1. DIVERSITY PROJECT By: Ashley Mullins Dr. Karen Goldman Theories of Teaching and Learning

2. SCHOOL DEMOGRAPHICS  Clay City Elementary: Part of Powell County Schools in Eastern Kentucky Free and Reduced Lunch Rate rests consistently around 80% Serve approximately 540 students Preschool- 5 th Grade Low socio-economic statuses are extremely common Title 1 School Considered a “Focus School” under the NCLB Act for improvement in Reading and Math

3. ZOO KIDS GRANT  Due to the number of impoverished students that we serve, which is part of our diversity at CCE, many students in our schools do not get to experience many activities that most kids get to enjoy, like going to the Zoo.  The Louisville Zoo has a grant called “Zoo Kids” to help children in such situations visit the Zoo with their school for free.  Our first grade class qualified for this grant so we were able to take the kids to the Zoo, giving many a first time experience there!

4. RIDING A BUS For some students, this even meant getting to experience riding the bus for the first time. Out of the 25 children in my class, 8 had never ridden a bus before.

5. OUR EXPERIENCE AT THE LOUISVILLE ZOO Ms. Mullins’ Class

6. OUR EXPERIENCE AT THE LOUISVILLE ZOO Mrs. Smith’s Class Mrs. Wilson’s Class

7. OUR EXPERIENCE AT THE LOUISVILLE ZOO

8. PETTING ZOO FUN Not only was this the first time that some of our kids got to see animals at the Zoo, they got to pet them as well!!

9. RETURN TRIP The bus ride home……was much quieter!!

10. THE ZOO IS TIRING! The bus ride home……was much quieter!!

11. CONNECTIONS TO THE CLASSROOM Zoo Animal Study

12. CONNECTIONS TO THE CLASSROOM Habitat Writings

13. CONNECTIONS TO THE CLASSROOM Zoo Animal Book Study

14. CONNECTIONS TO THE CLASSROOM Elephant Hand Puppets!!

15.  Animal Venn Diagrams  Pebble GO! research projects  Zoo Trip Personal Narratives  Thank you letters written to the “Zoo Kids” Corporation showing our appreciation for the trip. OTHER CLASS ACTIVITIES

16.  Through the “Zoo Kids” grant, we were able to help our children experience something that they may have never gotten the opportunity to do otherwise.  We connected the content through an interdisciplinary unit to help diversify this “first experience” for them and relate it to their life as much as possible.  This grant allowed us to better serve our diverse population of students. CONCLUSION