Write Around The Community

Grade Level: Sixth Grade

Objectives: 1. Students will collaborate by videoconference with students from another country. 2. Students will discuss real-life concepts and compare/contrast each other’s lives. 3. Students will write an expository essay using the compare/contrast model after the “event”. 4. Students will use technology tools to write and edit (to final copy) their reflective compare/contrast essays.

CDE Standards: Language Arts: Organization and Focus
 (1.1) Choose the form of writing (e.g., personal letter, letter to the editor, review, poem, report, narrative) that best suits the intended purpose and (1.2) Create multiple-paragraph expository compositions that engage the interest of the reader and state a clear purpose, develop the topic with supporting details and precise verbs, nouns, and adjectives to paint a visual image in the mind of the reader and then conclude with a detailed summary linked to the purpose of the composition. Research and Technology (1.5) Compose documents with appropriate formatting by using word-processing skills and principles of design (e.g., margins, tabs, spacing, columns, page orientation). Writing Applications (2.2) Write expository compositions (e.g., description, explanation, comparison and contrast, problem and solution).

ISTE/NETS Technology Standards: Technology Foundation Standards for Students #3: Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity and use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works. 


Anticipatory Set: America-side students will go to the following website located at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romania and familiarize themselves with the basic information about Romania located there. Romania-side students will do the same at the website located at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_states .
Materials: 1. Computer-lab/view room and equipment located at KCSOS Learning Center and Education Center in Romania. 2. Live Internet feed. 3. Ten laptops (provided by CTAP) for each side of the ocean. 4. Computers/printer at school sites for pre-event activities. 5. Paper and writing materials. 6. Word processing software (will be provided). 7. A three-hour time block.

Procedures:
1. Students MUST participate in the above anticipatory set.
2. Students will complete interest inventories.
3. Teacher emails the inventories to the other party.
4. Students price common household items from their own lives.
5. Students submit 5 curiosity questions (via teacher).
6. Students/teacher meet at KCSOS for videoconference.
7. Students from both countries discuss interests, common item costs, and ask questions from their respective curiosity question lists.
8. Both parties discuss future meeting possibilities.
9. Students write a one-page compare and contrast essay.
10. Students write about the experience in their journals and then share the experience with friends and parents that were not present during the experience.
11. Final copies MUST be typed and printed at KCSOS.
12. Students will be released to go home at the end of the event (approx. 2-3 hours total).

Assessment: Most of the assessment will be informal. Pictures will be taken (with parent permission) and can be used by teacher as evidence for assessment. The essay portion of this lesson will advise the teacher of whether or not the objectives were met. A short rubric will be utilized to measure student writing skills and their ability to meet the requirements of the task. A reflective journal (half-page) will also be issued and then shared with the teacher shortly after the conclusion of the event.