Here are links to all 7 posts in this series:
Learning with Tomorrow
Connecting our Classrooms via Daily Emails
International Naval Warfare
Connecting our Classrooms - Weekly Video Series
Student Success Stories
Future Plans
How To Connect YOUR Classroom
In addition to playing battleship everyday with the students from Perth, we have started a Weekly Video Series. Each week the students in my classroom and the students from @Capt_KK's class produce a video to share with our classmates across the globe.
Unfortunately, the videos are only able to be shared between the students and parents of our classes. So, I will explain the basics of the video project and explain some specifics about the videos shared so far:
Video Series Guidelines:
Time: 5-6 minutes
Segments:
1. Subject Spotlight
2. School Spotlight
3. Daily Life Spotlight
Goal:
1. To provide students with a means to practice oral communication skills
2. To build confidence with the subject matter being presented.
3. To learn about commonly shared content
4. To learn about culture, traditions, daily life, etc. of students on another continent.
5. To learn about our own culture, traditions, daily life in the process.
Week 1:
US Video -
Division sharing
Weather in Ohio vs Perth,
Cafeteria and School lunch
Sports in Ohio
Australia Video:
Geography of Australia
Different Biomes of Australia
Paper mache art project connected to the geography map project
Tour of the school
Week 2:
US Video-
Haunted House Math project (perimeter and area)
Our School's Discipline Program
How we celebrate Halloween (included pictures of students in their costumes) - The students in Australia do not celebrate Halloween
Australia Video:
Body Systems of different animals
BODMAS (vs. PEMDAS) - order of operations
Daily Schedule (Italian, Choir, Genius Hour, etc.)
Uniforms (No Hat/No Play Policy, etc.)
Paper Crane Activity
Week 3: (Still being produced...)
US Video-
Planets - Space Boxes (Science)
Pass system (going to the library, office, etc)
US Currency (Paper, Green; Coins, Bills, Rare coins, etc. Explain the concept of tipping)
Australia Video:
Camp Video!
Australian Currency (Laminated, Colorful, Coins, Bills, etc.)
We hope to continue this project throughout the year. Students in my class gladly give up their recess one day per week if they are chosen to be a part of one segment of the videos. This does take some time on the teacher's part, but the videos provide us with a way to connect the students in a way email can't. My students are always eager to receive a new video and learn more about the class in Australia. The students even ask me throughout the week if they can create small segments on what we are studying to share with our classmates across the globe!
The best thing about the videos is that they help us build classroom community. Just like in a typical classroom, having a community of mutual respect is important. We view every video (and every interaction via email, etc.) with the Australian class as a learning opportunity. I'm so proud of how respectful the students are and also how INQUISITIVE they have been. Every video spurs more questions and inevitably more learning! The videos have allowed us to connect names with real PEOPLE, with students who they can relate to (even if they do live over 11,000 miles away!)
Here are just a few comments that my students said to me just this week:
"Our world just doesn't seem so big anymore."
"I've learned so much from the Australian students! I want to visit them one day!"
"I feel like they're my classmates!"
Stay tuned for more posts about our global classroom. Next up I will share some student success stories (That's what it's all about isn't it?)
Interested in creating a global classroom? Follow the #globalclassroom and #flatclass hashtags on Twitter for ideas from educators around the globe! Here are just a few others I follow that continuously provide excellent global classroom resources: @flatclassroom and @julielindsay.
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