SAMPLE PROJECTS
The Global Sun Temperature Project
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Subject/Goals: In this global collaboration project, students will compare with students from across the globe how their geographic location impacts their average daily temperature and their hours of sunlight. This is a science-based project intended for students ages 10-18, ranging from late elementary to high school. The goals of this project are for students to be able to:
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Measure the temperature and record the number of minutes of sunlight per day over a common week.
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Compare and contrast the results with classes from all over the world.
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Determine how proximity to the equator affects average daily temperature and hours of sunlight.
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Time/Scheduling: In terms of time, this project includes four core activities designed for 45 minute class periods. It may, however, take more or less time depending on the students' grade level and knowledge of this topic area. Students will also need about 15 minutes of class time every day for one week to record the temperature and sunrise/sunset times for their location. For scheduling, there is an 8-step timeline provided for teachers here. Students should complete the four core activities in order: Less 1-Submit a Class Letter of Introduction, Lesson 2-Record the Data and Find the Averages, Lesson 3-Plot! Analyze! and Draw your Conclusions!, and Lesson 4-Class Final Report. There are also supplemental and enrichment pages provided on this page, as well as ready-made pre- and post- tests.
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Technology: In regards to technology, there is an implementation guide available for teachers. This guide explains how a class with limited access could still participate in this project even when there is only one computer in the room through having groups of students take turns recording and reporting data on the computer. There is page about recommendations for back-up plans in the event that technology fails, such as saving the files, creating hard copies of materials before-hand, having a video on the seasons available on-hand and a journal writing prompt for students. The only technology that may need to be downloaded ahead of time for this project is the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to access some pages that are stored in .pdf format.
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Communication/Outcome: When a teacher registers their class for this project, students will be able to access the discussion forum. Students can discuss their final results with other students on this forum during Lesson 4, but students should be reminded that they should not use the forum to talk about topics unrelated to the lesson. Other than this, there are no explicit communication requirements. Teachers just need to ensure that students are uploading their data according to the dates on the schedule. The final outcome for this project is for students to have a better understanding of how the latitude and longitude of a given location influences the temperature and amount of sunlight per day over a given week. This will give students a more global perspective than just studying their own location.
Buncee Buddies: Celebrate Peace 2016
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Subject/Goals: For this global collaboration project, students from across the world will compare how their classrooms celebrate the United Nation (U.N.)'s International Day of Peace throughout the year. Teachers and students will create Buncees,
which are multimedia presentations, to respond to the following prompt:
"Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi - What does this quote mean to you? - How will you spread the mission of peace on earth? - What can you do TODAY to start this process of change? - How can you and your classmates work together to bring peace to your community?"
The project can be used in grades K-12 and addresses the subjects of English language arts, world languages, history and social studies, and visual and fine arts.
The goals for this project are for students to be able to:
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Think critically about how they, as individuals and as a team member with their peers, can act to bring peace to their school, community, and the world.
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Strengthen their cultural and geographic awareness through Mystery Skype and other communications with Buncee Buddies.
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Practice media literacy skills as they choose the appropriate media to create Buncees that effectively communicate their ideas to peers.
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Time/Scheduling: Teachers are given approximately the span of a month to register their class to participate in the project. Then, after a few days, teachers receive an email with their three partner classes. The four teachers can decide if they would like their classes to work as a group of four or divide into two separate groups. The partner classrooms start with a Google Hangout or a Mystery Skype. Following the initial Skype session, the classrooms can do an additional Skype to exchange their ideas about the peace prompt. If the classrooms would like to work together on their response, they can use Buncees to create their presentations. Teachers will need to decide how they would like to divide their students into small groups. Through the use of Google Docs, students can communicate their ideas within their small groups across the partner classrooms. The small groups will need to develop answers to the questions included in the prompt on their Google Doc. Students in the small groups will then need to decide how they can use visuals and media to effectively communicate their answers in their Buncee. Students need to include multiple points of view from their small groups. When all small groups have finished, they will share their Buncees on social media with the hashtag #bunceebuddies. These will need to be shared approximately three months after teachers are given their partner classes. This project could be completed in the course of 1-2 weeks or spread out throughout the course of three months depending on what works best for the teachers and their classes.
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Technology: Classes will need to communicate 1-2 times using Skype or Google Hangout. This will work best if the teacher uses a projector to show the other class on a big screen. Students will also need individual access to computers or devices that can connect to the Internet to communicate via Google Docs and create Buncees. Teachers will need to have a way of communicating with one another through either video chat or email in order to decide deadlines for the project and create small groups.
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Communication/Outcome: Students will communicate between classes during the first two whole-class Skype or Google Hangout sessions. Then, communication will largely shift to Google docs to answer the prompt and create the Buncee. The ultimate outcome is for students to learn about ideals of peace from one another and spread these ideals in their community, school, and across the world.