FOR MY PROJECT I CHOSE TO USE EPEN PALS, SKYPE OR BRIDGET, AND PODCASTS. Technology in the Classroom This technology will be done in the Grade 6 social studies curriculum.

Epen pals I have found several websites where there are classrooms readily available to do epen pals with.   

The Idea The idea is to find another classroom somewhere in the world and learn the concepts together.  Preferably a one to one classroom in both classrooms.  Write to each other at least once a week.   Wikispace  Blogspace  Once a month (or more) the class would video conference to discuss what they’ve been writing to each other and learning.  Skype or Bridget  Pairs of two would partner up with another pair of two in the other class.  Students would reflect on the conferences.

Grade 6 Curriculum The theme of the grade six curriculum is World Cultures  Fits in really well. Essential Graduation Learnings By the end of Grade six students will be expected to:  describe how culture is preserved, modified, and transmitted.  identify and explain how people, goods and ideas move among communities.  identify and describe examples of positive and negative interactions among people, technology, and the environment.

General Curriculum Outcomes By the end of Grade six students will be expected to  indentify and explain the rights and responsibilities of individual citizens in a local, national and, and global context.  recognize how and why individuals and groups have different perspectives on different issues.  explain why cultures meet human needs and wants in diverse ways.  describe how perspectives influence the ways in which experiences are interpreted.  recognize and explain the interdependent nature of relationships among individuals, societies, and the environment.  appreciate that there are different world views.  appreciate the different approaches of cultures to meeting needs and wants.  respect other points of view.  use various forms of group and interpersonal communication.

Specific Curriculum Outcomes Explore the concept of culture and demonstrate an understanding of its role in our lives.  The students would be able to get not only an understanding of the role of culture in their own lives, but an understanding of the role of the role of culture in the other students lives as well Indentify, locate, and map major cultural region s of the world.  I think it would be super engaging for the students to map out the different cultural regions the students they are in contact with. Especially for the students in contact with Canadian students as they can trace back all their different heritages Analyse the importance of cross-cultural understanding.  The epen pals and video conferencing would provide an excellent foundation for discussing the importance of understanding the other culture the students are communicating with.

SCO’s Continued Compare climate and vegetation in different types of physical regions the world.  Might be fun to create a traditional dish from the other country Asses the relationship between culture and environment in a selected cultural region Compare the use of resources and sustainability practices between Canada and a selected country.

SCO’s Continued Examine how traditions relate to culture in a selected region.  Are there traditional stories that the students could share with eachother? Describe how government relates to culture in a selected culture.  What kind of government does the other country have? It would be really interesting if the other country had a different type of democracy, or a different type of government all together Explain how economic systems relate to culture.

SCO’s Continued Analyse how the arts reflect beliefs and values in a selected cultural region.  The students could create pieces of art that is traditional to the other country, and the others students Examine the importance of language, literature, and theatre arts as expressions of culture in a selected cultural region.  It would be great if the students could perform a popular play or form of entertainment from the other classes country for them and then discuss its role in their culture. Analyse the extent to which sports and games are expression of culture in a selected cultural region.

SCO’s Continued It would be great to have each class learn about a different region and then have the students teach a few of the outcomes to their respective partners in the other classroom.

Final Podcast At the end of the lesson/unit/year that the two classrooms are in contact, I think it would be great for the students to make a podcast together with their respective partners in the other class about what they learned from each other. These podcasts would then be posted on the class’s wikispace or website.