Meredith Mathematics & Science Institutes and Suntex International Inc. have awarded mini-grants to classroom teachers in North Carolina to participate in the FIRST IN MATH® Online Program.

Read the testimonials from our First in Math® Meredith Grant Classrooms

Based on the popular 24® game, the FIRST IN MATH® Online Program is designed to focus on basic skill acquisition and has an open-ended, self-pacing design that supports differentiated instruction. The Internet-based program provides individual students with opportunities to increase their mathematics skills at their own rate, while earning electronic "award stickers" for their personal and classroom scores.

Students play the 24 game and myriad bonus modules designed to captivate and engage them in this proven online resource. Activities introduce skills in organized skill sets. Games help students learn how to adapt and apply knowledge in a variety of problem-solving situations, allowing students to feel ownership of the learning process and helping them experience success in mathematics. The site tracks student progress and provides real-time reports for teachers and administrators.

Participating teachers and students can access FIRST IN MATH® from any computer with Internet access. There is no software to download, so students can access the site from school or from home. For more information about the online program, go to http://www.firstinmath.com/.

Eligibility:

• The mini-grants are limited to two classes/classrooms per school in any school not already participating in the FIRST IN MATH® Online Program. (Additional classes in a building may participate by purchasing FIRST IN MATH® classroom subscriptions.)
  
  
• Any teacher in a fourth, fifth, or sixth grade class with a maximum of 36 students per classroom in a public or non public school in North Carolina is eligible to apply for the mini-grant.
  
  
• Each teacher receiving a grant must attend a half-day workshop that will provide information about using the FIRST IN MATH® online program and competition. There is no cost for this workshop. Two workshops will be held at Meredith College in Raleigh: Monday, July 27, from 9 a.m. - 12 Noon OR from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Mini-grant teachers are invited to lunch at Meredith between 12 Noon and 1 p.m. Transportation is the teacher's responsibility.
  
  
• Each teacher and his/her principal must commit to "activating" the teacher's team on or before September 15, 2009, participating in the program until the program's conclusion on July 31, 2010.

Mini-Grant Applications: Click the link to complete the online application http://www.firstinmath.com/grant.asp

• Grant application deadline is June 20, 2009.
  
  
• Mini-grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to teachers whose classrooms meet eligibility criteria.
  
  
• Each mini-grant will fund subscriptions for up to 36 students per class.
  
  
• Pairs of teachers in the same school are encouraged to apply for mini-grants at the same time. Each teacher must complete an application.

About a Competition: The 100 classrooms established by the Meredith Mathematics and Science Institutes and Suntex International Inc. mini-grant may compete in a special tournament.

Tournament Rules:

• Winning team is determined by the average number of "stickers" per student that a class earns in the FIRST IN MATH® program. (Individual and team stats are visible to students and teachers in real time.)
  
  
• Competition start date is September 15, 2009. Competition end date will be April 30, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. EST.
  
  
• A subscription for FIRST IN MATH® will be awarded to the top team at each grade level for the 2010-2011 school year.
  
• One iPod will be awarded to the top-ranked student from the mini-grant classrooms.
  
  
• Special FIRST IN MATH®T-shirts will be awarded to the top five students at each grade level from the mini-grant classrooms.

For questions or further information, contact Jeane Joyner at joynerj@meredith.edu or Cynthia Anderson at cynthia@24game.com.