Liberty School District Foundation
Learning Enrichment Grant Application
Learning Enrichment Grant Application Guidelines
The Liberty School District Foundation is inviting teachers to apply for this year’s cycle of Learning Enrichment Grants. The
Foundation will award grants up to $500 to certified staff of the Liberty Public School District.
Purpose
The LSDF will provide funds for this academic year to LPS teachers and certified staff to develop and implement instructional
projects that motivate and challenge students to learn. Proposals should be unique projects that expand upon, enliven, and/or
enrich the curriculum.
Eligibility
Proposals do not have to be limited to the classroom; projects implemented in before or after school activities are welcome.
Project Period
Projects must take place in the current school year.
Reporting Requirements
In an effort to accurately capture how funds were used and the impact of those funds, awarded applicants are required to submit a
final report (report form provided), along with a digital pictorial display showing how funds were used. Failure to submit complete
and timely reports may result in disqualification for future grants.
Restrictions
Grant funds must directly benefit students. The following restrictions apply:
 Grant funds may not be used for salaries or substitute pay.
 Grant funds may not be used for teacher conferences, professional development costs, or tuition.
 All materials and equipment purchased with grant funds become property of the school, not the awardee(s).
How to Apply
 Only electronic applications will be accepted (paper copies will not be considered).
o Cover page with signature of grant applicant and building principal.
o Grant Application descriptor pages (not to exceed 3 pages)
o Completed application must be emailed to [email protected]
 Subject Line of Email: School Name – Individual Name – LEG Grant Application
o LSDF will notify you within 2 business days of receipt of your application.
 If you do not receive this email, please contact LSDF.
 Please note that a Memo of Intent form must be submitted to the district prior to applying for any grant, per LPS Policy. For
your convenience, the Memo of Intent form is located here.
How are proposals evaluated?
Members of the LSDF Board LEG Committee will evaluate all applications on the basis of the project’s benefit to students, the
efficient use of funds, and the level of innovation associated with the project.
Awards and Expectations
 Awards will be announced via a surprise “Prize Patrol”
 LPS fiscal staff will be notified of the selected grants; grant recipients will then receive a budget code for grant expenses.
 All materials purchased with grant funds should be clearly marked with a LSDF sticker of donation (supplied by the
Foundation upon request).
 Funds will be awarded to the school district for the identified project on behalf of the applicant. If for any reason the
project is not implemented by the end of the current school year and/or funds are not fully expended, these funds must be
returned to the Liberty School District Foundation.
Revised May 2015
Liberty School District Foundation
Learning Enrichment Grant Application
Learning Enrichment Grant Cover Page
Project Title:
Experiments in Thermodynamics
.
Grant Administrator (employee responsible for funds):
Ima Teacher
Name
Applicant 2:
I. B. Teaching
Name
School(s) of Grant Implementation:
.
Teacher
Position
.
.
Teacher
Position
.
Your School Name Here
Grant Administrator’s contact information:
Phone:
your phone number
Email:
your email address here
Amount of Grant Request: __$205.87_______
(Min. -$50; Max. - $500)
.
.
.
Date of Grant Submission: ___before the deadline______
Grant Administrator’s Signature: _________________________________________
(I accept the obligation to complete and return the evaluation form and adhere to Foundation expectations as listed in
the Guidelines section of this application).
Building administrator’s signature is required for submission:
Administrator Signature: _______________________________________________
(I have read this application and support its implementation.)
Revised May 2015
Liberty School District Foundation
Learning Enrichment Grant Application
Learning Enrichment Grant Application
Proposal Summary
Provide a brief (2 – 3 sentence) summary of the grant proposal. This will help the LSDF when award recipients are
announced to the public.
Students will expand their study of exothermic chemical reactions by engaging in a series of demonstrations and lab
experiments. The mini fireworks display, alcohol cannons, and crystallization activities are designed to further student
understanding of thermodynamics.
Project Proposal
Describe your proposal in the space below. How does this project relate to the goals of the school/district? How will
this project enhance the educational or extracurricular experiences of the students?
Grant funds will be used to purchase chemicals and materials for student use in the chemistry classroom. Students in
multiple chemistry courses study thermochemistry and exothermic reactions and these materials will be used to
facilitate student understanding of these abstract topics.
