due to covid 19. However, once completed the kits have been used regularly in the classroom and with the students at home. This proved to be very useful especially with online learning during covid. It is our hope that the students will continue to enjoy using the kits in the future and we will be able to add more pieces to the kits as needed. Thank you to the PDAF Committee for giving us the opportunity to be able to have the opportunity to make this project come to fruition.

Active Winter
21-22/55/E

School: Dr. John Wickwire Academy
Grade: P-5
Employer:SSRCE
Project Coordinator: Adam Leuschner

As we continue to build and support outdoor learning at Dr. John C. Wickwire Academy we are always looking for unique ways to get our students outdoors to experience the benefits of spending more time outside of the classroom, especially during the winter months. Our class set of snowshoes is currently being used regularly and with so much use many of the sets have become broken and un-useable. With this grant we are able to purchase additional sets of snowshoes, that are specifically designed for our younger students. These snowshoes will allow even more students to get outdoors during the winter months ensuring teachers have a safe and functional way of taking their classes outside for cross-curricular learning opportunities while supporting culturally responsive teaching practices.

Integrating STEAM into the Classroom
21-22/57/E

School: Redcliff Middle School
Grade: 5-7
Employer: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Cara Weir
Project Team Members: Dave Hazelton, Mike Fougere, Tracy MacKinnon

Our project is focused on Incorporating science, technology, engineering, mathematics and the arts (STEAM) In education by Integrating a 3D laser printer Into the everyday activities of class as a cross-curricular tool. The hardware will provide an opportunity for hands-on learning and visualization of sometimes tricky concepts that students often struggle with within Mathematics and Science. The students would have the chance to design and create real-world objects with high aesthetic value for the arts In mediums such as wood and glass. These designs will be valuable learning activities and could also be used for entrepreneurial opportunities.

National Archery in Schools at EREC
21-22/68/E

School: East Richmond Education Centre
Grade: 4-8
Employer: SRCE
Project Coordinator: Scott Mombourquette
Project Team Members: Margaret Gracie

Bettering the Basics - Strengthening Fine Motor Skills in the Elementary Classroom
21-22/74/E

School: Antigonish Education Centre
Grade: 3
Employer: SRCE
Project Coordinator: Lynnette Babin

Fine motor skills are important in school and in life. Practicing fine motor skills will help children have a solid foundation for their future everyday tasks. This seems to be a new problem in our classrooms, as more and more students are arriving at school unable to hold a pencil or use scissors accurately. The games and activities purchased by this grant will assist teachers in highlighting the importance of fine motor skills, as well as providing teachers with the tools to allow students time to practice.

The Reading Lab – The Science of Reading…In Action
21-22/76/E

School: Tantallon Senior Elementary
Grade: 2
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Angela Levy
Project Team Members: Lauren Currie, Grant Davy, Jeannie Miller

In this project, we will pilot a “Reading Lab” for students that is based on the Science of Reading research. Students in grade two who are struggling with language and literacy development will receive systematic instruction in the five areas that have been identified through research as essential components in reading – phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. We will transform an empty classroom into an innovative and inviting space for students to go – where centres/stations will be set up to focus on these five areas. This programming will allow us to integrate evidence-based and research-based intervention strategies into a MTSS process and help empower more students to become successful readers.

Rap it Up
21-22/82/E

School: Hillside Park Elementary School
Grade: 4-5
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Emily Ripley-Davis
Project Team Members: Courtney Smith, Amanda Stanton

“Rap It Up,” combines Music and Language Arts programming as learners create a music backtrack to accompany their own personal rap. The materials used include Skoogs, Orbas, Djembe Drums, Bongos and iPads to compose the backtrack for students’ composition. Students first create a base beat for the composition using Djembe Drums and Bongos. Learners will also connect the Skoogs and Orbas to school iPads, where they will develop additional layers to their backtrack. Learners will then use rhyming and poetry to develop their raps. The final project will be shared with teachers, students and families both in person and virtually.

2020-2021

Stitch by Stitch
20-21/12/E

School: Islands Consolidated School
Grade: 4-5
Employer: TCRCE
Project Coordinator: Krista Moore

The Stitch by Stitch grant enabled me to purchase sewing machines, Cricuts, heat press, chrome books as well as needles, thread and vinyl to enable upper elementary students to design, create and make reusable products. The products will include but are not limited to reusable cloth bags, cinch sacs, lunch bags, aprons and other simple items. The items would be able to be personalized, and or embellished with designs and logos using the embroidering sewing machine and Cricut. Some of the items would be enjoyed and used by the students as their own personal items, allowing the students to be able to use, reuse and enjoy some of the products they design and make. Some of the products that are designed and made will be marketed and sold within the school or community and all profits will be put back into purchasing consumable materials.

Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors: A #diverseclassroombookaday Project
20-21/14/E

School: Bayview Community School
Grade: 6
Employer: SSRCE
Project Coordinator: Morgan Wolfe

Through critical selection of diverse text, and meaningful reflection, the #diverseclassroombookaday movement can create profound learning for students by choosing diverse books that provide mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors, everyday, for an entire school year.

The goal of the project is to teach the learning outcomes of our NS ELA curriculum, through read alouds that are diverse and meaningful, and build a community of reflective students who think critically. From there, we will respond to the reading through a communal, multi-modal book blog using Google Sites. Students will take turns writing blog posts to reflect on the #diverseclassroombookaday."

What’s your Mindset?
20-21/15/E

School: Dwight Ross Elementary School
Grade: P-5
Employer: AVRCE
Project Coordinator: Spencer Lutz

“What’s your Mindset?” is a project focusing on the promotion and importance of a growth mindset both within the school and community. This project aims to provide students with the opportunity to explore how a positive growth mindset can help them become better role models, leaders, and inclusive members of society. Moreover, this project brings to life the “Mindset Squad” within the school, which includes a voluntary group of students and staff who aim to support and promote inclusivity and positivity throughout the school year. With the use of a Cricut Maker, students will design motivational and inclusive words or phrases to display around the school and ideally, within the community as well.

Play Based Classroom - Fun Learning
20-21/17/E

School: A.G. Baillie Memorial School
Grade: 2-3
Employer: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Tracy Murray

My goal as an educator to a new, additional classroom was to create a space that would naturally enrich students' curiosity and support engagement for learning. Overall play-based learning is a way to allow student-led learning and Chignecto-Central Regional Centre for Education’s theory is that when staff members establish a culture of learning based on the needs of each student, then students will thrive socially and emotionally, engage meaningfully in their learning, and achieve academic success. This need is still much greater due to the unprecedented times of a world pandemic. Our students were out of the classroom setting for an irregular amount of time. The plan I had proposed and you supported was to assist students who may have been isolated, further marginalized or developed unhealthy essential social, emotional skills during the pandemic see success, acceptance and be met at their level upon entering the classroom this past September. Though it had to be slightly adjusted to accommodate policies and protocols of the pandemic and regulations of materials in the classroom with your help and support we have been able to purchase necessary items for the classroom. These items allowed students to communicate their thoughts and emotions, and connect what they already know with new knowledge, skills and attitudes.

Inspiring Literacy and Citizenship through Dramatic Play
20-21/21/E

School: Islands Consolidated
Grade: P-1
Employer: TCRCE
Project Coordinator: Kerry Lawrence

Students are involved in daily dramatic play opportunities that allow for multiple ways of engagement as well as cognitive, social and emotional development Students interact with stories through the use of puppets and props to retell, make connections, inquire and create their own tales. All students investigate various dramatic play settings such as at the beach, vet space etc. These role play experiences allow students to make cross-curricular connections with real world applications such as measuring and weighing toy animals, taking care of the environment, making healthy choices by putting on sunscreen and so much more. Students develop math, science, health and language arts skills all while having fun!

Social Emotional Learning: Curriculum Integration through Visual Arts
20-21/22/E

School: East St. Margaret's Consolidated Elementary
Grade: 2-3
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Natasha Boutilier

My project highlights learning opportunities that focus on encouraging students to use art as a medium for self-expression and originality. Integrating visual art through other subjects allows students to share their learning and ideas in a variety of ways; ways that speak to them as learners and ways that help them feel like valued members of the classroom community. Through an art-integrated approach, it is my hope that students will develop their learning by building social and relational skills that will not only impact their lives in their classroom but will continue into their lives in their school community and in their homes.

Patinoire portatif
20-21/28/E

School: École Wedgeport
Grade: M-6
Employer: CSAP
Project Coordinator: Kelley d'Entremont

J'ai soumis une demande pour ce projet en esperant que je pourrai enfin install er une patinoire portatif dans notre champ de base-ball. Ce projet sera realise debut 2022 avec les efforts de plusieurs membres de la communaute scolaire. Ce fut une demande pour une patinoire avec les dimensions d'environ 44" x 88" . Les eleves pourraient apprendre comment patiner durant les heures de classes sans avoir besoin de payer des frais et pourraient egalement l'utiliser apres les heures de classe avec la supervision d'un parent. De plus, nous avons eu du financement des autres comites scolaires afin d'assurer la securite des eleves. Nous avons re u des fonds pour acheter des patins, des casques et des guides en plastiques pour aider aux eleves qui ne sont pas encore capable de patiner.

The Dragon Digital Media Club
20-21/32/E

School: Digby Elementary School
Grade: 4-6
Employer: TCRCE
Project Coordinator: Danielle Leblanc

The Dragon Digital Media Club is a project that allows students in grades 4 – 6 to interact with the school community though video production. Digby Elementary School has a large student leadership group that encourages students in grade 4-6 to take on leadership roles within the school and community. These students work on planning events and theme days for our student body, digital poster production for school activities, newsletters, as well as produce videos that encourage student engagement and wellbeing. The videos produced range from virtual read aloud, promotional videos for events taking place within the school, video morning announcements and because of new Public Health protocols, virtual assemblies for the whole school. This grant allowed the school to purchase technology for digital media and video editing and publication.

Outdoor Education Spaces
20-21/33/E

School: A.G. Baillie Memorial School
Grade: P-6
Employer: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Danielle Bourgeau

Going into the 2020-21 school year we, as staff and students, are experiencing a new normal at our schools. It is important that we take the steps and measures to keep everyone safe, while also ensuring our students' education is not affected. This will be a learning curve for all, however it can be an opportunity to learn new and engaging ways to teach. Our plan of creating Outdoor Education Spaces is supporting students and staff by providing an environment that follows all of Public Health's standards, while also being an engaging space where students are able to learn in new ways and staff are able to plan creative and diverse lessons.

Numicon Using Visual Structured Imagery to Support Children's Math Understanding
20-21/40/E

School: Redcliff Middle School
Grade: 5-7
Employer: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Lindsay Walsh
Project Team Members: Andrea Benthume, Lauchie MacKinnon, Lisa Gibbs

There is a lack of variety of tools to differentiate in mathematics. Many programs that currently exist feel more like an amplification rather than a different approach to teaching. By implementing the Numicon program we used visual structured imagery to support children's arithmetic understanding. We hoped to develop tier 2 and tier 3 intervention using the manipulatives, digital materials and mathematical strategies implemented by the program that focuses on all learners, but is particularly effective for students with learning disabilities.This is used as a national curriculum in Great Britain, New Zealand and Australia and is researched based from the University of Oxford.

Flexible Seating
20-21/46/E

School: Shubenacadie District Elementary
Grade: 3
Employer: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Heather Fougere

The choose to move seating allows students to have flexible seating. They are able to turn the movement feature on or off depending on their need. It also allows all of the students in the class to have the opportunity to self regulate. Giving students more control over what they need will help to build an awareness of what will allow them to learn best. The more students understand how they learn and what they need in order to be able to learn, the better their educational experience will be. Students need to become advocates for themselves and the first step in that is helping them understand what they require to be able to focus on instruction. If a student can not attend to what is going on in class then they will not be able to take part to the best of their ability.

Digital Feedback in Physical Education
20-21/54/E

School: Chebucto Heights School
Grade: P-6
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Abigail Stewart

We live in a digital world and teach digital kids, however Physical Education is often lacking In digital content. The Installation of a Smart TV in my gymnasium would provide a unique and exciting teaching aid to my physical education programming, as well as provide a benefit to the community groups that use the gymnasium after school hours. Research tells us that 65% of people are visual learners, so having content available in a visual format is imperative. This project will be used to develop and encourage student independence, skill development, decision making and problem solving. This project will benefit students from grades Primary to Six.

Learning, Exploring & Creating: Africian Music and Dance
20-21/56/E

School: Ferrisview Elementary Schol
Grade: 5
Employer: CBRCE
Project Coordinator: Brenda LynnMurray

This project will bring musicians and dancers to our school that specialize in traditional African music. These musicians will share their knowledge of African culture, music, and dance through the google meets platform. The students will then use these presentations as a springboard and inspiration to create their own music. Students will also learn about some traditional African Instruments and read some new books with African Music and Dance as the main theme. To end our project, students will create a final Musical presentation. I hope to build our student’s understanding and appreciation of African culture, music, and dance, and help to make our African Students feel a stronger sense of belonging here at Ferrisview Elementary school.

High Flyers Project
20-21/69/E

School: Berwicdk and District Shool
Grade: 5-6
Employer: AVRCE
Project Coordinator: Julian West
Project Team Members: Jacqueline Schurman,Bill Doucet

The High Flyers Project provides grade six students at Berwick and District School with both indoor and outdoor class experiences to learn about, build and launch rockets.
This project is a new and exciting way for students to study science and technology and meet grade six curriculum outcomes about flight, and can also be a great stepping off point to learn about our solar system and the universe. The High Flyers Project builds incentive, ownership and pride in student learning and brings together the entire student community for a launch day to celebrate student achievements and have fun!

Cultural Representation in Story Workshop
20-21/75/E

School: Ecole Grosvenor Wentworth School
Grade: P
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Kathleen McIver

My project highlights learning opportunities that focus on encouraging all students to write and act out stories through role play. Students will use play-based learning as a medium to create, act out, rehearse, retell, talk, discuss, build, construct, illustrate and write their own stories. Diverse representation in my own class including cultures from the Middle East, Brazil, China, Vietnam Israel, Nigeria, as well as Nova Scotian, African Nova Scotian, and Mi’kmaq is an integral part of this story workshop. When students feel included and seen, it is evident that students are more engaged and excited to learn. Story Workshop is designed to develop students’ oral language skills and it supports children to see themselves as authors and storytellers. Inclusive play is universal and can uncover storytelling abilities, strengthen communication, is translated across many languages, and can bring value to every child’s experience. It is important all children have equitable access to resources and participation.

Spiraled Literacy: A Close Look at Culturally Diverse Mentor Texts
20-21/84/E

School: Hawthorne Elementary School
Grade: 3-4
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Morgan Sitzer

The goal for “A Close Look At Culturally Diverse Mentor Texts”, is to provide students involved with diverse weekly mentor texts that complement Reading and Writing Workshops. Each week a specific mentor text will be used to guide students through Reading Response, Spelling, Grammar and The Writing Process. The books provided through the pdaf grant, will act as mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors into our world, in order to celebrate differences and similarities that make us all human.

2019-2020

Student Engagement through Folk Guitar
19-20/02/E

School: Harrietsfield Elementary
Grade: 6
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Tara Sampson
Project Team Members: John Dobrowski

Harrietsfield Elementary is a rural school with 200 students from grades primary to six. Our students are outside of the city and often have less access to extra-curricular music lessons and activities. A class set of guitars for grade six students would engage disinterested learners, and allow for our students to have some exposure to instruments not currently available to them. Guitar skills are relatable and encourage students to engage, learn, and self-direct their own musical skills. Learning about note reading and song writing on the guitar would allow students to truly feel like growing musicians and encourage them to try other instruments and musical endeavours as they get older.

Restorative Learning Carpets
19-20/03/E

School: Harrietsfield Elementary
Grade: P-1
Employer: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Julia Smith
Project Team Members: Denise Cail

The Grades Primary, One and Two teachers at West Highlands are grateful to the PDAF committee for approving the purchase of our restorative learning carpets. We are fully confident that once these carpets are purchased and placed in our classrooms, they will provide a colorful and calming classroom environment. This learning area will showcase to students that they are important and valued as they enter the room. Every day, students will start with a restorative circle, which will foster their oral language development and allow for their voices to be heard and opinions shared. Having this large learning carpet, will encourage and increase student engagement and relationship building, which is of the utmost importance. Within the first month of having the restorative carpets in our classrooms, we will invite students to complete a simple self-reflection as indicated in our proposal.

