Running Head: Grant Proposal

Secondary Education 464

Mr. Smudde
Purpose: Students will understand how geometry is used in the real world by examining
architecture
Ronald Nunez
Grant Proposal for Geometry Class Project Based Learning Activity

Grant Proposal
Abstract

In this grant proposal I am requesting $3822.45 for materials to conduct a project based learning
lesson at Liberty Arts Academy in Mesa, AZ. This project will help students connect what they
learn in geometry class to the real world. Students will examine the geometric shapes used in real
life structures, analyze how geometry can be used to improve structures, synthesize these ideas
by creating model bridges and combine everything they learned by researching a failing structure
and creating their own grant proposal to repair it. Students will be given four formative
assessments and one summative assessment to monitor their progress throughout the project. All
materials needed and itemized and descriptions of each are provided.

Grant Proposal
School Environment Narrative:
Liberty Arts Academy
3015 S Power Road
Mesa, AZ 85212
Description of the classroom, school, district, and community:

Classroom

Liberty Arts Academy is a K 8th grade school. There are approximately 25 30 students per
classroom. The classrooms all have a smart board, white boards and markers, general supplies
(such as pencils, markers, compass, rulers, protractors), a desk top computer (for the teachers
use), and a hearing aid device.

School

There are 300 students attending Liberty Arts Academy. Ethnicity is broken down as follows;
8% Asian/Pacific Islander, 8% Asian, 56% White, non-Hispanic, 3% Multiracial, 21% Hispanic,
2% Native American or Native Alaskan, 11% Black, non-Hispanic, 0% Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander. 156 students are paying reduced lunch prices. The school has 20
Chromebook laptops for student use.

District
*Liberty Arts Academy is a charter school and is part of the Leona Group. The following
information is about the Leona Group *

Grant Proposal

The Leona Group has 26 schools in Arizona, 17 High Schools, 2 Middle Schools, 7 Elementary
School (3 of which are K-8). The Leona Group has 4 schools in Mesa (Including Liberty Arts
Academy)

Community

The population of Mesa is 35,178 as of 2014 and is projected to be 37,583 in 2019. 16,804 are
male and 18,374 are female. 15% are age 5-17. The population is made up of 82.4% White,
2.5% Black, 1.4% American Indian, 1.7% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 8.6% Other, 3.3% two
or more races, and 20.5% Hispanic. The per capita income is $21,665 and the median household
income is $41,404
Evaluation of the schools current support (technology, resources, etc.):
Liberty Arts Academy currently has smartboards in every classroom, computers for teachers use,
20 Chromebook laptops for student use and general supplies.
Analysis of the need for new resources to better the classroom environment and support student
learning:
Although there are laptops available for students to use, there is a limited number of them
available. This means that only one class can utilize the laptops at a time and students often have
to share or wait their turn to use them. The laptops open up opportunities for the students to do
research and participate in educational activities. Teachers have to take turns utilizing the
laptops so they are limited in how much they can take advantage of the benefits they provide.
Introduction of the possible requests (technology, resources, etc.) and the connection to the
students learning

Grant Proposal

Having additional laptops would increase the amount students can utilize technology in the
classroom. The students enjoy using the technologies provided and are eager to get their work
done with the additional dimension technology provides. With more laptops at the school, more
than one class at a time can be engaged in their lessons by using them and having enough for
each student to use their own will utilize the class time more effectively.
Introduction:
So often in math class students wonder when they are ever going to used what they are learning
in real life. This project will extend the idea of geometry into the real world by having students
research geometry in real life structures and then examine how and why those shapes are used.
They will synthesize these ideas in the creation of model bridges and then extend their
knowledge into finance and budgeting by having then create a grant proposal to repair a failing
structure. They will see the value of geometry in architecture. Throughout this project students
will utilize their skills in research, geometry, finance, writing, critical thinking and planning.

Applicant Bio:
I received my Bachelors Degree from Arizona State University in Secondary Education and
have been teaching at Liberty Arts Academy for five years. Before that I worked as a math tutor
for about eight years and it has been the most rewarding job I have ever had! I enjoy bringing
that passion to my classroom.

Grant Proposal

Project Narrative:
Need for the Project
This project is needed so that the students will see that geometry exists in the real world. It is not
just something on paper without context. Students will examine structures around the world and
in our community and look at what values those structures have in their community. We will
also look at what qualities make the structure successful and what we can improve on them. The
students will then synthesize the good qualities in structures they make themselves. Students
will examine how to improve structures and the costs involved in doing so.
Project Impact
Through this project students will practice researching, connecting math to the real world,
problem solving, examining how and why shapes are put together in real life structures and how
improvements are made in the real world. They will see the value of geometry in architecture.
Learning Goals and Outcomes
Students will recognize geometric shapes in real life structures and examine why those shapes
were used, examine failed structures and evaluate ways to improve on the structure, create their
own structure using previous skills, research a failing or run down structure and propose a way to
strengthen it including the cost of repairs and students will create a grant proposal for the repairs
of their structure. This will combine all they have learned about structures and cost of repairs.
Essential Questions
Which shapes are used for aesthetic reasons and which are used for support?
How can structures be improved upon?

