GRANTS PROGRAM REVIEW

Teresa Koontz

TCGC Grant Chairperson

tkoontz@cusd.net

805-684-7657

In order to supplement the learning opportunities of gifted students,

the Tri-County GATE Council wishes to assist local students to augment and enrich their education by awarding

grants.

Grants may include, but are not limited to:

**An original project that promotes GATE student academic, creative and/or leadership potential.

**A research or community project involving GATE students.

**An opportunity to participate in an activity/class that is of particular interest to the students or enriches the core curriculum.

STUDENT GRANTS (up to 3 awards @ $100) PARENT GRANTS (up to 2 awards @ $200) TEACHER GRANTS (up to 3 awards @ $300)

GRANT DEADLINE IS: Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Rate each component of the application from 1-5 for a total of 25 points.

You may award up to 5 “Passion Points” for any application that has something extra special.

AREAS of EVALUATION Goal Description Method of Evaluation Dissemination Budget “Passion Points

Devyn Gortner (2007-2008) Grade 8 Medea Creek Middle School, Oak Park Unified School District To raise money for girls to attend school in remote

regions of countries in Central Asia, primarily Pakistan and Afghanistan. The money will go to the Central Asia Institute (CAI), headed by Greg Mortensen.

To raise awareness for the CAI and the benefits to these villages of providing an education for their girls. I have been studying what happens to a village when girls are educated and I’ve learned that positive changes occur. Domestic violence decreases, productivity increases, poverty decreases and birth rates decline when girls are educated at least through the 8th grade (which is the grade I am in now).

•The project will empower me and the other students involved to make a difference.

•We want to educate our school and our community about global issues, especially because we live in such a wealthy area where kids take things for granted.

Harsha Malavalli (2009-2010)Grade 9 Oak Park High School, Oak Park SDOrganize team to design and build a rocket

which can reach an altitude of 825 feet. Compete in the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARP).

“To tell you the truth, we accomplished learning about our subject more than anything. Our goal was to get into the finals of the TARC Rocket Competition which we were participating in. The goal of the competition was to fly a rocket with an egg loaded in it, and make it fly to a certain height, make the egg capsule separate from the rocket, and come down using a streamer instead of a parachute in an allotted time. We had two chances for entering the finals of this competition. We were misled by faulty equipment on our first qualifying launch, due to a miscalculation, we failed the second one as well. Ultimately, we did not finish our project goal. In the process, though, our entire group learned more about building rockets. There are many aspects to building rockets, especially geometry. Each of us learned how to induce drag with the nose cone descent, decrease drag with the design of the fins, and about stability of the rocket, as in what makes a rocket stable or unstable. Previously, we had used pre-made kits to make rockets, but the knowledge we acquired has allowed us to start building a rocket from scratch.”

“We might have failed in our goal, but we accomplished much, much, more!” Harsha Malavalli

George McGuigan (2008-2009) Grade 5 Wildwood Elementary School,

Conejo Valley School DistrictTo conduct research and prepare a

presentation about tardigrades (microscopic organisms, aka “waterbears” that can survive extreme environmental conditions.

TardigradesTardigradesTri County GATE Report

ByGeorge G. McGuigan

Tri County GATE Report

ByGeorge G. McGuigan

IntroductionIntroduction

What from your backyard can survive in space?

Tardigrades, otherwise know as Water-bears, have been living in your backyard since the Dinosaurs roamed the planet and can survive extreme conditions including space!

What from your backyard can survive in space?

Tardigrades, otherwise know as Water-bears, have been living in your backyard since the Dinosaurs roamed the planet and can survive extreme conditions including space!

ContentsContents

What are Tardigrades? How to find them What makes them special? What can we learn from them?

What are Tardigrades? How to find them What makes them special? What can we learn from them?

A Tardigrade, cute huh!A Tardigrade, cute huh!

1mm

What are Tardigrades?What are Tardigrades?