Mindful Wellness Project
19-20/04/E

School: A. G. Baillie Memorial School
Grade: P-6
Employer: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Ashley Robertson

The “Mindful Wellness Project” is an initiative at A. G. Baillie Memorial School to support students in acquiring mindful resources to aide in mindfulness and self-regulation. One way, will be through “Calm down kits”. The project is unique in that it will include students in the creation and implementation of the project, many of which have difficulty managing their emotions and self-regulating. The project will be beneficial to all of our students, as it will allow us to provide them with the support they need as they engage in habits which promote both physical and mental health, as well as, overall well-being; to help them reach their full potential. This project will be an addition to each of the classrooms, the guidance room, and Learning center to enhance the mindful practices already in place by providing the opportunity for students to use the skills they have learned and/ or will be learning through social emotional programming and apply them in a safe space or corner within the rooms.

Wham! Bam! Pow! Superheroes, Homegrown Game Changers, and Inclusive Representation in Film Using Comic-Con as a Literacy Engagement Tool
19-20/07/E

School: Basinview Drive Community School
Grade: 2
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Sheila McMullen

This project engages students in the writing process by using comic books, graphic novels and technology. Students will create their own comic books and/or graphic novels and develop stop motion animation films based on these written pieces. These films will focus on home-grown game changers from the four founding groups in Nova Scotia as well as characters students create. The culmination of this project will be the unveiling of these films during a school wide comi-con, where the school can view the films and learn how to create their own stop motion animation from the Grade Two directors.

Cooking in the Classroom
19-20/09/E

School: Sunnyside Elementary School
Grade: P-1
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Hunter Kelly

Cooking in the Classroom is a project that entails cooking as a class on a bi-weekly basis. As a class, we are preparing meals and snacks to enjoy together. Through cooking, we are building relationships and community within our school and class. Cooking is an authentic real life activity that provides a medium to practice French and learn new French vocabulary. Cooking in the class gives students the confidence to help their parents in the kitchen. Additionally, we are also learning a valuable life skill and learning about health through food and nutrition.

From Classroom to Community: Generating Skills for Students with Special Needs
19-20/13/E

School: Ferrisview Elementary School
Grade: P-5
Employer: CBVRCE
Project Coordinator: Sherry Power-Jessome
Project Team Members: Louise Smith, John Boutilier and Julie Keeping

By utilizing funds from the PDAF grant, students programming was expanded beyond the classroom level to include additional spaces within the school and community. Items purchases to expand programming included toys, reinforcers, life skills materials, materials to support functional routines and community based routines.

Lights Camera Action
19-20/15/E

School: Duc d’Anville Elementary
Grade: P, 5-6
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Denise Wilson

“Lights, Camera, Action!” is an innovative project that combines Music, Visual Arts and Language Arts. In this project, students will create a music soundtrack to accompany a stop motion animation video which is based on a short story written by the students. Students will use Lego figures to depict the story and iPads with free Stop Motion Studio software to record their music soundtrack and video representation of their story. Students composing music in the elementary years do so most effectively through the use of instruments. The core instruments used are mallet instruments (xylophones and glockenspiels) and percussion instruments.

The C.A.R.L. (Calm, Alert, Relations, and Learning) Room
19-20/26/E

School: Thompkins Memorial Elementary School
Grade: P-5
Employer: CBRCE
Project Coordinator: Karrie Boudreau
Project Team Members: Francine Burke, Mary MacLeod, Lee-Ann Burke

Tompkins Memorial Elementary School is a small community school in Reserve Mines, Nova Scotia with a number of students requiring services and supports for behavior, academics, and communication. The Project Team has a goal to create an easily accessible, safe space for students and staff to recognize stressors, reframe behaviors, reduce stress, reflect and respond appropriately. The Team will transform a former classroom into an engaging and inviting space with stations containing specific visual supports and materials. Later, this concept and support will be more fully incorporated into the other classroom environments.

Launching the Rocketbooks: Writing and Drawing with Intelligent Reusable Notebooks
19-20/29/E

School: Tantallon Elementary School
Grade: P-2
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Tanya Johnston

This PDAF project will provide participating students with a unique technological writing experience. Using erasable refillable pens, students will write and draw their ideas and stories using their reusable Rocketbooks. Then using a mobile device and Rocketbook app, selected works will be scanned and instantly sent or saved to a designated email to be stored/shared. The Rocketbooks will be shared with other classes for students to use. This project will help to reduce paper consumptions and our environmental impact in the classroom and within the school.

Walk in my Shoes
19-20/30/E

School: Rockingstone Heights
Grade: 7-9
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Mary Chisholm

"Walk in my Shoes" was a grant that united our students at Rockingstone heights. It was an art project that was culturally meaningful for the youth culture at our school. All 106 junior high art student used high quality Angelus leather paints to recreate a pair of air force one sneakers. The sneakers were a canvas which they used brushes, paint markers and stencils designed using a cricut machine. The project was such a fantastic success the students were very engaged and appreciated being able to create art that was deeply meaningful.

Literacy and Language Acquisition
19-20/39/E

School: Joseph Howe Elementary School
Grade: P-6
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Jenna Smith (Hardy)
Project Team Members: Hannah Rodgers, Mairi Fraser and Steven Hutchins

The goal of our project is to provide teachers and students with the necessary tools that will allow them to develop their language and literacy skills. The language acquisition theory states that children are able to learn language out of a desire to communicate with their surrounding environment and world. Language is dependent upon and emerges from social interaction. Research shows that a multi-sensory approach to learning situations enable us to reach more students effectively and that oral language helps us to organize thinking and focus ideas which is a precursor to writing. The Expanding Expression Tool, Story Grammar Marker and Heggerty programs will be used to provide a multi-sensory approach to facilitate improved language organization, written language and reading comprehension. This project will allow students to develop these critical skills that will positively impact academic, social and emotional well-being.

Play Based Learning in Primary
19-20/52/E

School: Chebucto Heights Elementary School
Grade: P
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Kathlene Robinson
Project Team Members: Vanessa MacDonald

Our play-based learning project is designed to provide our students with opportunities to explore, create, and collaborate in the classroom. We have already begun to implement play-based learning activities throughout our day, whether it be through storytime workshops, loose parts, or free-choice time. The benefits of play-based learning have been evident - students are more confident and engaged in their learning. The funding from this grant will allow us to not only expand on practices already in place, but to provide new learning experiences. We will be purchasing a sensory table, building materials (such as Legos, K’nex, blocks, etc), items for loose parts and storytime workshop (pegdolls, rocks, animals, etc), and our main focus is creating an exciting dramatic play area with a variety of themes. As classes with many second language learners, we hope that through providing play-based learning opportunities, our students will learn vocabulary in an authentic and exciting way, and that they will transfer that knowledge to their reading and writing.

Cyrus Eaton Print Shop
19-20/56/E

School: Cyrus Eaton Elementary
Grade: 4-6
Employer: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Steve Wells

The Print Shop Project at Cyrus Eaton Elementary is currently getting underway. The initial ordering of equipment and materials were delayed but I am pleased to have all items in house and set up. Our grade 5-6 class will be learning to create digital images and transfer those to T-shirts, Hat and Mugs. The current plan is to start taking small student groups 2-3 students at a time and do small group Instruction and project making. Slowly moving through the class of students and in turn creating "experts" in the grade 5- 6 class to support future projects

2018-2019

Creative Collaboration “Orffortunities”
18-19/08/E

School: Newcombville Elementary School, New Germany Elementary School, West Northfield Elementary School
Grade: P-6
Employer: SSRCE
Project Coordinator: Alison Sheffield

The Creative Collaboration “Orffortunities” project will provide students an opportunity to experience and create their own music to share as a school and with the community. Instruments (ukuleles, drums, barred percussion and auxiliary percussion) and iPads will be purchased to facilitate creation and documentation of compositions. Students will learn music through the holistic and experiential Carl Orff approach which uses joyful participation, exploring and improvising with movement, singing, and the playing of instruments. Using the re for Education skills they build from music class, students will compose their own songs reflecting their learning of not only music, but other subject areas or topics.

The Roadie is the Rockstar
18-19/09/E

School: Burton Ettinger Elementary School
Grade: P-6
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Iain Thomas
Project Team Members: David O’Brien, Hailey Monroe, Petra Spires

The Roadie is the Rockstar is a program in which students at the elementary level will be able to write, produce and publish professionally polished media. Every aspect of the creative process will be encompassed from project conception right through to editing and publishing. This includes music production, short movies and videos, radio dramas, stop action animation, photography and much more. This program will take students' work to a production level that will allow their creativity and talent to shine and will be able to showcase their creations to an audience that circles the globe.

The Right to Play: Developing Relationships and Lifelong Skills in the Play-Based Classroom
18-19/17/E

School: Tantallon Junior Elementary School
Grade: 1
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Tanya Johnston

This PDAF grant will provide multicultural toys and hands-on materials for students. Through meaningful play, students will discover more about inclusion and continue to develop an appreciation of their own and other cultures. Students will be able to imagine themselves and others in a variety of nontraditional roles. These hands-on materials will reflect our world, and students will appreciate and celebrate global cultures. Furthermore, they will learn new vocabulary and expressions using concrete materials to enhance their French language communication skills. Their oral communication is a significant part of our curriculum and their learning. All students will be able to contribute their ideas in a safe learning environment and I believe this project will greatly enhance my students' learning experiences and confidence for years to come.

The Power of Writing and Paint!
18-19/20/E

School: Somerset & District Elementary School
Grade: P-1
Employer: AVRCE
Project Coordinator: Melissa Robar

I had the privilege of taking a course with Beth Olshansky last year where she instructed teachers using her fantastic methods of watercolor painting to connect writing and art together to inspire students of varying abilities to create pieces of art work and eventually their own books! Taking this course was such an inspiration because so many students struggle with using a wide range of adjectives and with adding description to their writing. I decided I want to try new ways to support students and inspire students in writing! This year in my Primary/One classroom we will be doing a writing project. This will consist of teaching the students how to paint using watercolor and how to use crayon resist techniques to create landscapes, animals and scenes that they will use to motivate them to write vibrant short stories!

Project Skateboard
18-19/31/E

School: Dr John C Wickwire Academy
Grade: 4-5
Employer: SSRCE
Project Coordinator: Chris Kaulback
Project Team Members: Isaac Rafuse, Adam Leuschner

The town of Liverpool has recently constructed a new skatepark next to their local Community Centre. This affords us the unique opportunity of accessing a skatepark within close proximity of the school that is conducive to many skill levels. The program would begin with thorough and explicit instruction on safety. This would include proper safety gear, awareness of possible hazards and respect of other people accessing the skate area. We will be modelling appropriate safety techniques and respect of others while also monitoring student success. Students will begin practicing in the gymnasium with appropriate safety gear and skateboards that are suitable to the gym flooring. When students have achieved the necessary basic skills they will be begin to practice them in controlled environments at school (ie: Basketball court). When students have mastered the basic skills, the program will allow for the team and students to begin exploring the Liverpool Skatepark.

Let’s Have Some Bright Ideas
18-19/40/E

School: Ash Lee Jefferson
Grade: 1
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Rhonda Ayres

This project will blend the French Language Arts outcomes for emergent readers with ICT ideas of using interactive technology to teach digital literacy. This will be achieved by blending the Daily cafe model with Readers and Writers workshop model (used here in Nova Scotia) via interactive technology. Blended learning will be at the centre of this proposed project, incorporating technology via an interactive Epson Brightlink Projector (which turns any surface into an interactive learning tool) and iPads. The benefits of interactive technology for literacy development include improved learning, increased participation, better engagement and enhanced collaboration.

Photo Carving and Lithophanes on Wood and Plastic using a CNC Machine
18-19/41/E

School: Fairview Junior High School
Grade: 7-9
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Paul Murphy
Project Team Members: Peter Wicha, Andrew Bray

Photo carving and lithophanes uses our existing CNC machine, students will be able to convert them to line drawings or render the existing photo into an STL file to produce a 3D carving. They can also choose to create a carving in plexiglass and add light to create a lithophane. An example of a project could be a student using a camera to take pictures and then taking these photos into the vcarve or photoshop to complete the coding and design aspect. They would then program our CNC to complete the process of a piece of wood or plastic.

Sensory Learning Path
18-19/43/E

School: Whycocomagh Education Centre
Grade: P-3
Employer: SRCE
Project Coordinator: Marylou McKenzie
Project Team Members: Lisa Kidd, Jill Copley, Lisa MacNeil

The Sensory Learning Path is a colorful activity map on the floor/walls of the school’s main corridor. It is bright and welcoming, enhancing school climate, and encouraging reinforcement of letters and numbers. Students access the Learning Path as they travel to different locations throughout the school, maximizing learning time, and providing sensory stimulation and opportunities for much needed physical activity. The Sensory Learning Path is inclusive and promotes an innovative multi-sensory approach to learning. We look forward to using it to help teach our students about the importance of whole body learning and wellness.

Growing Social-Emotional Self-Regulated Learners
18-19/48/E

School: Shipyard Elementary
Grade: P-5
Employer: CBVRCE
Project Coordinator: Geoff Oliver and Melissa Candelora
Project Team Members: Michale Mombourquette, Alisa Cantwell and Lauren Clare Duggan

“Kids do well if they can” (Dr. Ross Greene). Many students’ behaviour and learning challenges are related to deficits in social and emotional regulation skills. Shipyard Elementary school will create a “Centers Room” designed to teach students self-regulation and social relationship skills. The room will contain six centers and will include activities in the areas of mindfulness, calming, physical activity, social, art and music. Each centre will have a poster containing the purpose of the activity, the expectations, and timeline. These expectations will also be accompanied by visual supports. Data will be collected.

We Are Transformers!
18-19/50/E

School: Three Mile Plains District School
Grade: P-5
Employer: AVRCE
Project Coordinators: Heather Pitt, Christine Earley

We are Transformers! is a school project in which Primary-5 students will be engaged in transforming themselves into: performers, writers, speakers, actors, gymnasts, dancers, puppeteers, and singers. The project includes students building, painting and creating an outdoor performance area, props, puppets and costumes. They will then respond to challenges around creating and performing activities that reflect themselves and the unique community. The aim of the project is to engage all students in a common goal, provide a positive outlet for self-expression, build self-confidence, enable the building of positive relationships with others and allow for success at all levels and abilities.

The LINK Learning, Independence, Nurturing and Kindness
18-19/56/E

School: Kingston and District Elementary School
Grade: P-5
Employer: AVRCE
Project Coordinator: Shannon Squires
Project Team Members: Denise Gracie and Karen Baker

At KDS, we have created a beautiful programming space for our students with the most complex challenges. Our new space is the LINK: Learning, Independence, Nurturing and Kindness. The LINK needs some environmental adjustments to best meet the sensory needs of our students. Our philosophy is to prioritize relationships and positive, proactive programming to deliver appropriate, relevant and specific programming to students with complex learning challenges in spaces that promote calm, focused and on-task behaviour. Our students and their families deserve to feel welcome and supported; this space gives a clear message that these students BELONG in our school community.

Outdoor Musical Playground
18-19/59/E

School: Cobequid Consolidated
Grade: P-5
Employer: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Katrina Murphy
Project Team Members: Marianne Michaud and Tracy MacKay

Students and staff at Cobequid Consolidated are excited creating an Inclusive Music Playground which consists of an accessible Soprano Quartet Ensemble from Percussion Play with percussion equipment, such as a Cadenza, a Small Babel Drum and Soprano Pentatonic Freechimes and pair of medium Congas. This equipment will be a vital part of our new outdoor classroom. The students will enjoy making and learning about music as well as being outdoors for years to come.

Project Write
18-19/60/E

School: McCulloch Education Centre
Grade: P-8
Employer: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Linda Murray and Gail Chaisson
Project Team Members: Lynn MacDonald, Carlie Thompson and Jillian English

Project Write grew out of the realization that our students needed help to become better writers. We knew for that to happen the students needed inspiration, engagement, and purposeful opportunities. As a staff, we began a collaboration with award winning author, Sheree Fitch, exploring ways of honoring the voice of each student by opening up the writing process, using techniques that surprise, energize-- open up voices and words. We also decided that publishing a schoolwide anthology would provide both purpose and audience for these student authors. Our anthology will serve as a printed record of our writing journey. This is a project of promise and possibility deeply rooted in community.

