Task
A GRANT SUBMITTED TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Goal
To develop educational videos about tsunamis that will aid in teaching waves and earth science topics at the secondary school level
Background
It is widely acknowledged that students learn through a variety of different methods, so classroom lessons should be diversified. One useful introductory tool for a traditional secondary school teacher is the use of carefully designed short video clips to spark student interest. This project will create those video clips, thus providing teachers with valuable teaching resources.
The national science content Standards B includes the interaction between matter and energy, one main example of which is wave motion. The national science content Standards D includes changes in the Earth due to the movement of tectonic plates. Therefore, tsunamis, which are always caused by changes in the Earth and are good examples of traveling waves with very long wavelengths, have already been determined to be applicable material for secondary students to learn about.
Project Design
A team of experts in different areas, specifically an engineer, a physicist, a reporter, and a historian, will be assembled from different organizations. They will complete individual research in their area of expertise and will collaborate with the group in a workshop-like setting. The team will write a script and then film the video they put together.
Estimated Time Frame
The total time to develop the education videos will be one-week of intense work on behalf of the team of experts. An additional two months will be taken after the grant proposal is approved to assemble the team and the needed supplies.
| Activity | Time (Days) |
| Planning | 1/2 |
| Background Research | 1/2 |
| Project-Specific Research | 2 |
| Script Writing | 1 |
| Filming | 1 |
| Presentation | 1 |
Project Evaluation
The projects will be screened by a government appointee (the teacher) and will then be peer reviewed as scientific research is peer-reviewed before it is considered valid. It is acknowledged that collaboration and cooperation are the most important aspects of any scientific endeavor. The videos will be posted on YouTube and members of the scientific community (our class) will be able to privately view them and comment upon them.
Proposed Budget
| Total | Total Requested | Total Match | |
| Total this grant | $9100 | $9700 | $6400 |
| Salaries and wages | $2000 | $1000 | $1000 |
| Consultants (Audio Visual) | $2000 | $2000 | $0 |
| Equipment | $4600 | $800 | $3800 |
| Supplies | $500 | $400 | $100 |
| Travel | $4000 | $3000 | $1000 |
| Lodging | $3000 | $2500 | $500 |
The costs are divided into two categories, the total requested from the federal government in this grant and the total that is being matched from other, non-governmental sources.