About the Project

This project is the result of a County Technology Academy Grant (CTAG) received by Mark DeWeese, Stephanie Slusser, and Marcia Russell at Rancho Romero Elementary School in Alamo, California. Funding for this grant was provided by the Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation with support from the Contra Costa County Office of Education.

The goal of this project was to enhance our existing study of Native Americans by having the students do more than the traditional report on a Native American tribe. The result is this website project that involves students in a simulation using higher order thinking skills with the existing research project. The project was completed with fourth and fifth grade students. Samples of the student work can be viewed by clicking the Student Project link above.

Mr. DeWeese is a fourth grade teacher. His class studies California Native Americans each year. Miss Slusser teaches fifth grade. Her class studies Native Americans of North America. Both Mr. DeWeese and Miss Slusser serve as grade level representatives on the school's Technology Action Team and are piloting computerized report cards for the district. Marcia Russell is a teacher who served as Rancho Romero's Technology Coordinator until 2001. She currently works at the Contra Costa County Office of Education as the CTAG Grant Specialist.

Website Bibliography