From Virtual Reality to Climate Reality
18-19/61/E

School: Saint Margaret’s Bay Elementary
Grade: 5
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Derrick Funk

One hundred years ago Nova Scotia’s Superintendent of Education began climate studies in all the schools by asking students to identify such things as ice-melt and return of migratory birds. This exploratory and action-research experience is the kind of experience that brings deep levels of knowledge to students. In project Virtual Reality to Climate Reality, we will be using 21 ^st century technology to encourage these deep levels of knowledge and change future human behaviours to reflect a positive imprint on climate change. By accessing the various VR platforms that allow students to explore and investigate climate change on many sensory and cognitive levels, students will become more open-minded and gain a more lived-experience in understanding how human actions impact climate. This innovative exploration will provide the opportunity for students to realize their potential in impacting climate change in their global community.

Les Lunettes de réalité virtuelle Google Expedition
18-19/63/E

School: Centre Scolaire de la Rive-Sud
Grade: 7-12
Employer: CSAP
Project Coordinator: Martin Deschamps

Grâce au fonds d’assistance au développement des programmes (FADP) du NSTU mes élèves auront la chance dans me scours de sciences humaines et d’histoire de pouvoir utiliser les lunettes de réalité virtuelle Google Expedition, ce qui leur permettra d’avoir une meilleure idée des paysages et des constructions autour du monde. En utilisant ces lunettes de réalité virtuelle, mes élèves seront projectés dans diverse scenes mondiales, ce qui rendra mes leçons beaucoup plus captivantes et intéressantes. Il y a un besoin de la part des élèves à avoir une meilleure idée des différentes scenes mondiales. Par exemple, i lest difficile de leur expliquer l’immensité des différents châteaux construits au Moyen-Âge ou de leur parler de la splandeur de l’art lors de la Renaissance. Avec ces lunettes virtuelles, je pourrai les guider dans leurs découvertes. Avec des visites virtuelles de partout dans le monde et l’utilisation des TIC, ce nouvel outil me sera très utilse en sale de classe. Il me permettra d’innover dans la présentation de mes activités en lien avec les différents programmes d’études de sciences humaines du CSAP.

Growth Mindset: Math Games, Math Workshop and Guided Math
18-19/70/E

School: New Minas Elementary
Grade: 1
Employer: AVRCE
Project Coordinator: Tabatha Durling

Recent work by both Jo Boaler (YouCubed) and Sunil Singh/Chris Brownell (Math Recess) supports playful mathematics learning for all ages. Providing students with such experiences helps develop and nurture a growth mindset, which in turn impacts student achievement. Experiencing math class as fun, all the while building a solid foundation and positive experiences will set students up for future success. Students will use the purchased board games in both Math Workshop and Guided Math settings to encourage strategic thinking, to practice strategies for solving problems and to strengthen their understanding of number and computational fluency.

Daily Digital Literacy and Leadership Through Video Announcements
18-19/72/E

School: Aspotogan Consolidated Elementary School
Grade: 4-5
Employer: SSRCE
Project Coordinator: Michelle Longley

Elementary Students at Aspotogan Consolidated Elementary School (ACES) will have the opportunity to design, develop and explore school leadership by taking charge of the school’s daily announcements through digital literacy and technology. Essentially, the students would take the simple act of daily communication and transform it into a school-wide leadership program through the use of Google Chrome books. Using the Touchcast Video Editing App, the student leaders will create their very own “newsroom” and transform the P.A accouncements to interactive videos wherein they could incorporate a multitude of curriculum outcomes all while supporting the leadership potential of the students.

The Truly Flexible Classroom
18-19/74/E

School: Chebucto Heights Elementary Classroom
Grade: P-2
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Justin Bonin

The truly flexible classroom goes beyond flexible seating and offers a shift in pedagogy which allows students to have greater choice and control. In addition to changing the physical environment, we must also change our approach and ideas around teaching and learning. In my vision of a truly flexible classroom the physical environment is enhanced and accompanied by this necessary shift in pedagogy that emphasizes and nurtures the physical, psychological, emotional, and social needs of students, as students must have these basic needs met before they are able to reach their full potential, both on an academic and personal level.

OSMO: Hands on Learning with a Digital Twist
18-19/77/E

School: Fanning Education Centre/Canso Academy
Grade: P-6
Employer: SRCE
Project Coordinator: Ashley Williams
Project Team Members: Shawn Dalrymple, Ashley Dalrymple and Brandon Dort

The purpose of this project is to provide elementary classroom teachers at our school with hands on, exciting learning games to complement their literacy and math centres. As elementary teachers, we have seen first hand the positive impact hands-on learning has had on our students. Many iPad apps exist which support math and literacy learning. However, the Osmo is different it combines technology, and hands on manipulation of objects. This offers a new level of engagement, especially for our tactile learners. The Osmo learning games “grow” with the learner, as the students skills advance, so does the difficulty of the questions. Although all the students are playing similar games, they are each playing at their own level providing different learning for each student.

2017-2018

“iGen” Connects – A 21 ^st Century Strategy to Bridge Generations Through Interactive, Academic and Collaborative Community Contributions
17-18/01/E

School: Basinview Drive Community School
Grade: 2
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Sheila McMullen
Project Team Members: Rebecca Carr

This project focuses on engaging students in their community in an age appropriate way. Students will strengthen their understanding of how to build positive relationships with others by working with the elders at the Berkeley on various learning tasks throughout the year. Students will be using this hands-on experience to develop their understanding of ageism and stereotypes, stewardship, volunteering and the positive impact they can have on their community. Students will also further develop and extend their communication skills by using various technologies throughout the project and by teaching other students what they have learned throughout the project.

50 Things
17-18/03/E

School: Junction Road Elementary
Grade: 5-6
Employer: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Bonnie Moore
Project Team Members: Louise Haycocks, Sheila Maddison-Alick, Greg Nix

50 Things is a “bucket list” of concepts, skills and experiences that all students should experience before they leave elementary school. 50 Things is designed to increase collaboration, effective communication and problem solving skills, resulting in students developing a positive attitude toward learning and the school environment. It is hoped that though engaging in the 50 experiences through exploration and self-directed project-based learning, students will show expanded personal morale and heightened ownership of their learning. Students will keep personal shared logs and reflections of their journey that will include experiences both in and out of the school environment.

Flexible Seating en 6 anée
17-18/06/E

School: École du Carrefour
Grade: 6
Employer: CSAP
Project Coordinator: Melissa Gordon
Project Team Members: Daniel Côté, Malou Déry

La classe “flexible” (connu sous le nom «flexible seating» en Anglais) est une façon innovatrice d’aménager une sale de classe. Dans une classe flexible, il y a plusieurs options d’espaces de travail. À partit des fonds reçus, las classe sera aménagée avec des tables hautes pour le travail debout, des tables basses afin qu’on puisse travailler assied par terre, des ballons de stabilité, des tabourets oscillantsm etc. Les élèves seont permis de choisir un espace de travail selon leurs besoins. Ils sont encourages de choisir un endroit qui favorise, pour eux, la concentration et de varier leur posture pendant la journée.

Integrated Activity Learning
17-18/14/E

School: Harbour View Elementary
Grade: Grade 1
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Natasha Boutilier

Integrated Activity Learning will help enhance student learning by providing time for exploration though hands on activities and discoveries. Students will be provided materials that are linked to curriculum outcomes and grade level competencies. Various activities and materials will promote exploration, discovery and oral language. Integrated Activity Learning will allow students the opportunity to develop 21st Century Skills such as collaboration, problem solving and creativity. Providing students with authentic culturally relevant experiences will also support their social, physical, intellectual and emotional development.

Mindfulness Room
17-18/21/E

School: Harbour View Elementary
Grade: P-6
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Amy Sharpe

The Mindfulness room has been created with the intent of supporting students when their emotions become too much. This could be due to feeling overwhelmed in the classroom or from things outside of the school. This grant will be used to support students in their academics and social emotional development. Through the use of technology, and hands-on learning opportunities we will guide our students in a better understanding of their own emotions and learning style. It is my intention to have students provided with a variety of different instructional supports that can develop their problem solving, strategy use and emotional regulation.

Mindfulness, Motivating & Mental Math with Meditation & Movement
17-18/24/E

School: Northeast Kings Education Centre
Grade: 6
Employer: AVRCE
Project Coordinator: Angela Pound
Project Team Members: Bev Roy

Classrooms are constantly changing and complex with a variety of learning needs in one classroom. This project will create a classroom space (incorporating experiential games, projects, puzzles into math outcomes) that is mindful yet has the flexibility for movement focused on the individual student. Various spaces will be created including mindfulness centres, bike stations, exercise balls, cafe style stools and movable tables for a relaxed atmosphere, to induce working collaboratively (with math games and puzzles) and the ability to change the set-up very easily according to the needs in the classroom.

Mindfulness Room
17-18/32/E

School: Park West School
Grade: P-6
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Valerie Allen
Project Team Members: Derek Carter, Brian Melanson, Sabitha Masih

Creating a Mindfulness Room, where students and staff members alike can experience relaxation, inspiration, sensory stimulation and peace is the goal of our PDAF grant. Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. Creating a Mindfulness Room within our traditional school environment has the capacity to profoundly meet unique student needs that have hitherto been unmet. Catering to the many sensory needs of our varied student body has been supported through research to have direct impact on academic success and other areas of their lives. Current research looks at how the brain responds to mindfulness practice, how relationships benefit, and how physical and mental health improves.

Play to Learn/Makerspace Project Description
17-18/35/E

School: Chebucto Heights Elementary
Grade: P-6
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Molly MacKenzie
Project Team Members: Becky Himmelman

The PDAF grant will be used to help fund the creation of a Play to Learn and Makerspace Hub. The Play to Learn section of the space will be used to plan, create and prepare stations that promote language learning and cooperative play in a culturally responsive environment. There will be five learning zones within the Play to Learn area : Construction, Art, Science Exploration, Technology, and Dramatic Play. The remainder of the Hub will be used as a Makerspace area. This will include targeted Makerspace activities and function as a technology hub with a dedicated green screen, projector, and iPads.

Movement for Learning Project
17-18/36/E

School: Redcliff Middle School and South Colchester Academy
Grade: 6
Employer: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Tammy Chitty
Project Team Members: Lauchlin MacKinnon, Scott Gibbs

Our Movement for Learning project is designed to provide more movement inside classrooms using both commercial and homemade products. Our goal is to be able to identify and compare products that we can use in a variety of classes in a cost-effective manner that will provide opportunities for movement. Another key element of this project is that it will also provide a meaningful and skill-building project to students of the construction program at South Colchester Academy. We hope to enhance their technical skills and provide an understanding that they can contribute to their community with the skills they possess. We plan to use an inclusionary model of delivery that will support students with IPP’s and adaptations without specifically identifying them as users.

Synergy of Social Skills and Literacy Support: Remediating Social-Emotional Behaviour through Reading Remediation
17-18/40/E

School: Michael Wallace Elementary
Grade: P-6
Employer: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Kurt Chadwick

This project aims to build a collection of fiction and non-fiction books on topics of social-emotional development that will be used to provide direct support to students with social-emotional behavioural challenges while also remediating for deficits in literacy skills. Research indicates a positive correlation between problem behaviours and reading deficits. Thiscomprehensive collection will be organized in the Learning Center and catalogued using the Librarika app so titles may also be made available to classroom teachers and families in the school community. The collection will include titles for all reading levels and a range of social-emotional behaviour topics.

Talking in Two’s: Setting up the Classroom for Purposeful Talk
17-18/46/E

School: St. Andrew Junior School
Grade: P
Employer: SRCE
Project Coordinator: Sheri Lambourne
Project Team Members: Leanne Lowther, Nicole Corkum, Allyson Trainor, Paige Cameron

Speech-Language Pathologists are observing an increasing number of children entering the school system with weak spoken language, making the focus on opportunities to promote purposeful talk in the classroom crucial. This project supports teachers by helping them set up their classrooms for greater oral language opportunities. Elementary schools within the Strait Regional Center for Education will be provided with oral language kits for their primary classrooms. Kits will contain materials targeting oral description, turn-taking, sentence formulation, question comprehension and vocabulary growth. Progress will be monitored via the creation of qualitative speaking and listening profiles for students.

Grow Your Food – Grow Your Mind
17-18/48/E

School: Elmsdale Disctrict School
Grade: P-5
Employer: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Crystal Randell Lucas
Project Team Members: Mary-Anne Alley, Theresa Nickerson, Melanie Breen Maloney

The students at Elmsdale District School will have an opportunity to research, purchase, assemble and plant their own food. This grant will allow us the opportunity to build and maintain a 4 season greenhouse where the students will have access to fresh, healthy food. Greenhouses provide hands on activities that promote cooperation, discussion and overall health and well-being. The produce that is harvested from the greenhouse will be utilized by the students in the school. Furthermore, the community itself will be offered the chance to help build and maintain the greenhouse fostering unity among its members.

Improving Reading & Comprehension Skills in Elementary School Students Through Small Group Instruction
17-18/51/E

School: Kingston and District Elementary
Grade: 2-4
Employer: AVRCE
Project Coordinator: Nancie MacKenzie-Childs
Project Team Members: Maggie Kenny, Shauna Kazmel Beresford

We will pilot the Rave-O program which attempts to recreate and stimulate what the brain does during reading, involving every aspect of oral language as well as the auditory and visual processes involved in word reading, and conceptual processes that tie everything together. Using metacognitive strategies and multi-sensory activities, students in grades 2-4 who are struggling with language and literacy development will receive systematic instruction in phonics and phonological awareness to improve decoding and reading fluency, integrated with a focus on vocabulary, morphological, and syntactic structures to improve their ability to make inferences and predictions about text to create meaning.

The LINK Learning, Independence, Nurturing and Kindness
18-19/56/E

School: Kingston and District Elementary School
Grade: P-5
Employer: AVRCE
Project Coordinator: Shannon Squires
Project Team Members: Denise Gracie and Karen Baker

2016-2017

Self Regulation is the Key to Concentration
16-17/26/E

School: Cobequid Consolidated Elementary School
School Board: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Joanne Harnish

Over the past several years more and more students are arriving in our classrooms with the inability to self regulate their emotions, behaviour, thoughts and the failure to change when a situation demands it. Our school, Cobequid Consolidated Elementary, consists of 167 students and many children need assistance with self regulation. This can consist of coping strategies and an understanding of what self regulation is and what it is not. My goal is to help provide students with strategies that will help them self regulate. Books like “Superflex” will help students with Autism. The book uses characters such as “rock brain” to get “unstuck” on topics and thoughts. I also hope to reinforce social skills in the resource centre using books such as “Personal Space Camp” or “My Mouth is a Volcano” by Julia Cook to help students have a better understanding of these skills that are needed to function in society.

Learning Zones
16-17/32/E

School: Harmony Heights Elementary
School Board: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Stellamarie Wile

This is an exciting opportunity for me to plan, purchase, organize and implement the variety of Learning Zones as a result of the generosity of the PDAF grant. My current students will be the first to benefit from this exposure to “Learning Zones”, but many other students at Harmony Heights Elementary will also share this exciting opportunity.

Winter Snowshoeing Program
16-17/45/E

School: Sackville Heights Elementary School
School Board: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Wayne Mayo
Project Members: Jeff Pridy, Kerry Belanger, Gail Baird

I would like thank the NSTU for the allocation of money to purchase snowshoes for our outdoor education module in my school. The project is integrating the use of snowshoes into the Physical Education Curriculum by: providing opportunities for students to participate in traditional cultural activities. Students will be exposed to snowshoeing as a means of active transportation and recreation, thus giving them an appreciation of the natural environment and the joy of individual and outdoor pursuits. Students will be given a relatively inexpensive activity in which they can participate outside of the school environment and continue to promote outdoor physical activity during the winter months.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
16-17/46/E

School: Smokey Drive Elementary School
School Board: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Stephanie Bellefontaine
Project Members: Laura Purdy, Betty Savage, Michelle Hiltz, Jennifer Simorisen

We want to create a way to help our younger students bring their family, culture, and personal experiences into the classroom to share and celebrate with their peers. We will set up a folder for each of our students through Google Docs. This file will be accessible to the parent/guardian as well. We will encourage the parent/guardian to add pictures of family experiences to the folders. When children are at the Chromebooks during Writer’s Workshop, they will have the opportunity to create writing pieces with pictures from their file inserted into Google Docs. Students can then save the writing in their personal file, allowing them to share it at home.

