1. 2010-2011 ARTStem Project Grant Application
DEADLINE: OCTOBER 1st, 2010, 5PM
1. Please provide the name of the Project L eader and provide the requested information.
Project L eader : Joseph Lopina
U N CSA or Reynolds? UNCSA
School/Subject: Filmmaking/Animation
F aculty or Staff? Faculty
E mail A ddress: lopinaj@uncsa.edu
Phone Number : (336) 734‐2912
2. For each additional member of project team, provide N A M E , I NST I T U T I O N,
SC H O O L/SU BJ E C T , and E M A I L A D D R ESS.
Collaborator 1: Gabriella J. Ducamp (Co‐Leader), Brunson Elementary, 4th Grade Teacher,
GJDucamp@wsfcs.k12.nc.us
Collaborator 2: Laura Hart McKinny, UNCSA, Filmmaking/Screenwriting,
mckinl@uncsa.edu
Collaborator 3: Rachel Briley, UNCG, Theatre/Theatre for Youth, r_briley@uncg.edu
Collaborator 4: Jane McKim, RiverRun Film Festival, Community Director,
jane@riverrunfilm.com
3. Project T itle
Science Giants (working title)
4. W hat is the total amount of $ that you are requesting? (you may request any amount up
to $4000)
$3,000.00

2. 5. Itemized Budget (in the space provided, provide as detailed an itemized budget as possible
that explains how you plan on utilizing grant funds; if you prefer, attach a separate document
with budget information)
Electricity and Magnetism Books: $150.00
Various Titles (TBD): $150.00
Electricity and Magnetism Kits: $1,100.00
Hand Held Generator: $100.00
Electricity and Magnetism Module: WX742‐5022 $800.00
Miscellaneous Electronic Supplies: $200.00
Puppet Building Materials: $600
Foam: $35.00
Fleece: $100.00
Thread: $15.00
Ping‐Pong Balls: $15.00
Feathers/Boas: $25.00
Fake Fur/hair $50.00
Craft Eyes: $20.00
Hot Glue Sticks: $25.00
Hot Glue Gun: $10.00
Contact Cement: $25.00
Mold Making Materials: $75.00
Doll Joints: $15.00
Spray Paint: $15.00
Scissors/Razors: $25.00
Miscellaneous Supplies: (Tape, pins, clothes, etc.) $150.00
Stage, Backdrop, and Prop Materials: $550
PVC Pipe and Fittings: $50.00
Blue Foam (4'x8') $50.00
Fabric ‐ Blue and Green $50.00
Toy Instruments: $100.00
Paint and Painting supplies $100.00
Miscellaneous building materials/tools $200.00
Hardware: $100
1 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive $100.00
Project Leader Honorarium/Stipend: $500
2 @ $250.00 (Lopina/Ducamp) $500.00
GRAND TOTAL: $3,000.00
6. Project Description. In 2-3 paragraphs, describe the proposed project. As concisely as
possible, explain what you will accomplish, what role the different collaborators will play in the

