RUS
Grant Program Participation Requirements and Possibilities
Five Student Programs
Per Year Minimum
Once the distance learning equipment has been installed
in project buildings/classrooms, each building must
participate in at least 5 student programs per year.
The following list is a small example of the programs
available.
ASK
Programs
ASK, Authors Specialist and Knowledge, provides students
with the opportunity to interview an author or a subject
specialist in the topic they are reading about in a
novel. The program uses excellent children's literature,
journal writing and interviewing to promote reading
for understanding. ASK programs offered by the Berrien RESA
are free to local districts. Here is a sample.
• 2-3, Clever Beatrice, Interview author Margaret
Willey.
• 2-3, Stellaluna, Interview bat experts from
Cranbrook Institute of Science.
• 3, The Hard Times Jar, Interview author Ethel
Footman Smothers.
• 4, Traders in Time, Train to Midnight, etc.
Interview author Janie Panagopolous.
• 3-8, Harvesting Hope, Interview former migrant
workers.
• 4-7, Night of the Twisters, Interview NOAA meteorologist.
• 6-8, Monkey Island, Interview local homeless
experts.
• 6-8, Cracker Jackson, Interview local safe shelter
director.
• 6-8, Daniel’s Story, Interview holocaust
expert or holocaust survivor.
Projects
Projects are videoconferences between students. These
are some official coordinated projects. However teachers
can generate their own project ideas as well.
• K-8 Read
Across America, late Feb / early March (classes celebrate
reading together)
• 3, RegionQuest, Spring (classes present and
guess regions & cities)
• 3, Where in
Michigan and Michigan Week Exchange, May (present
local community)
• 4, MysteryQuest
USA (classes present and guess states and cities)
• 6-7, MysteryQuest
World Geography (classes present and guess countries
& cities)
Field
Trips
Over 200 content providers such as zoos, museums, and
other organizations offer over 1500 programs. 230 of
them are totally free. Berrien RESA has correlated the programs
to the Michigan Curriculum Standards. Berrien RESA offers
VC mini-grants on a first-come, first-serve basis. District
pays 50% and RESA pays the rest of the cost. For
program listings, see the flyers for searching the program
database and the short list of programs. See also the
Berrien
RESA Collaborative Curriculum and GCLE program
correlation.
Questions? Contact
Janine Lim, Instructional Technology Consultant, (269)
471-7725x1101 or janine.lim@berrienresa.org.