Truro Elementary Playroom
16-17/48/E

School: Truro Elementary School
School Board: CCRCE
Project Coordinator: Troy MacArthur
Project Members: Cheryl Fitzgerald, Susan Mahoney

Our project will address various curriculum areas, specific to grade primary but applicable to other elementary grades, with the creation of a dedicated play room at Truro Elementary School. The play room will support various classroom activities with further exploration evoked through play. The various activities will cover outcomes in physical education, language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and health. Exploration through play will give the students the opportunity to explore concepts and develop skills required to facilitate school readiness. Throughout the project, students will have the opportunity to demonstrate and develop creativity, innovation, problem solving, critical thinking, and collaborative skills.

It Just Doesn’t Happen “Naturally” Anymore
16-17/54/E

School: Harry R Hamilton Elementary
School Board: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Heather Coates Jones
Project Members: Colleen Briand Kennedy, Jane Gourley

According to the Physical Literacy Assessment for Youth, the average child spends 6 hours a day in front of a screen. Only 7 % of Canadian children get enough exercise (Physical Literacy Assessment for Youth). Since children often spend so much of their time sedentary, physical literacy “Just Doesn’t Happen Naturally Anymore,” The long term implications of this for both mental and physical health and wellness are significant. This project is designed to develop physical literacy skills and social awareness between multi-age students with varying ability levels, leading to increasing awareness of the challenges students with coordination limitation face in their daily functioning and interactions with peers.

SELF-REGULATION THROUGH SENSORY SOLUTIONS
16-17/57/E

School: North Queens Community School
School Board: SSRCE
Project Coordinator: Erika Kirk
Project Members: Lydia Skoreyko

What enables us to sit still, be quiet and focus? What addresses our internal pinball machine thinking and movement? Before we can develop self-control, we need to develop self-regulation, which begins with Interoceptive Awareness. Erika Kirk and Lydia Skoreyko are using Assistive Technology geared toward building Interoceptive Awareness (gross/fine motor and sensory equipment) in their Learning Centres. In line with the initiatives of the SSRSB, they provide physical environments that promote identification of self-soothing strategies and learning of social-emotional regulation skills; giving students opportunities to develop self-awareness and learn positive attitudes and behaviours at school. These skills, attitudes and behaviours are important for all students to function well and thrive in their learning environment and community.

Towering Gardens
16-17/61/E

School: Caudle Park Elementary School
School Board: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Kellee MacKenzie
Project Members: Lauren Marshall, Wendy MacCallum, Krista Chaban

Towering Gardens is a project to inspire, excite and educate students about plants, technology and healthy lifestyles. Students will use a Tower Garden to plant, grow and harvest a variety of lettuce, kale, beans, basil, cilantro, nasturtiums, eggplants, tomatoes, squash, dill, strawberries, edamame, peas, cauliflower, broccoli, peppers and just about any other vegetable (except root vegetables) without the use of soil. Students will study plants and learn about new technologies that are bettering our environment, specifically aeroponics. They will be introduced to time-lapse video skills and other tech tools to record observations and data of plant growth. The Tower Garden requires a 3 square foot area of space and uses no dirt. This innovative garden simply needs a little electricity, water and sunlight (or grow lights) and will produce fresh fruits and vegetables year-round.

Outdoor STEAM Makerspace
16-17/62/E

School: Sambro Elementary
School Board: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Lisa Bennett
Project Members: Pamela Caines

We will provide an opportunity for all of our students to engage their innate curiosity of STEAM while participating in an outdoor makerspace. The student's inclination to wonder, investigate, explore, and tinker will foster student lead experiences. Students will have access to diverse natural and manmade materials which they will be able to manipulate in a variety of ways. PDAF assistance will introduce safe engineering components. Students will develop engineering play behaviours by testing theories, refining designs, and working with peers to investigate and solve problems. Inclusive playground alternatives are provided while promoting innovation and creativity in a safe environment.

Dash & Dot
16-17/63/E

School: Sambro Elementary
School Board: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Danielle Henneberry
Project Members: Catherine Bouliane, Danielle Murphy, Chris Cocek

The Dash & Dot is an interactive robot that will teach students computational problem solving and the ability to code in a meaningful and engaging way. Dash & Dot supports and enhances the delivery of tech integration in the grade 4-6 curriculum while at the same time helps prepare students in P-3 for 21st century learning opportunities. The integration of the Dash & Dot into our school will not only be engaging and exciting for students of all grade levels, but it will help to develop the necessary skills for learning in the 21st century, including collaboration and teamwork, creativity and imagination, critical thinking and problem solving.

Play-Based Furnishings & Games for a Flexible, Accessible Learning Centre
16-17/71/E

School: Hammonds Plains Consolidated
School Board: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Heather Hollis
Project Members: Joanne Anger, Faith Balcombe, Sarah Braid-Calloway

Hammonds Plains Consolidated School is incorporating play-based learning philosophies into the learning Centre. Our team is attempting to help those students who are served by the LC, consciously build critical thinking concepts and strategies. We have identified that our students need to be exposed to resources that encourage and facilitate intentional play-based learning opportunities. The students who spend time in our learning centre need to be able to move, explore and play. This grant will help us create a positive learning space where all of our students can meet their potential.

21st Century Listening & Activity Station
16-17/73/E

School: Harbourview Elementary
School Board: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Diane Lloyd
Project Members: Natasha Boutilier

This grant will be used to purchase a set of 4 iPad minis, cases, headphones and splitters. We will use these to record readings of levelled books that can be matched to students. Since we are creating the readings ourselves, we will be able to interrupt the reading to draw attention to text features and discussion points that are relevant to the current instruction focus area. Students will also be able to record their own reading and spend more time interacting with just right texts to improve fluency and comprehension which is a focus of our School Improvement Plan.

Innovation Room Part 1
16-17/77/E

School: Harbourview Elemntary
School Board: HRCE
Project Coordinator: Tyler Deacon
Project Members: Natasha Boutilier, Diane Lloyd, Amy Sharpe

I am looking to enrich student learning by creating culturally relevant, innovative lessons that promote hands on learning. The project seeks to create an Innovation Room that would be accessible to all students in our school (Early Learners to Grade 6). This room will have a variety of technologies, STEM activities and other materials available for students to build, create and learn. The Innovation Room will promote collaboration, perseverance, risk taking and problem solving skills. Providing students with these resources will enhance student learning and increase student engagement, promote social skills, develop oral language and improve overall academic success.

La langue en action!
16-17/85/E

School: Centre Scolaire de la Rive-Sud
School Board: CSAP
Project Coordinator: Monique Rossignol
Project Members: Jennifer Gaudet, René Gaudet

The project “La langue en action!” will equip a grade one classroom with materials and furnishings to help students become active during literacy blocks, while meeting learning outcomes in French, which is a second language for most students attending this school. Students will be able to better master reading and writing basic skills while being physically active using equipment such as wobble chairs, Deskcycles, arm bands, swivel bases, balance ball chairs, reading balance boards as well as kneel and spin desks. Active listening while moving will help students develop good listening skills and therefore improve pronunciation as well as phonological awareness.

2015-2016

Firefly Yoga
15-16/02/E

School: Felix Marchand Education Centre
School Board: Strait Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Tanya Sampson
Project Members: Lisa Burt, Denise Chiasson, Scott Goyetche

Firefly Yoga encourages daily physical activity, to promote self-regulation and to equip students with strategies for calming routines while providing an opportunity to build on student awareness of mind and body. Firefly Yoga will assist students in promoting positive self-regulation and will equip all students with appropriate calming routines while promoting physical activity and motor development in a non-competitive environment. Firefly Yoga will also promote focus and attention, which are key factors in student success and a benefit to overall mental health.

Multicultural Play Based Learning
15-16/14/E

School: Duc d’Anville Elementary
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Leah Matheson

This project is intended for students to learn through the medium of purposeful play with a focus on multiculturalism. I believe that learning through play will be an essential teaching strategy in delivering the grade one curriculum and will be especially beneficial for our large population of students from diverse geographical and cultural backgrounds. Of the 170 immigrant students that are part of our school community, 140 are refugees. Understandably, many of these students have limited English, and face a multitude of challenges including coping with a new home, culture, school and language. Learning through play is ideal for my global classroom as it is naturally diverse, is student centred, and can be utilized as a building block to support and develop oral language skills. By purchasing a range of multicultural play based materials, students will have the opportunity to discover, explore and work with their peers in a safe environment that is culturally relevant.

Optimizing (Streamlining) Lessons
15-16/17/E

School: Cumberland North Academy
School Board: Chignecto-Central Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Holly MacDonald

The primary goal is to have mathematical language/concepts incorporated into the guided lessons focusing on the concepts (vocabulary, processes, comprehension and language) from the streamlined curriculum in the grades primary to 3 at Cumberland North Academy. The Project Team consists of the Principal, 3 Classroom Teachers (primary, 3 and ¾) and an Early Literacy Support/Literacy based Program Support Teacher who are all educators at Cumberland North Academy C.N.A. In addition, a Regional Literacy Mentor, is providing support to this project. C.NA. is a rurally located school, with approximately 325 students ranging from Grade P-6 and French Immersion Grade 5-6.

Harmony Heights Mountain Bike Club
15-16/22/E

School: Harmony Heights Elementary
School Board: Chignecto-Central Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Craig Cameron

We are very excited to be starting the HHE Mountain Bike Club with help from the PDAF. This grant will allow all interested students to have an opportunity to take part in the sport of mountain biking, while developing physical strength and social skills with peers. While learning some of the skills of mountain biking students will also get the opportunity to work with community bike clubs and explore the trails around our school and throughout Victoria Park. The opportunity to take part in our club can open doors to the active biking community in Truro and the surrounding area.

Snowshoe Integration
15-16/23/E

School: Beaver Bank Monarch Elementary
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Mark Clattenburg

Along with the students and staff at Beaver Bank Monarch Elementary, I would like thank the NSTU for the allocation of $5000 to purchase snowshoes to promote outdoor education and an appreciation of the beautiful surroundings we are so fortunate to live in here in Nova Scotia. This grant will allow us to implement another component of the Physical Education curriculum that is currently unattainable to our students. The idea behind the project is to promote outdoor physical activity during a time of year (winter) when most children live a more sedentary lifestyles due to the weather. Through the moderate exercise that snowshoeing provides, students will experience many physical health benefits such as increased heart rates and metabolism, as well as improved insulin sensitivity.

Smart Games in the Classroom
15-16/26/E

School: Hammonds Plains Cons. School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Pam Zawidski
Project Members: Leona Bekkers, Rhonda Webb, Elaine Russell, Trish Pool

Grade Two teachers at Hammonds Plains Consolidated School are incorporating play based learning philosophies in their classrooms. Our team is consciously building critical thinking concepts and strategies in the learning environment, especially in our mathematics classes through the use of Smart Games. We understand the need for students to be exposed to resources that encourage and facilitate intentional play-based learning opportunities. Play based learning is guided learning that encourages children to investigate, ask questions, problem solve and think critically. Through the use of Smart Games students experience success; by building metacognition skills that ensure they develop essential critical thinking dispositions.

Making A Difference
15-16/27/E

School: Truro Elementary
School Board: Chignecto-Central Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Martha Shephard Duguay
Project Members: Krista Murray Hayden, Chantel Bishop, Sandra Thompson

Our project “Making a Difference” seeks to create a maker-classroom where students in a combined grade four/five French immersion class will be able to invent a product or application that would improve the quality of life for someone with a disability. The project will then allow the students to engage and share their ideas and inventions with various community groups that might benefit or enjoy the children’s inventions. This community contact could include visits to a local nursing home, the VON adult day treatment centre, the Stroke support group etc. This would allow the students to make a personal connection with their inventions and see real life application for their projects.

Learning in Motion
15-16/42/E

School: Caldwell Road Elementary
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Lisa Dickens
Project Members: Annette Gaudet, Banjo Ward, Janice Murray

The Learning in Motion project will consist of outfitting two classrooms in upper and lower elementary with enough wiggle seats for every child and foot fidgets for many students, plus a stand up desk for each classroom. Some students who have been identified as needing even more intervention will also receive sensory fidget/stress balls to help relieve stress and help students gain self-control. This will help those children who are in dire need of physical release during class time without disrupting the flow of regular class time. It will also increase student engagement and therefore student achievement.

“Kids Can Fly Too” Coding with Minidrones
15-16/44/E

School: Rockingham Elementary
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Andrew Stickings

It is now time for the next technology chapter to be written as students begin to coding miniDRONES. My students have been coding for almost a year now with their Sphero Robots and now it is time for them to take into the air and up there game by opening a new chapter by incorporating miniDRONES in our STEM challenge projects. My new "Kids Can Fly Too" Drone project will begin this new chapter in our class and school. We are excited to introduce miniDRONES to which develop both critical thinking and problem solving skills as well as add to the excitement building around learning becoming fun again.

Desk Cycling for Better Health and Education
15-16/45/E

School: Millwood Elementary School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Todd Van Ritchie

This project will see DeskCycles (under desk pedallers) introduced into every classroom of the school. Within the classroom there will be freedom for the teacher to use them as best fits their program. The strategy that will be suggested will be turn taking by all students every 10-15 minutes throughout the day. In the course of the 300 minute instructional day, each student in a class of 20-25 could receive at least an additional 10 minutes of exercise for each DeskCycle that is introduced to the classroom, without disrupting the class routines and lessons.

Tamboa Music Exploration
15-16/47/E

School: Truro Elementary School
School Board: Chignecto Central Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Sara Munday-Hazelton
Project Members: Belinda Fraser

At Truro Elementary we are excited to be starting a “Tamboa Exploration Project” to serve students with unique abilities in our Special Education Program, as well as our grade primary to two classes. It is sometimes challenging for many students in these classes to play instruments that produce a pitch (such as xylophones) due to the muscle control required. The tamboa is an ideal instrument for developing activities for students, as it allows them to experience success with great ease. The instruments can be used to accompany songs and stories; for stop and go movement activities; to improvise rhythms; and for the exploration of songs and dances from other cultures. Students will learn specific mallet instrument skills such as beat keeping vs. rhythm; playing with hands together or with alternating hands; to play at different dynamic levels; to play at different tempos; to play legato and staccato styles.

Dual Language Start Up Kits- First Language Learners
15-16/49/E

School: Duc d’Anville Elementary
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Holly Shaffner
Project Members: Laurie McOnie, Marisa Baldwin, Gwen Birt

Dual Language Start Up Kits- First Language Learners is a school/community literacy outreach project. Our Dual Language Start Up Kits is part of a school wide project entitled Bag of Books which seeks to support home and school literacy learning for English as Additional Language Learners and students at risk for literacy learning. Books and materials in our Dual Language Start Up Kits will be available to borrow for both home and school. Text and audio resources will be accessible in English alongside the student’s first language, ensuring that links of learning are obtainable for our English as Additional Language Learners.

Sphero Robots in the Classroom
15-16/57/E

School: Ecole Chebucto Heights
School Board: HRSB
Project Coordinator: Kelly Cyr
Project Members: Mary Beth McCarron, Jamie Lawlor-MacInnis, Keegan Vosman

Students can learn, play, and explore with Sphero 2.0 and Sphero SPRK. Play is a powerful tool and by fusing technology with robotics, it will be inspiring tomorrow’s inventors and innovators. With the use of Sphero, I want to provide my students with a foundation of programming. This program is a powerful teacher that will give my students a fun crash course in programming. It will also serve to sharpen their skills in math and computer science. It will also be incorporated in science, social studies, and language arts.

Welcome to Canada: Advice for New Canadians
15-16/61/E

School: Bedford South School
School Board: HRSB
Project Coordinator: Shelly Bembridge

The influx of immigrants is evident at Bedford South School where classes range from 15%-50% of students who speak English as an additional language. Welcome to Canada: Advice for New Canadians will give student advice and resources to support students settling into life in Nova Scotia. The objective is to:

Encourage cross-cultural understanding
Develop collaboration and communication skills amongst students
Foster a culturally responsive environment where cultural competence is a priority and respect for differences is cultivated
Develop positive student attitudes about cultural differences teamwork and collaboration
Develop greater understanding for and an appreciation of the challenges facing Canadians.

Reinventing the Rube Goldberg Machine
15-16/66/E

School: Hillside Park Elementary School
School Board: HRSB
Project Coordinator: Jeff Hennigar
Project Members: Ben Smith

This project will act as a summative assessment for students as they complete the grade 5 simple machines unit. Students will apply what they’ve learned about the simple machines and combine these elements to create Rube Goldberg chain-reaction contraptions—with a twist! Student created machines will include 3D printed elements, programmed robots, electronics with sensors, as well as Lego and everyday objects.