Tardigrades are microscopic organisms that can withstand hostile conditions. Tardigrades in their tun (crypto biotic) state can survive extreme pressure, temperature, radiation, and desiccation, including the vacuum of space and or the pressure of 6,000 atmospheres. This would be six times greater than the pressure at the bottom of Marianas Trench, the lowest point in the sea.

The word “Tardigrade” means slow walker (not a tardy 5th grader!)

Tardigrades are microscopic organisms that can withstand hostile conditions. Tardigrades in their tun (crypto biotic) state can survive extreme pressure, temperature, radiation, and desiccation, including the vacuum of space and or the pressure of 6,000 atmospheres. This would be six times greater than the pressure at the bottom of Marianas Trench, the lowest point in the sea.

The word “Tardigrade” means slow walker (not a tardy 5th grader!)

In the Tun State….In the Tun State….

Many ColorsMany Colors

Tardigrades come in many colors: transparent, white, red, orange, yellow, green, purple, and black. You can collect them all!

Tardigrades come in many colors: transparent, white, red, orange, yellow, green, purple, and black. You can collect them all!

Where do they live?Where do they live?

Tardigrades can be found almost any anywhere from Antarctica to the equator, but are most commonly found in mosses and lichens.

Tardigrades can be found almost any anywhere from Antarctica to the equator, but are most commonly found in mosses and lichens.

How to Find a TardigradeHow to Find a Tardigrade 1.Collect a clump of moss or lichen (dry or wet) and

place in a shallow dish, such as a Petri dish. 2.Soak in water (preferably rainwater or distilled

water) for 3-24 hours. 3.Remove and discard excess water from the dish. 4.Shake or squeeze the moss/lichen clumps over

another transparent dish to collect trapped water. 5.Starting on a low objective lens, examine the water

using a stereo microscope. 6.Use a micropipette to transfer tardigrades to a

slide, which can be observed with a higher power under a compound microscope.

1.Collect a clump of moss or lichen (dry or wet) and place in a shallow dish, such as a Petri dish.

2.Soak in water (preferably rainwater or distilled water) for 3-24 hours.

3.Remove and discard excess water from the dish. 4.Shake or squeeze the moss/lichen clumps over

another transparent dish to collect trapped water. 5.Starting on a low objective lens, examine the water

using a stereo microscope. 6.Use a micropipette to transfer tardigrades to a

slide, which can be observed with a higher power under a compound microscope.

My Attempts!My Attempts!

My ResearchMy Research

No Tardigrades Found! Will try again in the summer…….

No Tardigrades Found! Will try again in the summer…….

What makes them special?What makes them special?

When they enter a “Tun” (hybernation) they are virtually indestructible:

They can survive temperature extremes from below freezing -272C to temperatures of 120C.

They can survive extreme pressures. They can tolerate severe radiation - X-

rays. They have traveled to space and will

visit Mars before we do!

When they enter a “Tun” (hybernation) they are virtually indestructible:

They can survive temperature extremes from below freezing -272C to temperatures of 120C.

They can survive extreme pressures. They can tolerate severe radiation - X-

rays. They have traveled to space and will

visit Mars before we do!

Tardigrades in SpaceTardigrades in Space TARDIS - Tardis is the first research project to test the ability of

tardigrades to withstand open space conditions. There were two reasons scientists decided to send them up:

1. Could the animals cope with the hugely dry environment that space provides?

2.Could the animals survive harmful solar and galactic radiation? The Tardigrades were launched into space late last year but reached

their fame recently after they were proven to have substantial survival rates. They have been listed No.1 on “Top ten things launched into space in 2008” !

In October 2009 Tardigrades are destined to take off for one of the moons of Mars - Phobos. The aim is to see whether they can survive the 3yr space flight and populate Mars! They could be the first Martians…..

TARDIS - Tardis is the first research project to test the ability of tardigrades to withstand open space conditions. There were two reasons scientists decided to send them up:

1. Could the animals cope with the hugely dry environment that space provides?

2.Could the animals survive harmful solar and galactic radiation? The Tardigrades were launched into space late last year but reached

their fame recently after they were proven to have substantial survival rates. They have been listed No.1 on “Top ten things launched into space in 2008” !