3. project (if a group proposal), what you will learn, what students learn, etc. In what different ways
will students benefit from the project? Tell us anything else you think it’s important to add.
Do you remember what it was like to be amazed by the world around you? The opportunity
to capture that wonderment and share it with students who may not have materials, background
knowledge, or excitement about school is irreplaceable. This project seeks to examine the North
Carolina Standard Course of Study for fourth‐grade science and present the unit on Electricity and
Magnetism in a new and thought‐filled format. Through the collaboration of screenwriters,
educators, animator/puppeteers, youth theater leaders, and many others, we intend to develop a
30‐minute “television” program that explores the presence of science in our daily lives. This pilot
episode will focus on Electricity and Magnetism as outlined in the NC Standard Course of Study with
attention to the National Standards. This program will be made up by a series of short videos
demonstrating, explaining, and reinforcing the concepts taught in the classroom with a cast of
characters including classroom children, community professionals, and a variety of carefully
designed puppets. By careful design we are not simply referring to the physical construction of the
puppet but to the character of the puppet and the unique quality of the relationship we hope to
establish between puppet and student learner. This program will be mindful of both the affective
and cognitive development of its viewing audience and participants (...think Mister Rogers meets
Sesame Street meets Mr. Wizard...). The students who will participate in this project are fourth‐
graders who have that perfect mix of youthful passion for learning and independence to produce
products that reflect their knowledge and style. The program will be recorded primarily on the
campus of Brunson Elementary in Winston Salem using Brunson’s A/V equipment along with
privately owned equipment. Additional footage will be recorded on location and in privately owned
recording studios.
This project will expand the collaboration between Brunson Elementary School and Joseph
Lopina, and help make their work more sustainable. Last year, they teamed up to produce puppet
shows in class that combined science, literature, math, language arts, and social studies. The
opportunity to produce a television show that could maintain this interdisciplinary focus would
increase student motivation and allow more control over the quality of the final work, as well as
share it with a wider audience. All collaborators are invited to participate on every level of
production but all were chosen for their unique skills in the development of our project. Laura Hart
McKinny, Screenwriting Professor from UNCSA, will inform the development of our story, the
characters and the script writing process. Rachel Briley, head of the North Carolina Theatre for
Young People as well as the MFA program in Theatre for Youth at UNC‐G, will guide our decisions
regarding the interactions between student and puppet – theatre in education. Ms. Briley’s
experience will also be critical in determining the qualities, personalities, and characteristics of our
puppets so they will have a positive effect/influence on the children’s learning experience. Jane
McKim, Community Director for RiverRun Film Festival, could potentially promote our completed
work as she promotes the Documentaries in the Classroom series throughout the school district.
Gabriella Ducamp, Co‐Project Leader and Teacher at Brunson Elementary, will instruct students in
science, manage student collaboration, and guide research. She will ground the project in the
Standard Course of Study and consult with families and staff at the school. Joseph Lopina, Co‐
Project Leader and Animation Professor from UNCSA, will be responsible for all aspects of
production in consultation with Ms. Ducamp, will assist in some of the instruction, and will carefully
examine the relationship between children, education, and the media in support of his doctoral
research. In addition, Mr. Lopina will be responsible for the construction of all puppets, props, and
set pieces required for the production.
Each of us will benefit from the experience and insight our fellow collaborators bring to the
project. We will establish new relationships and have the opportunity to examine our own
knowledge as we benefit from the wisdom we glean from each other (and the students we are

4. working with) while developing the project. Students will have access to a program that reinforces
their classroom instruction consistent with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. This
benefit reaches all 4th grade students across the state studying Electricity and Magnetism regardless
of their participation in the project. There are many topics in the standard course of study that are
unapproachable to students, because the content is difficult or the delivery doesn’t meet their
learning style. Those students able to participate will benefit from experience in Theatre Arts,
Technology Skills, Information Skills, and Language Arts which are all a part of the North Carolina
Standard Course of Study – and “outside” of science.
7. Provide a brief timeline for accomplishing the goals of the project.
September ­ December:
Develop Story/Script/Characters in support of curriculum
Design Characters
Storyboard and Develop any Animated Sequences
Build Puppets
Build Set and Props
January ­ March
Begin classroom instruction in Electricity and Magnetism
Record classroom events/experiments
Record scripted interactions between students and puppets
Record scripted interactions between puppets, students, and potential guests
Create animations required for episode
Begin rough edit of material
April
Complete animations
Complete Edit
May
Deliver completed episode
8. T he 1st deadline for submitting proposals is O ct 1st, 2010. Proposals will be evaluated
promptly, and recipients notified by the middle of O ctober. If special cases, early
submissions might be reviewed on an expedited schedule (e.g. you know there's a
visiting performer in town for another event in late September and you desperately want to
get a grant to bring her to your class). Do you need expedited review? yes no
T H A N K S F O R Y O U R A PPL I C A T I O N!
E M A I L to A R TStem Project Director, M ike W akeford at wakefordm@uncsa.edu