Le technologie chez les maternelles
15-16/78/E

School: Chebucto Heights Elementary
School Board: HRSB
Project Coordinator: Becky Himmelman

“Le technologie chez les maternelles” will be an introduction for Primary students to educational technology. Osmo systems, Ozobots, and iPads will give students the opportunity to explore Math and Language Arts as well as develop spatial skills. The Osmo is simple enough for four and five year old students to learn, and it connects the 2D world of the iPad to the 3D learning environment of the students. Ozobots allow young students to begin to explore coding through colour codes. Introducing students to these programs early will jump start their introduction to STEM education.

2014-2015

Drumming Up Nova Scotian Culture
14-15/01/E

School: St. Andrews Consolidated School
School Board: Strait Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Jackie Dunn MacIsaac
Project Members: Suzanne Delaney, Bryan Smith

“Drumming Up Nova Scotian Culture” is a cultural initiative being implemented with grade P-6 students at St. Andrews Consolidated School. With the purchase of new Mi’kmaq, Celtic, Acadian and African drums and percussion, students’ cultural experiences will be heightened by learning about and through culture while performing music from their community’s, County’s and Province’s cultural branches. Students will be introduced to, experience, and actively learn through living culture which in turn will foster their cultural identity and spotlight the rich multicultural diversity within our school. These new instruments will enliven classroom performances, monthly assemblies, cultural events and public concerts.

Daily 3 Math
14-15/05/E

School: Enfield School
School Board: Chignecto Central Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Karen Smith
Project Members: Melanie Gilroy

Daily 3 Math is a framework for teaching Mathematics that includes focused instruction and independent practice. It presents the curriculum with bursts of instruction (as brain research suggests) followed by engaging tasks and activities. Students participate in: “Math by Myself”, “Math with Someone” and “Math with Writing” each day. This design teaches students to build stamina for staying on task with meaningful activities resulting in strong engagement, independence and accountability. It offers opportunities for differentiated learning and produces an environment with less time spent on classroom management, allowing easier one-on-one and small group instruction. “Math by Myself” and “Math with Someone”, are steeped in the kinaesthetic practice of concepts. They are activity based and offer time for hands on activities. “Math with Writing” gives an opportunity to express and articulate thinking and understanding of the concepts through pictures, numbers and words.

“Desktop Documentaries for Elementary Social Studies”
14-15/08/E

School: Bridgewater Elementary School
School Board: South Shore Regional School Board
Project Members: Sheila Wamboldt, Karen Covey

Desktop documentary making offers social studies teachers at the elementary level a unique way to empower students to create their own histories and stories in a fun and engaging way. Students at Bridgewater Elementary will be creating historical documentaries between 5 and 10 minutes in length. They will be developing their own questions and arguments using inquiry based learning practices and utilizing both primary and secondary sources in the creation of their documentaries. The project will engage student interests while positioning them to interpret meaning from the past and use their imaginations. Students will choose heritage/historical topics from family histories, community, provincial or national areas of interest that reflect our rich Canadian Heritage. They will develop scripts, research, conduct interviews, act, and film, digitally edit, and critique each other’s completed documentaries. The grant will be used in the purchase of equipment and software for the production of the documentaries.

Creating SPACE-Teaching in the Trauma Informed Classroom
14-15/11/E

School: Northeast Kings/Glooscap Elementary
School Board: Annapolis Valley Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Beverley Roy
Project Members: Kathy Ann Johnson, Krista Duncan, Corena Burbidge

Trauma can impact on the brain, body, emotions, memory, relationships, learning and behavior. Making “SPACE” for Learning requires a philosophical shift at looking at students in a different way. Instead of focusing just on the punishment, the goal will be restoring the relationship between student, peers or staff. It is a collaborative approach with home, school and families. The key is to reshape trauma based behavior and help students reconnect in a positive way. I am a guidance counselor at two schools and have targeted Primary and Grade 6 students with the hope of reducing the behavioral issues in those two settings though coaching, support and using the Mind Up curriculum.

Project Aurasma-Math
14-15/12/E

School: Sackville Heights Elementary
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Pascal Routledge
Project Members: Mario Eleftheros, Pennelope Bell-Tovey, Jillian Fullarton

The nature of this cross-curriculum project Aurasma-Math is to create Math-Augmented “HOW-TO” Videos. This project will provide an enriched learning experience whereby students are to create, share, and curate math instructional videos through the use of iPads provided by this grant. This project will develop the math, language arts and digital literacy skills of all students by using iPads to create these videos, which are launched by a scanned Augmented Reality (AR) trigger image, all created by the students using various apps.

"Guitar Creativity" An Elementary Approach
14-15/13/E

School: Greenfield Elementary/Donkin Gowrie Complex
School Board: Cape Breton/Victoria Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Donalda Westcott

"Guitar Creativity" is a program designed to introduce elementary students in grades 5 and 6 to the basics of the guitar, through the use of folk music and the music inherent within their home community. Through the introduction of another folk instrument to their instrumentarium, it is intended that students can engage with the music of their area, and of Atlantic Canada, as well as forge links between music of their collective past, present and future. As guitar instruction is not currently readily offered within the elementary school context, this project is designed to expand musical skill development for all students while supporting and encouraging students through access to enriched musical experiences outside of the realm of the regular classroom music experience.

“iKnow iCan Fostering Student’s Literacy Growth in the Digital Age”
13-14/19/E

School: Sycamore Lane Elementary School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Lisa MacLeod
Project Members: Amanda Pashkoski

“iKnow iCan Fostering Student’s Literacy Growth in the Digital Age” involves the use of ipads in the classroom to support daily literacy learning of all students including students with Individual Program Plans and adaptations. The use of technology will not only be engaging but motivational for our students. Most of our students have limited exposure to the use of technology for educational purposes. The technology will not only help our student to become competent digital citizens, but they will be used for students to practice, engage with, develop and immerse themselves in literacy activities (through literacy based games/apps, written work, presentations etc.) The technology, ipads, will be used a means to deliver and enhance the Language Arts outcomes being taught in our classrooms.

Spinning to Learn
14-15/25/E

School: Hebbville Academy
School Board: South Shore Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Krista McDow
Project Members: Scott Rawding, Janet Dornan, Erin Ramsay

Self-regulation is the ability to manage your own energy states, including emotions, behaviors, and attention in ways that are socially acceptable. Our goal is to improve the self-regulation of students in Grade P-5 by providing each class with a stationary spin bike. Regular brain breaks, especially ones that get kids physically active, enhance attentiveness, concentration, focus, and accelerate learning by allowing children to release their energy, anxiety, and stress. Stationary spin bikes provide students with a positive way to help their minds and bodies adapt to the social and academic demands they face at school each day.

Succeeding in the Social World
14-15/26/E

School: Beechville Lakeside Timberlea Elementary
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Debbie Supple
Project Members: Albertine Clements

The project will enable the development of social and emotional regulation skills using iPad technology. This will involve video modelling and interactive learning using Apps such as Conversation Builder or Social Skill builder that are age appropriate, relevant and engaging for elementary aged students. The use of IPADs and specific Apps will enable the guidance counsellor and SLP to enhance small group and individual lessons that can be conducted in various locations. The students will be able to generalize their skills with various communication partners. The use of technology such as IPADS is an excellent teaching tool to address the areas of concern.

Stability and Focus in the Classroom
14-15/30/E

School: Tallahassee Community School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Yvonne LaPierre
Project Members: Tracey MacDonald

The purpose of using balls as seats in the classroom is to help the children focus better on instruction. Not only should it help them become more physically fit because core muscles are strengthened, it allows "active sitting" with little to no disturbance in the classroom as it provides a child's need for movement (provided by the need to balance on the ball). Brain research has shown that there is a link between movement and academic performance. Sitting on balls, because it makes one sit up straighter, increases blood flow to the brain and all parts of the body. Combining movement and increasing blood flow should result in increased classroom learning. The use of ball seating has also been a motivational factor for children, as well as being fun to use. Public school education in Nova Scotia has two major goals: to help all students develop to their full potential cognitively, effectively, physically and socially and to help all students acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary for them to continue as thinking, learning, physically active, valued members of society. We feel this project meets these requirements.

“Let’s Grow, Cook, Eat & Learn” – Young Chefs Discovery in the Primary Classroom.
14-15/35/E

School: Basinview Drive Community School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Cindy Ng-Ivanoff

The funds granted for this project will be used to purchase cooking equipment for a mobile cooking cart, supplies for indoor & outdoor gardening, a vermicomposting unit, and a class set of chef hats and aprons. This project will allow students to see the food connection from garden to table as the students grow their own food in the classroom and school garden. Students will also develop basic cooking skills through hands on experiences in preparing healthy and nutritious snacks and meals. They will learn about the importance of making balanced and healthy food choices. We will also record “Young Chefs” cooking videos and host a Family Cooking Night, which will bring parents and children together to discover easy ways to prepare nutritious and affordable meals and snacks.

Engaging Math Minds of Students At-Risk: Supporting Students with Math Achievement through Digital Inclusion
14-15/36/E

School: Prince Arthur Junior High
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Kurt Chadwick

This project aims to remove barriers of digital equitability for Grade 9 students at Prince Arthur Junior High and increase achievement in mathematics. The Math 9 experience will be augmented by tablet and internet-based technology to improve student engagement and motivation while also developing 21st century skills. Devices will be synchronized during group instruction with the Nearpod app to mirror content, control devices, host interactive polls, and provide real-timeassessments. Course instructionwill also be screencasted using the ShowMe app and published online so that it may be accessed asynchronously - at any time or place and as frequently as needed.

Vers Chrome… et Google Apps : Soyons actifs!
14-15/37/E

School: École Jean-Marie-Gay
School Board: Conseil Scolaire Acadien Provincial
Project Coordinator: Monette Boudreau
Project Members: Tina Blinn, Michel Gaudet

Les élèves auront la chance d’élargir leurs connaissances à travers la nouvelle technologie qui prend sa place dans nos écoles et notre avenir. Avec les Chromebook voici la chance pour les élèves de devenir apprenants actifs en utilisant Google Apps aussi. La pédagogie différenciée et l’apprentissage par les intelligences multiples permettent à tous les élèves de connaître du succès et d’augmenter leur estime de soi. L’élève devienne engagé et motivé dans ses propres apprentissages à son niveau ainsi qu’à travailler en groupe sur plusieurs projets afin de créer des groupes collaboratifs. De plus, en utilisant les stratégies de CAFÉ et les 5 au quotidien, les élèves seront capables d’approfondir leurs stratégies ainsi que des concepts appris en salle de classe.

Outdoor Adventures
14-15/38/E

School: Cumberland North Academy
School Board: Chignecto Central Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Mike LeBlanc
Project Members: Entire Staff

“Outdoor Adventures” is a program which involves getting children in P-6 outside with a focus on the winter months. Activities which students will take part in range from Sledding, Swimming, Curling, Skating, Cross Country Skiing, Downhill Skiing, Snow Shoeing, Canoeing, Overnight camping, geo-caching and Orienteering. The program is unique as all activities are ‘learnto’ and are taught by the physical education specialist and local leaders in the community such as Can Skate and Scout leaders to name a few. The program breaks the traditional 30 minutes physical education class and gives students the opportunity to experience these activities from a half day to full day. All experiences are free of charge for our students and engage the students in lifelong family orientated activities.

Purpose and Audience: Increasing Students' Motivation in Writer's Workshop
14-15/40/E

School: Tantallon Senior Elementary School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Jeffery Hennigar

This project promotes the idea that we all put more care into our writing when we know that others are going to be reading it. Children and adults alike can be more willing and more likely to edit and revise their writing if they know it is going to be read by others. By creating a class wiki, where students can easily access and edit their writing and course work (for example, photographs of physical work), students will have an audience for their work that goes beyond the classroom. Students will comment on the work of others offering both revision ideas and compliments on a job well done. This forum will motivate students to do their best, and will give them more reasons to be proud of their own work.

"We Have Big Shoes to Fill”
14-15/41/E

School: Harry R. Hamilton
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Colleen Briand-Kennedy
Project Members: Gail Langille, Alyson Walker

The sun is shining and the snow is sparkling, don't you wish you had a reason to take the students outside to enjoy the great outdoors? "We Have Big Shoes to Fill" is just the project needed to get everyone moving. Canadian studies show that people who are physically active live longer and healthier lives. Active people also report having a greater self-esteem. This project is designed to motivate and educate our school community of ways to remain advocates for lifelong healthy living while enjoying our Canadian winters. Snowshoeing promotes an inclusive environment for all participants.

21st Century Listening Centre
14-15/46/E

School: Tallahassee Community School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Lindsay Campbell
Project Members: April Desmond, Melissa MacKenzie

With the funds from this grant, we will purchase iPad minis, headphones and splitters. We will record readings of leveled books and match them to students. Because we are recording the texts ourselves, we will be able to interrupt the reading to draw attention to text features, interesting vocabulary, or prompt discussion if they are using one of the splitters. Students will also be able to record their own readings. It is our hope that since students will be spending more time reading and interacting with texts at their instructional level, they will improve their fluency, accuracy and comprehension.

Blue Marble lnitiative·Earth Day Workshop
14-15/47/E

School: West Colchester Consolidated
School Board: Chignecto Central Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Sybil Flemming
Project Members: Sherry Patriquin, Dr. Karen Ewing, MD, Leah Unicomb

This initiative engages students in activities highlighting the interconnectedness of all things on Earth, the Blue Marble. Curriculum related topics promote exploring rising sea levels, discovering local endangered species, creating a web of life using yarn, marking hope spots on local maps, considering carbon footprints created by humans and our responsibility to maintain our Earth. Creating t-shirts and face paintings of Earth, supporting the SPCA, writing postcards of concern to government, making seed pods and learning about bats' and bees' roles will increase students' awareness of responsibility to protect our Blue Marble.

Sphero Kids Project
14-15/49/E

School: Rockingham School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Andrew Stickings
Project Members: Heather Hudson

The Sphero Robot is a fast and durable motorized ball that interfaces with a phone/tablet via Bluetooth. Sphero is an interactive and engaging tool that brings core class work off the paper into real life application. Using Sphero in the classroom upgrades your basic math and sciences outcomes to the mobile generation. This infusion of technology into the primary grades will help prepare students for further 21st century learning opportunities. Students will learn through coding to navigate the Sphero ball through mazes, different terrains and structures. Students build and create with wooden blocks, lego, and household items but also learn to program or "code" using Sphero apps. Students are challenged to develop "missions" for Sphero to complete like a robotically controlled "rover" on another planet. Sphero robotic balls can be used with the core apps Macrolab and OrbBasic. Once the basic lessons are covered the lesson ideas are limitless from creating robotic parades highlighting countries of the world to narrative writing using the Sharky the Beaver app. The lesson possibilities are endless. Sphero will add to the excitement building around learning becoming fun again.

What’s Your Culture?
14-15/50/E

School: Bell Park Academic Center
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Mamoona Brace
Project Members: Jason Starratt, Nicole Roy, Shelly Hysert

There are many cultures that exist within our school community. Grade 4-6 students will have a discussion around culture, it’s definition, and what types exist within our school community. Some groups will be focusing exclusively on the culture here at Bell Park, what our beliefs, behaviors and expectations are. Other groups will focus on the culture that is within their community or sports teams or their heritage and the cultural norms that exist. These groups will then interview, create scripts, and put a video together. In the end, these videos will showcase that there are many different cultures within our community.

Tough Topics Lending Library
14-15/53/E

School: Elmsdale District Elementary
School Board: Chignecto Central Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Natalie Campbell-Bouvette
Project Members: Angele Saulnier-Nicholson, Dania Hayward, Tamara Minard & Sherry Boudreau

Elmsdale District Elementary has spear headed the project “Tough Topics Lending Library”, involving the use French picture books to enhance writing while simultaneously teaching students about The Virtues, Diversity and other special topics. The recommended resources will be used as exemplars for writing, and starting points for good conversations amongst students. The texts will available for sign out, and teachers will have opportunities to work with our French mentor as how to use the materials to ensure best practices. This project will support French Immersion teachers to meet their goals of challenging students to become writers, and fostering healthy relationships among students.