In October 2009 Tardigrades are destined to take off for one of the moons of Mars - Phobos. The aim is to see whether they can survive the 3yr space flight and populate Mars! They could be the first Martians…..

Tardigrades in SpaceTardigrades in Space

Not actual size (yet) !Not actual size (yet) !

Interview with a Tardiologist

Interview with a Tardiologist

As part of my research I contacted a “tardiologist”, Dr Robert Goldstein of the University of North Carolina. He explained to me how to find a tardigrade and what we can learn from them. I was amazed at his quick reply and was pleased to hear that at least one tardiolagist replied my emails.

“Evolution is the topic that unites all of biology. In my mind, development is the part of evolution that we’ve been missing for a long time,” Goldstein quoted during an interview on Science Friday.

The following video was recorded for NPR Science Friday and includes an interview with Dr Goldstein.

As part of my research I contacted a “tardiologist”, Dr Robert Goldstein of the University of North Carolina. He explained to me how to find a tardigrade and what we can learn from them. I was amazed at his quick reply and was pleased to hear that at least one tardiolagist replied my emails.

“Evolution is the topic that unites all of biology. In my mind, development is the part of evolution that we’ve been missing for a long time,” Goldstein quoted during an interview on Science Friday.

The following video was recorded for NPR Science Friday and includes an interview with Dr Goldstein.

Bibliography and References

Bibliography and References

Websites http://tardigradesinspace.blogspot.com/ http://tardigrades.bio.unc.edu.com/ http://www.tardigrada.net.com http://www.astrobio.net/news/article261.html

.com

I would also like to thank Dr.Goldstein for his emails on this subject. Another person I would like to thank is my dad for introducing me to tardigrades!

Websites http://tardigradesinspace.blogspot.com/ http://tardigrades.bio.unc.edu.com/ http://www.tardigrada.net.com http://www.astrobio.net/news/article261.html

.com

I would also like to thank Dr.Goldstein for his emails on this subject. Another person I would like to thank is my dad for introducing me to tardigrades!

Project Budget ReportProject Budget ReportItem Estimate

d Expense

Actual Expense

Stationery $5.00 $10.00

Papers/Books $20.00 $0.00

Travel Cost $20.00 $10.00

Museum Admission $15.00 $0.00

Digging Tools $20.00 $0.00

Containers $20.00 $0.00

Angie Renken (2009-2010)Grade 5 Rancho Rosal Elementary School, Pleasant ValleyTo purchase materials to teach principals of

flight. Students will research history of aviation, learn how planes fly, design and test gliders, then design and build planes.

 

Virginia Martinson (2008-2009)Grade 4 San Antonio Elementary

School, Ojai USDTo introduce students to photography as a

documentary and artistic medium and to help students explore its many possibilities.

“This grant launched the creation of a digital imaging workshop for GATE students, providing them with an opportunity for intellectual challenge and artistic expression. Several students came into the program with prior knowledge of editing photographs and they did an outstanding job of offering their expertise. As a result, the original goals were achieved in early sessions and the group quickly moved on to learn more elaborate techniques and discussed the importance of ethics in image manipulation. Students especially enjoyed drawing and painting original digital images.”

Megan Suddeth –RodriguezGrades 3-5 EP Foster Elementary School, Ventura USDStudents will use art and technology to

create a video depicting how daily life changes depending on where people live. The video, “Around the World in 25 Minutes,” will encourage multiculturalism.

Marsha Johnson Grade 6 Kellogg School, Goleta USD Students will conduct research and

compare the contributions of ancient civilizations with examples in their community. Students will use photo journalism to create posters and a short newspaper article documenting their results.

November 10, 2010

Mail applications to:

Teresa Koontz, GATE CUSD

1400 Linden AvenueCarpinteria, CA 93013

Or e-mail to tkoontz@cusd.net