Grant Proposal

What are the financial impacts of improvement in the real world?

Standards Covered
Common Core
HS.G-MG.A.1. Use geometric shapes, their measures, and their properties to describe objects
(e.g., modeling a tree trunk or a human torso as a cylinder).
HS.G-MG.A.3. Apply geometric methods to solve design problems (e.g., designing an object or
structure to satisfy physical constraints or minimize cost; working with typographic grid systems
based on ratios).
HS.S-IC.B.6. Evaluate reports based on data.
HS.MP.1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
HS.MP.2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
HS.MP.3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
HS.MP.4. Model with mathematics.
HS.MP.5. Use appropriate tools strategically.
HS.MP.6. Attend to precision.
ISTE
1.

Creativity and innovation

Grant Proposal
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative
products and processes using technology.
a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes
b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression
c. Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues
d. Identify trends and forecast possibilities
2.

Communication and collaboration

Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively,
including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of
others.
d. Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems

3.

Research and information fluency

Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry
b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a
variety of sources and media
c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness
to specific tasks
d. Process data and report results

4.

Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making

Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve
problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.
a. Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation

Grant Proposal

b. Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project

c. Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions
Activities
1. Students will each research a different structure from around the world such as bridges or
buildings (The Louvre in Paris, France for example) and answer the following questions
in a report.
a. What geometric shapes are used in the structure? (Triangles, pyramid, diamonds)
b. What is the purpose of the shapes? (The pyramid makes a unique visual and the
diamond shapes that make up to triangles help support the structure)
c. What value does the structure have in the community? (Preserves culture and
brings income through tourism)
They will research any structure they are interested in but also look at it in terms of the
geometry used.
2. Students will watch videos of structures that have collapsed or have needed to be
supported. As a class we will discuss what factors in the structures led to their failure,
how they could have been built better in the first place and what can be done now to
improve the structure.
3. Students will make their own structures out of Popsicle sticks and explain what geometric
shapes they used and why they choose those shapes. The students will create their own
structures using their knowledge of geometry and how it is used in architecture.

Grant Proposal

10

4. Students will research old or run down structures and determine what materials would be
needed to strengthen the structure and what the repairs would cost. They will not only
examine the geometry involved but also the financial effect in the real world.
5. Students will put together everything they have learned but creating a grant proposal to
repair their researched structure. This will include the need for repairs, the plan to repair
and the cost of the repairs. It will require students to be able to recognize the weak points
in a structure, the value of geometric shapes as support to the structure and to be able to
analyze the costs.
Assessments
The following formative assessments will be given. Students will research a structure and
summarize their finding including two geometric shapes used for support and two geometric
shapes used for aesthetics. After watching a video of a bridge collapse, the students will list two
things about the structure that led to the collapse and two ways the bridge could have been made
stronger. After building their Popsicle bridges the students will describe at least two different
geometric shapes they used for support and two they used for aesthetics. After their research of
an old structure students will list three ways they will improve the structure and create an
itemized list for the costs of both materials used and labor needed.
The summative assessment will be a grant proposal to improve their chosen structure, the need
for improvement, materials needed and the cost of improvement including materials and labor.
The grant proposal will be graded based on a rubric.

Grant Proposal

11

Technology Support
The I.T. department at Liberty Arts Academy offers support in the use of the Chromebooks.
They will ensure all software runs properly and each Chromebook can connect to the internet.
Sustaining the Project After the Proposal Period
This project will be continued each year. Future costs will be minimal as they would only
include the materials to build the Popsicle bridges. The technology used in this project can be
extended to any other subject area.
Innovation
This project extends the ideas of geometry out into the real world. Students will not only see
geometry in the real world but use it to create models of real structures. This project will
strengthen students understanding of math as it pertains to finance and funding, their ability to
research topics and their ability to communicate ideas such as the need for improvement and the
costs involved.
Budget Table and Narrative
The total cost for items is $3822.45. All prices were collected from Amazom.com.
Item descriptions from Amazon:
Samsung Chromebook 3 XE500C13-K01US 2 GB RAM 11.6" Laptop
Sector 5 40 Unit Charging Cart for Sector 5 Chromebooks (only) - Black
Loew Cornell 1021254 Woodsies Craft Sticks, 1000-Piece
Elmer's Craft Bond Wood Craft Glue, 4-Ounce, White

12

Grant Proposal

Item Description
Chromebook
1 year protection plan
Charging Cart
Popcicle sticks (Box of 1000)
Wood Glue

Unit price
$199.00

Tax

Cost + Tax
$16.02

Number of
Items

Total Cost

$215.02

10

$2,150.20

$46.76

10

$467.60

$1,070.95

$1,070.95

$14.10

$14.10

$70.50

$6.32

$6.32

10

$63.20

$46.76
$999.99

$70.96

Total

$3,822.45

Chromebooks will enable students to preform research throughout the lesson. Students will
research structures to analyze shapes, examine causes of failures and analyze the costs of
building and repairing structures. The Charging cart is to store and secure the Chromebooks
while keeping them charged. The Popsicle sticks and wood glue will be used by students to
create their own bridges using the concepts they have learned in the lesson.