Transforming Our School Library into a "Library Learning Commons"
14-15/55/E

School: St. Joseph’s A McKay School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Stephanie Kenny
Project Members: Laura King, Amy Hunt-Boudreau

This project will excite all readers! Students will be able to show their talents either by audio recording, presenting on video or by written review for a book they have adored. The reviews will be uploaded to the webspace and will accessible by scanning the QR code that links the review. They will then arouse the curiosity other readers to also read the book that has already been reviewed. Students will be provided with opportunities to read, discover, interpret and create meaning around a variety of texts, increase reading levels by increasing engagement and motivation as well as give their personal opinion. The use of 21st century technology as a teaching and learning tool will allow for a more student-centered library with the teacher/librarian acting as a learning facilitator.

Play to Learn
14-15/59/E

School: Musquodoboit Valley Education Centre
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Shanda Keddy
Project Members: Melissa Reid

We will create a playroom within our school in which our early elementary students can explore curricular concepts through a play-based approach. Within the playroom, we will have a variety of learning zones ranging from art to dramatic play to math to reading and writing. Each of these zones will encourage and build upon children’s oral language experiences. As Anne Burke (Play to Learn: Building literacy experiences in young children, 2011) states, ‘oral language is central to the early literacy development of children. The stronger the oral language base, the better the reading foundation. If we encourage children to explore and make new discoveries using talking, as well as learning through play centres…., we will ultimately help them to understand how the functions, form, and content of the language they use to communicate are important.” (Burke, p.41).

Coding for All
14-15/60/E

School: St. Andrews Consolidated School
School Board: Strait Regional School Board
Project Co-ordinator: Laurie Bloomfield
Project Members: Bonnie MacDonald, Suzanne Delaney

Coding for All is an instructional and creative initiative that will allow all Grade Primary to Grade Six students to learn about technology and computer coding. Instruction will take place after school, and will include the development of coding skills and the use of code for robotic programming. The ability to code is not only a powerful technology skill; it is a great form of procedural writing, self-expression, intellectual stimulation, communication, and acceptance of others. Computer coding has the power to unite mind, spirit and technology and leave participants with a healthy sense of self and society. As an accessible form of technology for all students, it will be an enjoyable and enriching experience for all Grade Primary to Grade Six students at St. Andrews Consolidated.

Project Chrome
14-15/65/E

School: South Centennial Elementary
School Board: Tri-County Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Glenn Bourque
Project Members: Todd Wallace, Rollie Hannem

The world is a chrome colored oyster named Google and every student should have the chance to experience it. Now, students have an opportunity to expand their learning as they are guided to the 21st century by this virtual classroom. With the Chromebook, a world of limitless possibilities is opened via interactive web based apps from Google. Long gone are the days of direct instruction. The Chromebook provides a more interactive model where the students are required to think independently and critically. Consequently, they become more engaged with their learning and it becomes more authentic. Learning can now even be extended after the final bell of the day has rung.

2013-2014

The Orffestra!
13-14/01/E

School: Kingswood Elementary School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: James Jackson
Project Members: Helen Martin, Katrina Pecknold, Deb MacIsaac

The "Orffestra" brings together 60 students from diverse schools across HRSB who will present a musical history of Nova Scotia at the Carl Orff Canada National Conference Opening Ceremonies in April, 2014. This amazing elementary aged performing ensemble explores culture and music through the integration of story, singing, dancing and movement, the recorder, many different mallet instruments, drums and other percussion instruments. Using a holistic approach the students will help create a musical journey from our First Nations, through the European settlers, the arrival of our African Nova Scotians and later immigration at Pier 21.

Writers Across the Ages
13-14/11/E

School: Atlantic View School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Laura MacIntosh

This multi-generational project will involve grade five students working as historians and videographers to learn about the past from seniors in our community. They will use the seniors as primary sources to create authentic documents about change in our society. Students will create interactive, digital books with photos, text and embedded video about the experience using a MacBook laptop. Using iPads these digital books will be shared with the seniors, bringing the curriculum to life in an authentic way. This experience will have students learning from seniors and seniors learning from students in an interactive way.

"Children of the Earth" – Digital Chronicles of Inquiry and Discovery
13-14/12/E

School: Basinview Drive Community School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Cindy Ng-Ivanoff

The funds granted for this project will be used to purchase an incubator, iPad Minis, and books from Schim Schimmel's Children of the Earth series. This project is intended to help students develop a deeper level of compassion, caring and appreciation for all living things. It is hoped that this deeper understanding will transfer to their interactions with one another and help foster positive social relationships. This project will expand the worldview of the children and help them see they have the power to make a difference in their own lives as well as the lives of those around them. Students will use the iPads to create digital media pieces, which will be shared with others with the intent of promoting change in their school and community. The digital stories and videos will be used to spread their message about the importance of cherishing Mother Earth's living things.

Leveling the Playing Field
13-14/21/E

School: Windsor Elementary School
School Board: Annapolis Valley Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Sarah Sabean

Our school has an increasing population of students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and behavioural challenges. These students have additional requirements to keep them emotionally healthy, happy and ready to learn. This grant will be used to add specialty equipment and supplies to our sensory room so these needs are met. By meeting these sensory and emotional needs, it is our goal to have them be able to spend more time in the typical classroom. This grant will also provide active seating in the classroom to meet the physical needs of those students who need to move in order to learn. We will purchase 10 Hokki stools to be distributed to the students who would benefit the most from active seating.

For the Health of It
13-14/41/E

School: Chebucto Heights Elementary School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Amanda MacDonald
Project Members: Heather Cumming, Oliver Jupp

This project is designed to increase physical and leisure skill abilities in students with a variety of disabilities. Not only will this grant increase opportunities for physical fitness, it will also provide them with the skills needed to create a healthy and active lifestyle within an inclusive environment that will support them in their future. Included in the development of health and lifestyle will be the opportunity for gaining valuable relaxation techniques and coping with stress and behaviour management strategies. These skills will be developed through the implementation of monthly yoga sessions, skating and bowling. Through the use of adaptive physical education materials, the students could have daily physical activity time in the learning centre as well as engage in group activities during gym class. The students who are currently a part of the learning centre require gross motor movement multiple times a day for physical breaks and as a behaviour management strategy.

Intervention en lecture via iPad
13-14/45/E

School: École Beaubassin
School Board: Conseil Scolaire Acadien Provincial
Project Coordinator: Ramona Boudreau
Project Members: Louise Hazelhurst, Shelley LeBlanc, Kelly Fraser, Phil O’Hara

L'École Beaubassin est une école francophone qui compte plus de 600 élèves de la 1ere à la 5ième année. Plusieurs recherches confirment que dès l'entrée scolaire, ce sont les habilités de conscience phonologique (le décodage) qui sont les plus étroitement reliées au succès que vit l'élève en lecture. Toutefois, nous vivons dans une communauté minoritaire, et plusieurs parents ne peuvent pas lire à leur enfant le soir soit à cause de la langue ou parce que le parent français est absent de la maison pour une raison quelconque. Le temps individuel que l'enseignant peut donner à l'élève en lecture est parfois limité. Cette initiative donnera l'occasion aux élèves des quatre classes de la 1ere année de lire plus souvent en français pendant une journée scolaire. Du foyer ou de leur lieu de travail, un parent (ou autre adulte tel qu'un grand-parent, un bénévole de la communauté) pourra lire et pratiquer des activités de conscience phonologique soit à leur propre enfant ou à un autre élève pour offrir un soutien en lecture, et cela grâce à la combinaison de la plate-forme Blackboard Collaborate et les ipads fournis par les fonds du FADP. L'adulte (de n'importe quel endroit - maison, bureau de travail, autre pays...) communiquera avec l'élève via son ordinateur. Il pourra télécharger ou partager des fichiers (livres nivelés Reading A to Z et fiches variées) fournis par l'enseignante dans le but d'améliorer les compétences en lecture chez ces élèves. Lors de la journée, les élèves pourront également profiter du iPad pour accéder a plusieurs livres numériques et Apps éducatifs qui visent à appuyer la lecture.

“Welcome to Halifax, The Beautiful Place We Call Home”
13-14/52/E

School: Atlantic Memorial – Terrance Bay School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Laura Slaunwhite

As a community located only 20 minutes from our downtown attractions, my students had many questions about the city because many have never visited the area. In Social Studies we focus on communities outside of our own, and that is wonderful, but what about our own? Through our project “Welcome to Halifax, the Beautiful Place We Call Home”, we will enjoy guest speakers from Statistics Canada and the Halifax Regional Municipality. Using their knowledge and Apps4Halifax using Ipad technology, we will create a travel itinerary for travellers who wish to venture to our city. In groups of 4 my 4th graders will create travel itineraries which will include: travel to, throughout and from our city, hotel accommodations, restaurants, attractions, gas information and more. Their itineraries will be created as if they would be made available to travel agencies for tourists who wish to visit our city for fun filled adventures, but may not necessarily know what our city has to offer. The itineraries will include projected costs as a “package deal” so travelers can book according to their financial interest. The finished products will be displayed in our classroom “travel fair” and guests will place their ballot in the box for the trip they would love to enjoy. The students will stand by their display to answer any questions our guests may have. The students will learn through the entire experience, use helpful technology, work with each other and specialist from our city, all the while increasing their knowledge of Halifax, the place we are proud to call home!

Apprenons les sons
13-14/53/E

School: École Gertrude Parker School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Courtney Chiasson
Project Members: Penny Auld, Suzanne Deguast

The goal of our project is to motivate students in upper elementary who are still struggling to develop their French phonological awareness. These students often have difficulty reading and writing because they do not yet have a strong foundation and working knowledge of French sounds. The iPads will be used as an intervention tool for these students. They will be able to use a variety of French apps to play games, read digital/interactive stories, and even do research, all while building phonological awareness and vocabulary.

Berwick Talent Board
13-14/56/E

School: Berwick and District School
School Board: Annapolis Valley Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Gloria Armstrong

Our school project, Berwick Talent Board allows us to purchase a 60” Smart TV to be used as an electronic bulletin board in our school lobby. Our school will showcase some of its student talents and leaders in the form of live broadcast announcements, pictures, achievements and artwork. Traditional bulletin boards are limited now in the schools so we often have more artwork to display than we have areas where this is permitted. The Smart TV will allow us to display samples of student work digitally to our school community. Showcasing students in a positive light will also fulfill our PEBS (Positive Effective Behaviour Strategies) initiative.

2012-2013

Creating the Ultimate Classroom for Boys and Girls
12-13/06/E

School: Annapolis East Elementary
School Board: Annapolis Valley Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Jill MacDonald

The Ultimate Classroom will attempt to incorporate practical suggestions found in research about how boys and girls learn, and use this information to better address the needs of all children. Students will explore and learn through technology, art, science, mathematics, music and literacy, all being linked through meaningful play and oral language.

StoryWall (with math literature)
12-13/19/E

School: Meadowfields Community School
School Board: Tri County Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Elsa Maan

The Primary to Six students at Meadowfields Community School will soon experience math in a unique and shared way through Math StoryWalks. Multiple copies of math literature books are bought. Each page is separated and mounted on card stock and laminated. The book is then displayed in the school or playground (by Velcro to walls or stakes) so that students must ‘travel’ between pages to get the whole story. The ‘travel’ between pages includes instructions to solve a math problem before they get to the next or to ‘travel’ a certain way (tiptoe, zigzag, hop). A copy of the entire book will be available in the school library after that particular StoryWalk is done.

Math Journal Presentation
12-13/20/E

School: AG Baillie Memorial Elementary
School Board: Chignecto-Central Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Nicole MacInnis
Project Members: Nancy Boudreau

“Math Journal Presentation” is an exciting new way to make mathematics even more interesting using the latest available technologies. Students will be presenting their knowledge of an outcome to the class using the latest technologies from SMART. They will be incorporating the brand new SMART LightRaise 40wi interactive projector which turns any wall or whiteboard into an interactive workspace, the SMART Document Camera with Mixed Reality Tools for viewing of 3D objects and SMART Response PE interactive response system. These three innovative new technologies will be linked together with SMART Notebook 11 allowing students to create seamless, interactive and exciting presentations.

Succeeding in Reading: Using the iPad to Support Early Literacy Intervention - A Program Development Assistance Fund Project
12-13/25/E

School: Tantallon Elementary School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Melanie Connors

The main goal of this project is to motivate struggling readers in the early literacy intervention program by engaging them in learning activities using iPads. The iPads will travel with the French immersion ELT teacher to meet with groups of up to three students in various classes in grades one and two immersion. The iPads will be used during the less structured portions of the lessons such as the word study and writing components. There are many excellent French learning applications that are perfect for use during the less structured fifth session of each week when games and various other fun activities are encouraged.

Our Voices Our Stories
12-13/35/E

School: Cobequid Education Centre
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Angela Wisen
Project Members: Helen McPhee, Sherry Archibald, Jen Brayton

The goal of the storytelling project is to mesh together traditional oral story telling and modern technology. The project will begin with the oral story telling tradition as students explore stories from diverse cultures. For example, we will explore the stories of Canada’s Aboriginal population through the purchase of the Turtle Island levelled reading books. We will also incorporate the personal stories and experiences of our students as student voices become an integral part of the curriculum. We will use theiPads made available through the PDAF to explore digital story telling as the modern expression of this ancient art. A story is a powerful vehicle and it can change the classroom form having one expert opinion to many voices of experience and knowledge!

Succeeding in Reading: Using the iPad to support Early Literacy Intervention
12-13/36/E

School: Tantallon Elementary School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Melissa Walsh

With this grant, I will purchase six iPads for use in my classroom for literacy centers as well as for small group instruction. This technology use will create more successful programming for my students. The iPads will be used to support the learning of all students, especially those who are experiencing difficulty meeting the Language Arts outcomes. Students will have the opportunity to practice technological skills while practicing their reading and writing skills. I use centers to teach and reinforce reading and writing literacy lessons in my classroom. The iPads will be an ideal device to use in my lessons since they are a form of technology sure to reach my struggling readers. Using the iPads in my lessons, struggling learners will hopefully require less support from outside of the classroom, or if necessary, for shorter periods of time. I will work with our school’s resource and Early Literacy Support Teacher to choose Apps and games to help support my students receiving support. The iPads will also be used for students who may need extra challenge or enrichment. During writing, students can use the App Pages. My students will play learning games, math games and do other activities that promote literacy skills. I will use the iPads during mini lessons on a particular sound or letter. I truly appreciate the opportunity to extend my teaching and student learning. I have always enjoyed working with lower elementary students and I am very excited to be able to provide additional support through technology to improve skills in both reading and writing.

Math Balances
12-13/42/E

School: Hammonds Plains Consolodated School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Penny Auld
Project Members: Margaret Judge, Pamela Zawidzki, Leona Bekkers

We would like to purchase 40 Math Balances for use in math centers to be shared between our Grade 2 classes. These math balances were introduced to us by our Math Coaches this fall. The balances are a wonderful tool to have the children explore different ways to represent a number (10 is the same as 8 and 2). We feel that these balances would be a wonderful differentiated learning experience in math. It would also give the students a hands-on visual tool to recognize that numbers can be composed in many different ways. As a center, the math balances would be a great way to engage students in meaningful, educational exploration in a way that lessens their anxiety towards math and math vocabulary and instills a love of learning.

Theatre Du Lecteur
12-13/43/E

School: Hammonds Plains Consolodated School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Lydie Gascuel
Project Members: Becky Himmelman

This resource "THEATRE DES LECTEURS – ENSEMBLE 1 (CONTES ET LEGENDES) by CHENELIERE will be used in both a grade 4 and 5 classroom to supplement French Language Arts curriculum. The aim is to improve fluency in reading as well as introducing students to different French Literature. Students will be using this resource in small groups based on their reading level. Each character will be assigned according to the students' reading-level. Students can then be assessed on their ability to read an appropriate leveled text.

Increasing Student Collaboration & Problem Solving Skills with Robotics Education
12-13/58/E

School: Bedford South School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Shelly Tulloch
Project Members: Clare Bonin, Debbie Metherall

This project aims to create anchor technology integration classrooms using innovative classroom practice to foster collaboration amongst students and model a collaborative approach to student learning to support student success is a large and diverse classroom using LEGO NXT Mindstorm Robots to deliver the grade six curriculum at Bedford South.

This project aims to:

Encourage a constructivist approach to learning,
Develop collaboration, communication skills amongst students, and confidence in the STEM fields
Develop positive attitudes about teamwork and collaboration
Develop a best practice resource guide for the integration of robotics as a means to deliver the existing grade six curriculum in a collaborative setting.