Students will use an alcohol-fueled PVC cannon to shoot a 7” foam ball across the room. Students to apply the
concepts of combustion, thermochemistry, exothermic reactions and gas laws as they explore the fuel-to-air ratio
necessary for an ignition to occur, leading to a conversation about limiting reactants in chemical equations.
The zinc pyrotechnics kit will allow students to see a mini fireworks display in the classroom by adding water to a
special mixture of dry chemicals. This activity will be used to help students make connections between the study of
light and chemicals, as different chemicals produce different colors of light when ignited. The pyrotechnics activity
will be used to enhance the study of chemical reactions, and will also be used as a springboard for discussion related to
the career of pyrotechnics. This activity also allows students to see (close up) a practical application of how different
elements produce light when excited.
It is difficult for students to understand why liquids release heat energy when they crystallize into solids. Since
students are often interested in crystals and their chemical structures, so we intend to capitalize on this interest to
further our study of thermodynamics. The crystallization experiments will allow students to measure the temperature
release associated with the phase change from liquid to solid. This activity will also be used as a basis for a discussion
of crystalline structures.
Revised May 2015
Liberty School District Foundation
Learning Enrichment Grant Application
Describe the Need/Problem
Why is there a need for this project? Describe the problem you want to solve or the need you want to fill. What area of
learning needs improvement?
There are 300 students taking a chemistry class this year. It is our goal to enhance the curriculum by adding activities
and demonstrations that will allow students to better visualize the abstract ideas associated with thermochemistry. In
addition, we want to show students how chemistry impacts their lives and also to introduce careers in chemistry.
The study of chemical reactions and the energy changes associated with them is often confusing and abstract. We will
use these three experiments to allow students to explore the topic of thermochemical reactions. Though students are
somewhat familiar with these three types of exothermic reactions (combustion, fireworks, and phase changes), these
particular materials will allow students in introductory course to get hands-on in an exciting and safe way.
Project Expectations/Outcomes
What do you expect to achieve? How will learning be changed or improved? For example, what student behaviors will
be different? What skills will students acquire? How many students will be directly impacted by this project this year
and in future years?
We expect that after engaging in these activities students will have a better understanding of exothermic processes
(processes that release heat energy). These lab activities all are designed with a built-in “cool” factor – we want the
students too “ooh” and “ah” as they explore these topics in a safe way.
We will also use these activities as a springboard to discuss careers that make use of this branch of chemistry, such
as pyrotechnic engineers, materials scientists, and others. In addition, one of our former students now works as a
blasting engineer and he will be coming to give a presentation on the chemistry and physics of blasting.
It is our goal that students will be able to demonstrate understanding of the difference between heat and
temperature as well as the heat transfer between objects. Many physical and chemical reactions involve changes in
energy and we often take these for granted. We would like students to be able to clearly explain their thinking on
lab reports and assessments and also during class discussions.
This year, 300 chemistry students will participate in these activities. Some of the materials are consumables, but
others are durable goods that we will be able to utilize for the foreseeable future.
Revised May 2015
Liberty School District Foundation
Learning Enrichment Grant Application
Project Evaluation
How will you know the project has met its goals?
Students will fully engage in the activities and will be demonstrate understanding of the topics under study. They
will submit lab reports and assessment items that show they have a deeper understanding than students in previous
years. The lab activities and associated discussions will make a positive impact on student interest and learning.
Budget
Provide a complete list of expenditures (e.g. student materials, equipment, etc.), including shipping and handling fees if
applicable. Please remember that grant funds cannot be used for salaries, substitute pay, or professional development.
Budget example
Quantity, description of item, cost of item/unit
2 resource books @ $25.00 each
10 plastic tubs @ $3.50 each
TOTAL GRANT FUNDS REQUESTED
Total Cost
$50.00
$35.00
$85.00
Proposed Budget (add rows as needed)
Quantity, description of item, cost of item/unit
1 - 20 mL scintillation vials, with lid, pkg of 100 from www.glassvials.com @31.50
1 - S0116 sodium thiosulfate, 1 kg from Flinn Scientific @10.12
5 - AP8117 zinc pyrotechnics chemical kit @20.45 each
1 - AP7410 alcohol cannon @44.85
1 - AP7415 7” foam ball for cannon @17.15
TOTAL GRANT FUNDS REQUESTED
$31.50
$10.12
$102.25
$44.85
$17.15
$205.87
Revised May 2015