Fueling Innovation at Fay

Several Fay faculty members used Curriculum Innovation Grants this summer to launch new curricular units and create resources to further engage students and enrich their academic journey.

Grade 2 Rocks & Minerals Unit

Second grade teacher Willa Gustavson and Head of Primary School Katie Knuppel developed a hands-on rocks and minerals unit that will give students more practice with and exposure to observing and categorizing properties of objects in an engaging way.

“Having the time and freedom to work on a topic I’m passionate and excited about re-energized my approach to teaching science.”

–Willa Gustavson, Grade Two Teacher

Center for Creativity & Design Student Materials Library

Creativity and Design teachers Andrew Shirley, Lisa Sanderson, Deborah Bianco, Mark Evans, and Melissa Anthony created a comprehensive materials library for students that enables them to understand the resources available to them in the CC&D, helping them apply the skills they have learned in class and sparking student creativity.

“Through this project, we transformed multiple classrooms in the CC&D into student-centric learning environments that allow students to choose, have agency, and own the space and their work in it.”

–Mark Evans, Creativity & Design Department Chair

Social Studies Curriculum Guide, Grades 5-6

Lower School teachers Ward Russell and Bruce Chauncey created a social studies guide to support fifth and sixth graders as they build the skills of a historian.

“This process offered us the opportunity to take a step back and think about a methodical, scaffolding approach to learning the skills of a historian. It allowed us to think as a student thinks, learn as a student learns, and engage the way students engage.”

–Ward Russell, Lower School Social Studies Teacher

Interactive Boards Integration

Creativity and Design teachers Lisa Sanderson and Deborah Morrone Bianco worked with the Technology Department to explore the training opportunities and potential uses of Fay’s interactive boards.

“I look forward to incorporating more interaction in my daily lessons with the Google board. My goal is to be a role model in leading interactive activities not just for teachers, but for my students as well. This modeling will be great for sixth graders as they design their own interactive workshops for the Transforming Our World presentations.”

–Lisa Sanderson, Design and Digital Literacy Teacher

Coding and Computational Thinking Unit

Science teachers Aimee Slatkavitz and Xiaohu Zhao refined the current coding unit in eighth grade physical science to make learning outcomes clear and explore options for new spring term electives.

“We wanted to make the coding curriculum more accessible and fun for all students, regardless of whether they have had prior coding experience. This summer grant program allowed us to develop an integrated coding capstone for eighth grade physical science students.”

–Xiaohu Zhao, Upper School Science Teacher

Grade Three Reading and Word Study

Third grade teachers Katie Buteau and Rachel Lipkin worked with English Department Chair Mary Munkenbeck to update the third grade reading and word study curriculum. They researched best practices and faculty experience, refined lessons, adjusted the sequence, differentiated lessons, and supported more intentional independent reading practices.

“This grant allowed us to work together to make updates that will help third graders become more well-rounded, engaged, and prepared readers.” –Katie Buteau, Grade Three Teacher

Analyzing Assessment Data

English Department Chair Mary Munkenbeck worked with Lower School English teacher Lara Gleason and Head of Lower School Kaitlyn Cronin to evaluate assessment data and student work as they aligned the Lower School English curriculum to meet the needs of a range of diverse learners.

“I appreciated this opportunity to consider the best way to use standardized assessments to facilitate learning. We discussed the purposes of a range of assessments, how and when to use them, and the possibilities for changes. We also planned integrations to the curriculum from grades four to six.” –Lara Gleason, Lower School English Teacher

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Fueling Innovation at Fay

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