Making Science Soar, Parrot A.R. Drone Integration in Gr. 6 Science Unit Flight
12-13/72/E

School: New Ross Consolidated School
School Board: South Shore Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Peter Millett

Humans have long entertained a fascination with flight. This fascination can be readily observed as Grade 6 students explore the concepts of flight as part of the Nova Scotia Grade 6 Science Curriculum. New Ross Consolidated Grade 6 students will now be able to participate in the unique experience of piloting their own small aircraft, and have the incredible perspective of actually being on board the craft itself. The Parrot AR Drone is a four rotor, quadcopter that is controlled from a variety of mobile devices. The Parrot drone has the capability to send real time HD images to a mobile device from two onboard cameras. Students will be able to learn about aircraft design and flight control as if they were actually onboard an aircraft. This project offers students an experiential learning opportunity for Grade 6 science curriculum with the prospect to explore the 21st Century career fields of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

We Are (A Community Exploration)
12-13/79/E

School: Gertrude Parker School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Stephanie Hawkins
Project Members: Crystal Isert

A strong sense of community within the classroom, the school and the surrounding neighbourhood is an integral part of developing positive, productive citizens. “We Are; A Community Exploration” is a year long project exploring what it means to be a part of the École Gertrude Parker School community. Students in Grades Primary and One English and Grades Five and Six French Immersion will work collaboratively to define their school community and develop an understanding of what contributes to making this community what it is. These understandings will then be expressed and shared with other members of the community through a series of stop motion animation clips the students will create using the iPads.

Developing Music Literacy
12-13/73/E

School: Holland Road Elementary School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Kerstin Boyce
Project Members: Rick Hooke, Lynne Robertson, Jacqueline Doucette

Holland Road School is a very rural school, and historically has strongly supported the arts. This project will provide much-needed technology in the music room, which will be accessible to all. Students in the school will have access to technology tools to create and record their own music, supporting the legacy of the arts at HRES. This project is innovative since, for the first time at Holland Road School, students will have the opportunity to create music with technology. We have many students who have excelled in music and now we can give them the experience of learning to compose and record their own ideas by providing them with I-pads with music recording opportunities.

''APPS''SOLUTELY Wonderful Technology for Leadership, School Accreditation and Intergenerational Activities
12-13/91/E

School: École Stella-Maris
School Board: Conseil scolaire acadien provincial
Project Coordinator: Suzanne Belliveau
Project Members: Nathalie LeBlanc, Réjeanne Gaudet

École Stella-Maris is implementing portfolios at all grade levels as the evaluation process and school communication objective with IPADS through PDAF. Another objective is improving writing skills with APPS in French. Also, teachers integrating new APPS, related to curriculum outcomes, have been identified as a priority, which supports IPADS. The school strives to work with the community and see the contribution that the IPADS can provide. Monthly classroom visits to senior homes will bring this technology to enrich the visits, share work done through IPADS, share student’s leadership qualities, as well as share their activities and good deeds through portfolios.

2011-2012

The Jumping Flea (Ukulele) in the Classroom
11-12/05/E

School: North River & Debert Elementary
School Board: Chignecto-Central Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Philip Black
Project Members: Darrell Fitzgerald, Erma Cox

The ukulele is a small, inexpensive stringed instrument, suitable for students from lower elementary on up. It is ideal tool for teaching music literacy, and a springboard for further instrument study. This project is spearheaded by a music teacher and guitar player, who had the great fortune of studying with James Hill this past summer. I am currently in year one of his three year Ukulele Teacher Certification Program. Our PDAF grant will allow both North River and Debert Elementary Schools to purchase classroom sets of Makala concert ukuleles, along with method books, music stands, and teacher resources. All students from grade 2 to grade 6 in my two schools will learn to play these instruments, using James Hill and J. Chalmers Doane's newly published series, entitled Ukulele in the Classroom, as a primary resource. We are indeed fortunate to have these two giants of ukulele in music education living just down the road! I will organize extracurricular ukulele groups for those students who wish to go to the next level, and purchase their own instruments.

WW Math! Integrating the Workshop Approach with Math Work Stations
11-12/08/E

School: Dwight Ross Elementary
School Board: Annapolis Valley Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Gillian MacIntosh

WW Math! aims to integrate the workshop approach, outlined in Investigations, with Debbie Diller’s work station approach to learning centres. Combining these two approaches will create a stronger and more effective math workshop that teaches math concepts in an optimal way while benefiting from a structure that provides time for small group instruction, differentiation, and reflection. The project will engage students in grades one and two in highly motivating tasks. Students will be active participants in their own learning, as they explore math tools, problem solve, and use reasoning skills while performing tasks at their optimal learning level.

Crééons, écrivons, lisons, présentons
11-12/15/E

School: École Jean-Marie-Gay
School Board: Conseil scolaire acadien provincial
Project Coordinator: Monette Boudreau
Project Members: Lori Ann Comeau, Maria Hanna

Étant l'enseignante de la deuxième année, j'aimerais rendre mes élèves actifs dans leurs apprentissages. Les élèves aiment lire et écrire mais parfois, c'est un défi d'ajouter un élément innovateur ainsi que motiver les élèves. Avec ce projet, les élèves auront la chance d'élargir leur connaissance au sujet des stratégies vedettes en salle de classe à l'aide des iPad. Les élèves auront la chance d'écrire de petites histoires à travers l'application «Pages». Ils auront aussi la chance de faire la lecture de livres électroniques à travers «iBooks» dans le but d'améliorer leur compréhension en lecture et leur aisance. De plus, les élèves auront l'occasion de mieux explorer leurs intérêts. Ils seront plus motivés de s'engager dans le processus d'écriture ainsi que celle d'évaluation en donnant des rétroactions car la technologie leur est familier.

ROCK STARS Program
11-12/12/E

School: Rockingstone Heights School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Eileen Lunney
Project Members: Ali Sangster, Jill Ginn, Craig Myra

The Rockingstone Spectacularly Talented and Respectful Students “ ROCK STARS “ program provides students in grades primary to six the opportunity to take part in co-operative learning activities designed to help develop social skills and demonstrate respect and kindness to others all in an environment of fun. Each day our ROCK STARS meet, select games, puzzles, or art activities, and practice friendship and caring in a fun-filled atmosphere. The program goals are to develop a positive learning environment, enhance students respect for others, and build a strong community among students, teachers, staff and families. Become a Rockingstone ROCK STAR today.

North River Elementary School Bike Club
11-12/29/E

School: North River Elementary
School Board: Chignecto-Central Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Steve Caudle
Project Members: Jimmy Morrison, Darrell Fitzgerald

North River Elementary School has taken on the task of establishing a grass-roots bike club for our students in grades three through six. At present we will use existing school ground property for teaching biking fundamentals and have biking clinics that would bring in members of the community to share their knowledge. At a later date, we will incorporate use of local trails into the program and network with other clubs (junior and senior high) within our area and have them act as mentors for the elementary-aged students. The club will introduce students to a lifetime recreational activity, provide an out-of-school recreational opportunity for students who live mainly in rural settings and give access to an activity that many students who, due to socio-economics, could not otherwise participate in.

Egg Hatching Project
11-12/23/E

School: Ian Forsyth Elementary School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinators: Laura Goodland & Diane MacDonald

According to the unit, Animal Growth and Change, students should investigate the life cycle of an organism first-hand. We chose the life cycle of a chicken. With an incubator having an automatic turner, students observe the required temperature, humidity, and turning of the eggs necessary for the chicks’ development. This is comparable to a mother hen in real life. Because of the incubator in the classroom, students observe the chick entering the world and the various changes in behaviour and appearance for approximately two weeks.

iWorkshops
11-12/32/E

School: New Minas Elementary
School Board: Annapolis Valley Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Tabatha Durling
Project Members: Marie Boudreau

Technology is an integral part of today’s society ad will continue to be so in the future. The use of iPads will help foster lifelong learning and technological competency which will support students’ confidence and future experiences with technology. The implementation of iPads in our P/1 classrooms will provide motivational experiences that will in turn enhance our workshop approach in both literacy and math. Through the use of various apps, students will be active participants in their own learning experiences, which will support all strands of the LA and Math curriculums. The iPad will also provide opportunity for differentiated instruction in small group and workshops, as well as improve students’ literacy and math skills.

Strong Girls
11-12/65/E

School: Central Spryfield School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Lisa MacDonald
Project Members: Heather Topshee, Tracey Warner

Strong Girls is a philosophical approach to having girls experience key universal values that will enhance their self-image, self-esteem, social relationships, and personal growth. Strong Girls explores: What do healthy relationships look and feel like? How does respect feel? What does beauty look and feel like? How do I have value? The girls meet every Monday during lunch hour. Each session focuses on one of the five values or ‘stars’: Peace, Respect, Wellness, Friendship, Beauty. The girls are challenged to consider the depth of their own qualities. They are learning to value themselves, to see their own thoughts, ideas, choices and opinions as meaningful.

The Development of Activity Kits to Enhance Fine Motor Skills in Elementary Students and Students with Significant Motor Disabilities
11-12/68/E

School: SSRSB Elementary Schools
School Board: South Shore Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Barbara Cochrane
Project Members: Barbara Welsford

The Development of Activity Kits to Enhance Fine Motor Skills in Elementary Students and Students with Significant Motor Disabilities Fine motor is the ability to coordinate the small muscles of the hand. Tasks requiring fine motor skills include grasping, picking up small or large items, release, imitating and copying patterns, handwriting, using scissors and many more activities performed in early elementary classrooms. All children will benefit from opportunities to enhance the development of fine motor skills. Occupational Therapists in our school board note that 90% of their referrals are for fine motor skill support. What they are seeing are children who cannot grasp a pencil and paper appropriately, manipulate and pick up small objects to complete a task, use scissors, engage in hand eye coordination activities, utilize manipulatives etc. Children who have difficulties with fine motor readiness skills have difficulties later on with pencil grasp, printing and writing, string beads, dressing oneself (use of buttons, zippers etc). Students with significant disabilities often display difficulties with fine motor skills. Fine motor skills also come into play when stacking blocks, playing with toys, developing control in their environment and also during eating and drinking. Effective fine motor skills are critical to success in school. We are seeing many students enter school and in early elementary who lack efficient fine motor skills to engage in and complete classroom tasks. This project will address those needs.

Enhancing Collaborative Learning in the 21st Century Classroom
11-12/71/E

School: Hebbville Academy
School Board: South Shore Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Amy Sullivan
Project Members: Andrea Conrad, Corrine Eisnor, Martine Wade

The grade six team at Hebbville Academy (SSRSB), will be experimenting with Apple TV and AirPlay technology. In combination with iPod Touch and/or iPad mobile devices, teachers and students will engage in classroom activities from their seats. The iPad can be projected with a couple of simple steps ... and it works wirelessly! All students and teachers in the classroom will be connected, some with their personal devices and some with the school’s devices. Students can complete activities, from their desks, projecting their responses/ comments/ input on the large TV screen at the front of the class. All activities can be initiated and controlled by the teacher with the appropriate apps. Student responses, videos, images, websites, etextbooks, novels, reading, writing, and project-based activities can be shared. Students will be more engaged as a large group, be able to effectively "privatize" their learning at the same time and engage directly with the teacher using their mobile device. Teachers are able to control the digital activities and monitor engagement, task completion and learning from anywhere in the classroom.

Video Counselling Between Two Elementary Schools
11-12/72/E

Schools: Mill Village Cons. & Dr. J.C. Wickwire Academy
School Board: South Shore Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Michael Worthylake
Project Members: Denise Burgess

This project will provide video-counselling to students in a small, rural school (Mill Village Consolidated). The grant will provide two iPads for connecting students to the school guidance person so that they can connect with Guidance through video and access app, videos and counselor-generated PowerPoints. This project will enhance, not replace, existing guidance services. In addition, the iPads will also be used to connect with outside agencies that support students, by means of providing video conferencing during team meetings.

Students in Motion
11-12/74/E

School: Rockingstone Heights
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Esther Bishop

The goal of this Students in Motion PDAF Grant is to address the motor challenges of Learning Centre students who currently lack comfort and experience with most types of sports equipment. Adapted bicycles will provide them with the experience of learning a life-long skill, increase their self-esteem and improve their motor skills. There is no similar program being offered in the school or the community for these students. Currently,there is no other occasion for them to learn and enjoy an activity that other students have access to on a regular basis. The students will be developing trust and learning co-operation amongst themselves and with the facilitators. Some will take on leadership roles and all will be instructed in appropriate social skills such as taking turns, waiting their turn, and requesting items and support, as needed. Learning patience and dealing with frustrations will also be taught and implemented. Team spirit will be encouraged and rewarded. Students in Motion meets all of the 8 strands in the The NS Public Schools Programs in the Physical Education Q-2 Section of the curriculum. They are : Personal fitness, Leadership, Personal fitness and group safety, Outdoor Pursuits, Sports Science Sport and Society, Sports Experience and Recreation and Leisure. This project will be a valuable learning experience for both students and facilitators.

Move Your Body, Fuel Your Brain
11-12/78/E

School: École Beaubassin
School Board: Conseil Scolaire Acadien Provincial
Project Coordinator: Colette Doucet

Having been closely working with children for the past ten years, I feel obligated to educate them in the field of mind-body connection. Since our physical health is so closely related to all aspects of our lives, I believe children need a daily physical activity routine. This is why I started a daily 20 minute run around the school. In order to compliment this physical activity routine which will be implemented with my students in the beginning of the 2012 school year, I will have the students wear heart rate monitors. These monitors will track each students heart rate and have them reach their target heart rate. This will inspire them to work harder and better their physical abilities which will have a ripple effect in all areas of their lives.

Magnificent Mindfulness: Calm the Mind and Body
11-12/82/E

School: Yarmouth Central Elementary School
School Board: Tri County Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Bonnie LeBlanc
Project Members: Jared Purdy, Elaina Armstrong, Marsha Posey

The Magnificent Mindfulness: Calm the Mind and Body equipment grant will allow for maximum participation and inclusion of all students. This equipment will allow all students a comfortable space to experience participation in guided mindfulness activities during Physical Education class, Resource or at recess/lunch. In today’s busy and sometimes stressful world we feel it is important to allow students to have this experience and be able to have time to calm their mind and body. It also gives them a calming tool they can continue to use for a lifetime.

Hands Reaching Across the Curriculum
11-12/85/E

School: Harry R. Hamilton School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Allyson Walker
Project Members: Julie Fifield, Gail Langille, Shelley Gudger

Our project called "Hands Reaching Across the Curriculum" has been developed to support student learning by involving students in hands-on activities through life science projects. "Hands Reaching Across the Curriculum" will use life science projects to create hands-on experiences that help students make connections across the curriculum. It will focus on developing the "eighth intelligence" which is now being described as the natural intelligence or people who are nature smart. This project was developed to enhance the learning of our students by helping them to understand that they are ALL part of a larger system, and that everything that they do has an impact on something else and that everything is connected.

Ensemble, nous apprenons
11-12/87/E

School: École Jean-Marie-Gay
School Board: Conseil scolarie acadien provincial
Project Coordinator: Monette Boudreau
Project Members: Lori Ann Comeau, Marie Hanna, Michel Gaudet

Les élèves auront la chance d'élargir leur connaissances à travers la nouvelle techonologie qui prend sa place dans nos école et notre avenir. Avec Apple TV, un projecteur, un MAC et des iPads, voici la chance pour les élèves de devenir apprenants actifs ainsi que jouer le rôle de l'enseignant. Je souhaite qu'à travers ce projet, tous les élèves seront capables de connaître du succès et d'augmenter leur estime de soi en étant engagé et motivé dans ses propres apprentissages à leur niveau. Je serai capable de toucher les intelligences multiples de mes élèves ainsi que faire l'enseignement différencié dans mon quotidien à travers divers sujets scolaires.

2010-2011

Enhanced Learning with Elmo
10-11/07/E

School: Falmouth District
School Board: Annapolis Valley Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Theresa Atwell

Using technology based tools to promote student learning is crucial if we want our children to be successful and productive members of society in the decades to come. The use of Elmo TT-02RX is a tool that encourages a new and innovative approach to teaching literacy. This project involves students in the use of the Elmo Digital Presenter to improve their understanding in literacy and technology and to enhance their speaking and listening skills. It involves students sharing and viewing various forms of text in order to discuss and critique the six traits of writing. The digital presenter will also be used to model and reinforce the reading to learn strategies. In addition to this, students will use laptops to create text to be viewed using the Elmo in order to share, reflect and revise.

