Outside My Classroom Window
![Picture](/uploads/3/1/4/3/31435737/3477815.jpg?138)
Grade Level: 1st-2nd
Subjects: Language-Learning, Social Studies, Culture, Writing, Technology
Subjects: Language-Learning, Social Studies, Culture, Writing, Technology
Project Overview
Objectives: Students will observe, collaborate, and share what they see outside the classroom window with peers and students from ePals. Students will discuss the views that other students have and compare/contrast the outside views in different countries. Students will also develop collaborative relationships with students from other countries.
Culminating Activity: Students create both a visual and written piece to share their classroom view and what is unique about this view to their own community. Students will create artwork depicting their view outside the window. These images will be shared via Skype or email with ePals.
Culminating Activity: Students create both a visual and written piece to share their classroom view and what is unique about this view to their own community. Students will create artwork depicting their view outside the window. These images will be shared via Skype or email with ePals.
Instructional Materials
- Camera for taking pictures, if students want to use a photo as a reference for writing the descriptive paragraph.
- Drawing materials; paper, pencil, crayons, markers. Students can create their visual any way they would like.
- Computers for sending emails to ePals, and for communicating with other students. Also needed for Skype discussions with ePals.
- Smart Board for direct instruction on what to write and the format expected. (develop an example of what students should follow and have up on board for them to refer back to for help.)
- Written Prompt worksheet
- Picture template
- Notebooks for writing down information from ePals.
Washington Technology Standards
EALR 1 - Integration
Students use technology within all content areas to collaborate, communicate, generate innovative ideas, investigate, and solve problems.
Component 1.1 - Innovate: Demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
Component 1.2 - Collaborate: Use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
Component 1.3 - Investigate and Think Critically: Research, manage, and evaluate information and solve problems using digital tools and resources.
Students use technology within all content areas to collaborate, communicate, generate innovative ideas, investigate, and solve problems.
Component 1.1 - Innovate: Demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
Component 1.2 - Collaborate: Use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
Component 1.3 - Investigate and Think Critically: Research, manage, and evaluate information and solve problems using digital tools and resources.
Justification for standards being met
Students will collaborate with peers about what they see from looking outside the classroom window. They will construct knowledge of other countries by participating in class discussions and watching a Skype video from students of other countries. Students will demonstrate innovative thinking by sharing their finished picture via Skype with their assigned ePal or communicating by email. Students will investigate and think critically about other countries by researching what their ePals sent to them.
Project Plan
Students will be participating in a collaborative technology unit with friends from China. We will be working with another first grade classroom in Hong Kong, China via ePals.
Students will be creating a visual and written piece providing our ePals buddies with a better understanding of what it looks like outside of our classroom window. Students will be comparing and contrasting the difference between the two cities by using Skype to communicate and collaborate the differences.
* Students will turn in descriptive paragraph, and visual picture.
Students will be creating a visual and written piece providing our ePals buddies with a better understanding of what it looks like outside of our classroom window. Students will be comparing and contrasting the difference between the two cities by using Skype to communicate and collaborate the differences.
- Group students in small groups (3-4 students). Have them look out the window of the classroom and generate a list of what they see.
- Discuss as a class what is unique about what they saw and what might be different from our first grade friends in Hong Kong.
- Hold class discussion about how students might create their picture of what they see outside the classroom window. (color, paint, digital picture, written description, etc.)
- Each group creates their own picture, then shares with class.
- Students then write a paragraph, describing the view of our classroom window and what is significant about this view. (what our community consists of, weather, colors, etc.) (can be written in a narrative format, descriptive, or form of poetry)
- Share paragraph and picture with ePals. Skype conversation with individual buddies.
- Students will generate questions about Hong Kong, China through Skype conversation, and as a class research answers to those questions using google.com and other trusted websites. (use teacher's computer and have teacher direct the research)
* Students will turn in descriptive paragraph, and visual picture.
Project inspired by ePals Global Community
Classroom Image: sarahkwriting.blogspot.com
Student looking out classroom window image: teachpreschool.org
Classroom Image: sarahkwriting.blogspot.com
Student looking out classroom window image: teachpreschool.org