13

Grant Proposal

Works Cited
City of Mesa. (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2016, from http://www.mesaaz.gov/
Liberty Arts Academy. (n.d.). Retrieved February 05, 2016, from
http://www.libertyartsacademy.com/
The Official Website of the Arizona Department of Education. (n.d.). Retrieved March 23, 2016,
from http://www.azed.gov

14

Grant Proposal
Appendix A
Inquiry Based Lesson Plan
Teachers: Ron Nunez

Subject: Geometry

Standard:

HS.G-MG.A.1. Use geometric shapes, their measures, and their properties to describe objects (e.g., modeling a tree
trunk or a human torso as a cylinder).
HS.G-MG.A.3. Apply geometric methods to solve design problems (e.g., designing an object or structure to satisfy
physical constraints or minimize cost; working with typographic grid systems based on ratios).

ISTE Standards:
Creativity and innovation - Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and
processes using technology.
a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes
b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression
c. Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues
d. Identify trends and forecast possibilities
Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making - Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research,
manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.
a. Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation
b. Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project
c. Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions
Objective (Explicit):

Students will demonstrate identification of the use geometric shapes by building a bridge and synthesizing the qualities
of bridges they have observed.
Evidence of Mastery (Measurable): Students will examine the structure of a bridge and list three shapes in the bridge that help
support it and two examples of shapes that can be added to strengthen the bridge including which part of the bridge these will be
added to.
Sub-objectives, SWBAT (Sequenced from basic to complex):

Build successful bridges in the cargo bridge flash game.

Recognize how geometry helps make the bridge successful
Recreate the successful geometry in a bridge made of Popsicle sticks
Key vocabulary: structure, weight distribution, aesthetics, support
Materials/Technology Resources to be used:
Popsicle sticks, glue, worksheets, Chromebooks
Engage (Make content and learning relevant to real life and connect to student interest)

Explore

Show video of a bridge collapsing, discuss what elements of support the bridge has and what it lacks that led to the collapse based
on previous discussions of weight distribution.
Teacher Will: Pass out Chromebooks, lead students in
cargo bridge flash game activity

Student Will: In the flash game students will create

bridges given limited resources. Students will be able to
see how different designs/shapes in their bridges will
affect its strength.

15

Grant Proposal

Elaborate

Explain

Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation: Allow students to work in groups. Give list of steps to students that struggle
with the game. Have students sketch out their bridge before entering it into the computer.
Teacher Will: Lead group discussions about what
worked best and what did not work in their bridges.
Outline each students role in the group.

Student Will: Discuss in small groups what worked and

did not work in their bridges. Each group will share their
findings with the class.

Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation: Use graphic organizer of key questions of the topic.

Teacher Will: Hand out materials to make bridges. Each

student will receive 100 Popsicle sticks to simulate
having a budget.

Student Will: Create a bridge using the Popsicle sticks

and explain what shapes they used and why they selected
them.

Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation: Teacher will have models to demonstrate the ways in which each shape if
effective.

Evaluate: As each students present their bridge, the others will list at least one thing they thought worked well and at least one
thing that could be improved about the bridge. Then we will examine whether or not each bridge is structurally sound by placing
them between two desks and placing text books on top of the bridge until they collapse.

16

Grant Proposal
Appendix B
PBL Assignment: Grant Proposal for Structure Repair
Rubric
CATEGORY

Mathematical
Concepts
(Geometry
Used)

Explanation
shows complete
understanding of
the use of
geometric shapes
to provide
support.

Explanation
shows substantial
understanding of
the use of
geometric shapes
to provide
support.

Explanation
shows some
understanding of
the use of
geometric shapes
to provide
support.

Explanation
shows very
limited
understanding of
the use of
geometric shapes
to provide
support OR is not
written.

Need for
Need for Need for
Improvement improvement is improvement is
detailed and clear. clear.

Need for
improvement is a
little difficult to
understand, but
includes critical
components.

Need for
improvement is
difficult to
understand and is
missing several
components OR
was not included.

All costs are

Cost of
Improvement included
(materials and
labor). Costs are
accurate /
reasonable.

Most costs are

included
(materials and
labor). Costs are
inaccurate or
unreasonable.

Major
components are
not included in
cost list. Costs
included are
significantly over
or under
reasonable cost.

Most costs are

included
(materials and
labor). Costs are
accurate /
reasonable.