Hollywood North
10-11/05/E

School: Greenfield Elementary
School Board: Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Diane Lewis
Project Members: Joyce Morrison, Lowell Cormier, Jim Beaton

Cape Breton is very luck that an internationally renowned Danish Writer/Director/Producer - Annett Wolf has retired here. She has made movies with the icons of mid 20^th Century Hollywood and she knew Elvis! These days she is dedicating her life to protecting the environment of the north. Her concern for the direction we are taking has influenced my students. We plan to study the Arctic through the eyes of the artists, environmental activists and people of the north and make art about the effects of global warming. Their work will be posted online and in a gallery at our local Credit Union. The students are very passionate about making a positive contribution to the future.

Rubbing Shoulders with our Forebears
10-11/08/E

School: Arcadia Consolidated School
School Board: Tri-County Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Jim Rideout

This project is a contribution to the 250th anniversary of settlement of Yarmouth. Town Point, where the first settlers landed, is in Arcadia Consolidated School?s catchment area, and has a cemetery dating from 1761. For Rubbing Shoulders With Our Forebears, students will do gravestone rubbings at the Cemetery. At the Yarmouth County Museum and Archives, students will research and write about the person whose gravestone they rub. Their work will be displayed at Arcadia School. Display areas will be rendered fire-safe by covering hallway bulletin boards with hinged plexiglass purchased with PDAF funds. These display areas will be reusable for future student artwork.

Magnetic Barrier Game Boards for Core French Fluency

School: Portland Estates Elementary
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Barbara MacKenzie-Murray

I want to promote better spontaneous fluency in my students to provide them with the skills and motivation to speak only in French while sitting with their peers in groups and outside the classroom. I will purchase "MagneTalk® Match-up Adventures Kit." Students communicate to each other across this magnetic whiteboard easel type barrier to give and receive information toward a common result. This kit targets many language and listening skills such as following directions, giving directions, storytelling, improving vocabulary, etc. It includes various scenes like camping, the ocean, and outer space. The kit includes a reproducible workbook with a French translation on the CD-ROM.

Communication Technology for WES

School: Weymouth Consolidated
School Board: Tri-County Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Tammy McCauley
Project Members: Jennifer Theriault, Russell Deveau, Tammy Farrell-Walker Summary:

As we look to the future, we see technology is going to continue to play an important role in our daily living.As we look at our students with challenges we see how this can become a useful tool. We have chosen to use the IPOD touch which can effectively be used as an augmentative communication device; it is compact and portable. This device will also be used by peers; so more socially acceptable,it can be used anywhere, in turn, create a more independent individual who will be able to communicate his/her needs and wants in the society. We have also chosen to introduce the program intellikeys which will allow easier access to the computer. This enables us to customize the keyboard and usage of the computer to each individual's needs.

iPOWER

School: Brookhouse Elementary
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Rebecca Dunstan
Project Members: Gina Wilson, Heather Thompson, Holly Laventure

Successful integration of students with intellectual disabilities often becomes more difficult as they move to the upper elementary grades. The iPower! plan is to purchase iPads and take advantage of the many learning applications available in language arts, math, comprehension and even life skills development. The purpose of this project is to provide some of these students with the opportunity to work on the early learning skills they need while maintaining a positive sense of self. The goals include increased enthusiasm for learning, improved academic performance, technological competence, and positive peer relationships.

Promoting P.L.A.Y. (Positive Leadership Activities for Youth)

School: Hebbville Academy
School Board: South Shore Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Teri Cochrane
Project Members: Claire Eddy, Adam Dedrick

The Positive Leadership Activities for Youth (P.L.A.Y.) program aims to achieve five major goals:

To develop and nurture the leadership, organizational and teaching skills of upper elementary students.
To develop the skills and knowledge of lower elementary students in the areas of effective communication, cooperation, positive socialization, fair play and respect for rules and safety.
To promote the benefits of physical activity.
To reduce situations of negative conflict, behaviour and bullying
To have fun playing social and active games.

P.L.A.Y. leadership training includes four one hour training sessions that combine classroom instruction and hands-on practice to develop leadership skills, to learn a variety of games and to acquire strategies to successfully teach the games to younger students. After completion of the training program, the leaders will teach active games to lower elementary students during a designated P.L.A.Y. time. The program will be implemented with both indoor and outdoor activities.

Phonological Awareness Training Program (PAT-P)

School: Harbourside Elementary
Grade: P-6
School Board: Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Kelly Roberts
Project Members: Paula MacNeil, Donna Dinault, Sheila Halloran

The Phonological Awareness Training Program will identify and support students at Harbourside Elementary who require further work in the area of phonological awareness to improve outcomes in reading. Specific phonological awareness skill development such as sound identification, rhyming, blending sounds, sound manipulation and segmenting will be delivered through general classroom teaching, resource or learning disability program support. Students will be screened using the Phonological Awareness Test upon referral from the school?s program planning team. Materials available through the PAT-P encompass a wide variety of materials and activities, from letter and sound manipulatives, games, songs, sorting work, folder tasks, software and group activities. Some materials will be available to loan for families to work on specific skills at home as well as for staff professional development.

Vermicomposting for the School Garden
10-11/52/E

School: Oxford School
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Michelle Humber
Project Members: Tye Murray

The grade two class at Oxford school is starting a vermicomposting program to promote the use of more sustainable natural fertilizers in the school food garden. Students will have a five tray Red Wiggler worm composter in the classroom to care for and observe the life cycle of the worms and to compost students' school food waste into a natural fertilizer for the school food garden. This will connect students further with the school garden and increase understanding of soil nutrients and how they impact on plant growth This project will allow students to see the interconnectedness and interdependence of living organisms within the a garden atmosphere. It will teach the importance of composting and increase understanding of what green bin waste is used for. This project will provide students with hands-on, interactive and engaging activities as an alternative to traditional seat work and research.

Hover Cam Technology Enhances Education
10-11/59/E

School: Hebbville Academy
School Board: Halifax Regional School Board
Project Coordinator: Angela Gladwin
Project Members: Scott Rawdins; 8 P-5 Classroom teachers

This project involves purchasing nine document cameras to support and complement the presentation of curriculum in the Grades Primary to Grade Five classrooms as well as in the Learning Centre. It will promote the guided gradual release of responsibility model as well as be a tool for assessment for learning. The document camera is a real time tool. Its specifications include a high-resolution HD compatible, native 3-megapixel camera accompanied by proprietary software that adds useful features. It is both Mac and PC compatible. The document camera is able to show live, large screen images. This would allow for student observation and recording of science processes, opportunities for students for shared reading and writing along with many other cross curricular activities. The cameras will be used regularly if not daily in the classrooms in most subject areas. The cameras are simply plugged into existing computers and used with existing classroom projectors and smart boards.

This project supports all of the Essential Education Graduation Learning areas. Areas it especially supports are:

Communication: The need for students to be able to use the listening, viewing, speaking, reading and writing modes of Language and Mathematical and Scientific concepts and symbols to think, learn and communicate effectively.
Problem Solving: The need for students to be able to use the strategies and processes needed to solve a wide variety of problems, including those requiring language and mathematical and scientific reasoning.
Technological Competence: The need for students to be able to use a variety of technologies, demonstrate and understanding of technological applications, and apply appropriate technologies for solving problems.

This project focuses upon all of the organizing strands for many subject areas, particularly English Language Arts and Information and Communication Technology. The General Outcomes include the expectation that

the students will be able to communicate information and ideas effectively and clearly, and to respond personally and critically
the students will be expected to select, read and view with understanding a range of literature, information, media and visual texts
the students will be expected to interpret, select, and combine information using a variety of strategies, resources and technologies
the students will be expected to create texts collaboratively and independently, using a variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes
the students will be able to identify and describe ways in which information available for use at various levels can be created, stored, used, represented, and transmitted with teacher assistance.

PDAF Successful Project Profiles

Elementary Level

School Year

2025-2026

2024-2025

2023-2024

2022-2023

2021-2022

2020-2021

2019-2020

2018-2019

2017-2018

2016-2017

2015-2016

2014-2015

2013-2014

2012-2011

2010-2011

2022-2023

Alpha Room Enhancement22-23/16/E

Bridging the Gap22-23/29/E

Tower Gardens22-23/34/E

Explain That Again22-23/36/E

L'entrainement croisé (Crossfit) à l'élémentaire22-23/38/E

Le Floorball en éducation physique22-23/39/E

Fresh Produce Hydroponics22-23/45/E

Translanguaging: Supporting EAL Students in the Classroom22-23/54/E

2021-2022

Year-Round Indoor Garden21-22/10/E

Social Emotional Learning : Curriculum Integration through Visual Arts21-22/11/E

Project Kicksled21-22/17/E

Ms. B's Kalming Kozy Korner21-22/19/E

Multi Activity Environment21-22/21/E

Art on Wheels21-22/27/E

Bois d'avenure21-22/31/E

Pronoun Power and Self-Love! 21-22/35/E

ARTSOUNDS 21-22/42/E

Bringing Math to Life with Manipulatives at School and Home21-22/49/E

Active Winter21-22/55/E

Integrating STEAM into the Classroom21-22/57/E

National Archery in Schools at EREC21-22/68/E

Bettering the Basics - Strengthening Fine Motor Skills in the Elementary Classroom21-22/74/E

The Reading Lab – The Science of Reading…In Action21-22/76/E

Rap it Up21-22/82/E

2020-2021

Stitch by Stitch20-21/12/E

Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors: A #diverseclassroombookaday Project20-21/14/E

What’s your Mindset?20-21/15/E

Play Based Classroom - Fun Learning20-21/17/E

Inspiring Literacy and Citizenship through Dramatic Play20-21/21/E

Social Emotional Learning: Curriculum Integration through Visual Arts20-21/22/E

Patinoire portatif20-21/28/E

The Dragon Digital Media Club20-21/32/E

Outdoor Education Spaces20-21/33/E

Numicon Using Visual Structured Imagery to Support Children's Math Understanding20-21/40/E

Flexible Seating20-21/46/E

Digital Feedback in Physical Education20-21/54/E

Learning, Exploring & Creating: Africian Music and Dance20-21/56/E

High Flyers Project20-21/69/E

Cultural Representation in Story Workshop20-21/75/E

Spiraled Literacy: A Close Look at Culturally Diverse Mentor Texts20-21/84/E

2019-2020

Student Engagement through Folk Guitar 19-20/02/E

Mindful Wellness Project 19-20/04/E

Wham! Bam! Pow! Superheroes, Homegrown Game Changers, and Inclusive Representation in Film Using Comic-Con as a Literacy Engagement Tool 19-20/07/E

Cooking in the Classroom 19-20/09/E

From Classroom to Community: Generating Skills for Students with Special Needs19-20/13/E

Lights Camera Action 19-20/15/E

The C.A.R.L. (Calm, Alert, Relations, and Learning) Room19-20/26/E

Launching the Rocketbooks: Writing and Drawing with Intelligent Reusable Notebooks 19-20/29/E

Walk in my Shoes19-20/30/E

Literacy and Language Acquisition19-20/39/E

Play Based Learning in Primary19-20/52/E

Cyrus Eaton Print Shop19-20/56/E

2018-2019

Creative Collaboration “Orffortunities” 18-19/08/E

The Roadie is the Rockstar 18-19/09/E

The Right to Play: Developing Relationships and Lifelong Skills in the Play-Based Classroom 18-19/17/E

The Power of Writing and Paint! 18-19/20/E

Project Skateboard 18-19/31/E

Alpha Room Enhancement
22-23/16/E

Bridging the Gap
22-23/29/E

Tower Gardens
22-23/34/E

Explain That Again
22-23/36/E

L'entrainement croisé (Crossfit) à l'élémentaire
22-23/38/E

Le Floorball en éducation physique
22-23/39/E

Fresh Produce Hydroponics
22-23/45/E

Translanguaging: Supporting EAL Students in the Classroom
22-23/54/E

Year-Round Indoor Garden
21-22/10/E

Social Emotional Learning : Curriculum Integration through Visual Arts
21-22/11/E

Project Kicksled
21-22/17/E

Ms. B's Kalming Kozy Korner
21-22/19/E

Multi Activity Environment
21-22/21/E

Art on Wheels
21-22/27/E

Bois d'avenure
21-22/31/E

Pronoun Power and Self-Love!
21-22/35/E

ARTSOUNDS
21-22/42/E

Bringing Math to Life with Manipulatives at School and Home
21-22/49/E

Active Winter
21-22/55/E

Integrating STEAM into the Classroom
21-22/57/E

National Archery in Schools at EREC
21-22/68/E

Bettering the Basics - Strengthening Fine Motor Skills in the Elementary Classroom
21-22/74/E

The Reading Lab – The Science of Reading…In Action
21-22/76/E

Rap it Up
21-22/82/E

Stitch by Stitch
20-21/12/E

Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors: A #diverseclassroombookaday Project
20-21/14/E

What’s your Mindset?
20-21/15/E

Play Based Classroom - Fun Learning
20-21/17/E

Inspiring Literacy and Citizenship through Dramatic Play
20-21/21/E

Social Emotional Learning: Curriculum Integration through Visual Arts
20-21/22/E

Patinoire portatif
20-21/28/E

The Dragon Digital Media Club
20-21/32/E

Outdoor Education Spaces
20-21/33/E

Numicon Using Visual Structured Imagery to Support Children's Math Understanding
20-21/40/E

Flexible Seating
20-21/46/E

Digital Feedback in Physical Education
20-21/54/E

Learning, Exploring & Creating: Africian Music and Dance
20-21/56/E

High Flyers Project
20-21/69/E

Cultural Representation in Story Workshop
20-21/75/E

Spiraled Literacy: A Close Look at Culturally Diverse Mentor Texts
20-21/84/E

Student Engagement through Folk Guitar
19-20/02/E

Mindful Wellness Project
19-20/04/E

Wham! Bam! Pow! Superheroes, Homegrown Game Changers, and Inclusive Representation in Film Using Comic-Con as a Literacy Engagement Tool
19-20/07/E

Cooking in the Classroom
19-20/09/E

From Classroom to Community: Generating Skills for Students with Special Needs
19-20/13/E

Lights Camera Action
19-20/15/E

The C.A.R.L. (Calm, Alert, Relations, and Learning) Room
19-20/26/E

Launching the Rocketbooks: Writing and Drawing with Intelligent Reusable Notebooks
19-20/29/E

Walk in my Shoes
19-20/30/E

Literacy and Language Acquisition
19-20/39/E

Play Based Learning in Primary
19-20/52/E

Cyrus Eaton Print Shop
19-20/56/E

Creative Collaboration “Orffortunities”
18-19/08/E

The Roadie is the Rockstar
18-19/09/E

The Right to Play: Developing Relationships and Lifelong Skills in the Play-Based Classroom
18-19/17/E

The Power of Writing and Paint!
18-19/20/E

Project Skateboard
18-19/31/E

Let’s Have Some Bright Ideas
18-19/40/E

Photo Carving and Lithophanes on Wood and Plastic using a CNC Machine
18-19/41/E

Sensory Learning Path
18-19/43/E

Growing Social-Emotional Self-Regulated Learners
18-19/48/E

We Are Transformers!
18-19/50/E

The LINK Learning, Independence, Nurturing and Kindness
18-19/56/E

Outdoor Musical Playground
18-19/59/E

Project Write
18-19/60/E

From Virtual Reality to Climate Reality
18-19/61/E

Les Lunettes de réalité virtuelle Google Expedition
18-19/63/E

Growth Mindset: Math Games, Math Workshop and Guided Math
18-19/70/E

Daily Digital Literacy and Leadership Through Video Announcements
18-19/72/E

The Truly Flexible Classroom
18-19/74/E

OSMO: Hands on Learning with a Digital Twist
18-19/77/E

“iGen” Connects – A 21 ^st Century Strategy to Bridge Generations Through Interactive, Academic and Collaborative Community Contributions
17-18/01/E

50 Things
17-18/03/E

Flexible Seating en 6 anée
17-18/06/E

Integrated Activity Learning
17-18/14/E

Mindfulness Room
17-18/21/E

Mindfulness, Motivating & Mental Math with Meditation & Movement
17-18/24/E

Mindfulness Room
17-18/32/E

Play to Learn/Makerspace Project Description
17-18/35/E

Movement for Learning Project
17-18/36/E