ChompSaw As changes are coming to how science is taught throughout Pennsylvania with the integration of new learning standards, hands-on opportunities will be at the forefront of instructional strategies. Planning, building, creating, and collaborating through hands-on opportunities will be key to the learning process. One common way to get students building is the utilization of…
KidWind Challenge Through experiences at the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit’s STEELS Expo, a host of different science opportunities were presented to teachers to implement in their classrooms. One such opportunity offers national and state-level competitions for students focused on designing effective wind turbines. This challenge asks students to engineer turbine blades to generate electricity and…
Math Game Bundle How can teachers build math facts in a fun and supportive environment? Katie Conaron, Gifted Support Teacher at Schwenksville Elementary School, plans to use “family night” style games to help students build their math skills engagingly and positively. Learning math facts through these games allows her students to not feel isolated or…
Chladni Plate Have you ever wondered what sound looks like? It may seem paradoxical at first—after all, sound is something we hear, not see. Thanks to a fascinating scientific instrument called Chladni plates, we can now visualize sound in a way that transcends our auditory senses, opening doors to a new realm of understanding. This…
Mini-Hydroponic Growing Systems: Native Plant Species The Foundation granted Mr. Tomlinson and Mrs. Voicheck at Evergreen Elementary a Mini-Hydroponic Growing System so that they could grow native plant species in their classrooms. Mr. Tomlinson and Mrs. Voicheck wanted to implement a hydroponics-based educational initiative aimed at cultivating native plants, with a particular focus on species…
Bird Walk Embarking on a journey of discovery, Perkiomen Valley School District Foundation helped Life Science Teacher Danielle Emers expand the transformation of Middle School West’s Courtyard by funding her grant, Bird Walk. Mrs. Emer’s seventh-grade students investigated the intricacies of flight and vision and created an environment where birds could flourish. Previously, in the courtyard,…
Tinker Tank The district has been working to reimagine the library spaces across the district. Melissa Overholser, Librarian at Schwenksville Elementary, envisioned this through a Tinker Tank, commonly known as a maker space. Her goal is for the library space to be seen as a safe place for students to explore and be creative without…
Viking Genius Bar In the spring of the 2020 – 2021 school year, Perkiomen Valley School District Foundation granted Dan Pennebacker and Karthik Ganesh’s proposal for a Viking Genius Bar to start in the 2021-2022 school year. The Viking Genius Bar provides a student-powered helpdesk where students can gain real-world opportunities while supporting Perkiomen Valley…
Trout in the Classroom Evergreen Elementary teachers Kevin Tomlinson and Kelly Voicheck wanted to engage their students innovatively through Trout in the Classroom. Both teachers wanted to provide their students with hands-on, exciting experiences to foster awareness of coldwater conservation and encourage participation in cold water resource projects and recreation programs. Tomlinson and Voicheck presented…
Limelight Images courtesy of Perkiomen Valley Robotics Team RetroRobotics Frc7414 Facebook Page In February 2022, Perkiomen Valley School District Foundation awarded the Robotics Club at Perkiomen Valley High School with a limelight that they could implement into their robot for competition. In the 2022 season, the Robotics Club needed to build a robot that could…