Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Gr K-5 Snowman Exchange

Join other classrooms for a Snowman Exchange via Videoconference! Students practice descriptive writing, geometry, teamwork, following directions, and presentation skills.

Hilliard City Schools, Columbus, Ohio, is looking to extend the Snowman Exchange collaboration project into 2012. We are looking for other classroom teachers who would be willing to pair up with classroom teachers from our school district. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR GRADE LEVEL AND DATE/TIME YOU ARE AVAILABLE FOR THIS COLLABORATION! This will make it easier for us to partner with you.

You will be partnered with another class around the same grade level (if available). Each class will create their own unique snowman and write step-by-step instructions how they created it. Then partners will exchange instructions via email and create a second snowman based on their partner's instructions. Then during January 3 – February 16, classes will connect over videoconference (H.323) and share their snowman. The classes will also share about their school and community and be able to ask questions of the partner class.

This project is like the Monster Exchange but with the winter theme.

Between January 3 and February 16, 2012 from 9:30 am - 2:30 pm (EST)
Sign up method:Exploding Collaboration on CAPSpace
Grades:PreK, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Subjects:Fine Arts, Language Arts/English, Mathematics, Social Studies/History, Technology/Information Science
Preparation Time Frame:Time Frame: 2 days (1 day for snowman creation and writing instructions, then 1 day for creating partner snowman and videoconferencing)
Methods and Activities:Teachers will need to allow enough class time to create a class snowman and write instructions. Teachers will also need to email instructions to partner teacher in a timely manner. Then create the second snowman. It is important that you communicate effectively with partner teacher to ensure date/time of connection.

Students can work as a group or in small groups to create snowman and write directions. Duties may be given to students to make sure everyone is involved. Class sets of snowman may be created, but this will be very time consuming during the sharing portion of the videoconference, so selecting 1-3 of the class favorite snowmen is more appropriate.
Responsibilities:Teachers -
1. Will correspond via email with the collaborating teacher to discuss timeframe for the activity.
2. Work with his/her own students to create a class snowman.
3. Work with his/her own students to write a set of directions for how to create their class snowman.
4. Exchange instructions/directions with the collaborating teacher.
5. Work with his/her own students to create the collaborating class's snowman based upon the instructions emailed to them.
6. Create a short presentation about your school/community to share with the collaborating class.
7. Connect via videoconference and share Snowmen with one another.
Agenda:Agenda:
Each class will:
1. Create a class Snowman
2. Write instructions
3. Exchange instructions (email)
4. Create second class Snowman
5. Create a short presentation about your school/community (may use doc cams or computers if needed)
6. Connect via videoconference and share Snowmen
7. At the end, a Question/Answer session is always recommended by taking turns.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

3rd Grade Penpal

I am looking for a pen pal for a third grade class at my school located just south of Raleigh, North Carolina.  We would like to send letters once per month via US Mail and then have a video conference to meet each other at the end of this school year (towards the end of May or early June).  This third grade class has 19 kids.  Please email me if you are interested in partnering with us.

Dates: January 2012-June 2012

Paula Martini
pmartini@wcpss.net
Phone: 919-557-2566
FUQUAY-VARINA ELEMENTARY