Global Classroom Module

Just Like Us

Image retrieved from http://bestclipartblog.com/

Lilit Bayburtian
Integrating Technology: Global Perspectives
Professor: Dr. Blesh
EDTC 645
April 8, 2014

Introduction
Subject And Grade level:
Language Arts/Writing and Social Studies Curriculum, Grade 2

Image retrieved from http://collaborate.iearn.org/space-2/group-6/about

Summary:
My students will participate in a Just Like Us project, which is similar to and
based on iEarn based global collaboration project titled One Day in My Life. My
students will collaborate with students across the globe and share information
about themselves. They will be expected to write and share about their daily
lives, followed by sharing a photograph of themselves/family members and
providing description of it, followed by sharing a photo and a description of a local
landmark, followed by sharing a favorite recipe and such. This project will be
closely based and will cover second grade language arts/writing and social
studies common core curricula standards: writing for personal experience, writing
to inform, and locating and describing places on Earth. In addition, students will
learn to collaborate with their peers via technology. Moreover, they will gain
2

understanding and appreciation for other cultures and compare their lives to
others. Both global and multicultural education should prepare student live in
increasingly culturally integrated global society and teach them how to address
issues of diversity beyond the boundaries of a nation/state (Ho, l. as cited by
Guadelli, 2009).

Background concerning the school and the group you are working
with:
Rachel Carson Elementary School is located in Gaithersburg, Maryland. It
consists of 958 students in grades pre-K to 5 th and 100 staff members. Our
students come from various socioeconomic backgrounds ranging from uppermiddle class households to household living in government-subsidized housings.
Based on MCPS Rachel Carson at a glance document, the schools racial/ethnic
composition is as follows: 13.3% are Asian, 6.2% are Black, 18.1% are Hispanic,
55.8% are white, and 6.6% multiple races. As of today, there are 149 second
grade students enrolled and attending RCES.

Time frame:
This project will run for six week period; covering the last four weeks of first
marking period, concentrating and reinforcing writing for personal experience
writing objectives. This will be followed by covering objectives of writing to inform
objectives for two weeks in the beginning of the second marking period.

Proposed Topic and Rationale:

The name of this project is Just like Us; this project will allow my students to
expand their knowledge of the world through collaboration and communication
with students just like them who happen to live in another country. A relevant
education is more important today than ever, because todays Networked World
demands a workforce that understands how to use technology as a tool to
increase productivity and creativity (Hawkins, n.d). Simultaneously, they will
learn to write letters, personal narratives, step-by-step directions, and more. By
the end of this project, students should be able to familiarize themselves with a
new culture and compare/contrast their daily lives to the lives of other students.

Key Challenges:
The following are the challenges I am going to encounter throughout this project:
1. Access to notebooks on regular basis
- RCES has 958 students and only 4 mobile labs. Most of the time we can
sign up for the mobile labs once (twice if we are lucky) a week; hence, I
will have to pre-arrange with the media specialist ahead of time and
reserve the lab for at leas three times a week for all six weeks in advance.
2. Covering curriculum standards and keeping up with the rest of the grade
and the schedule
- We, the second grade teachers, regularly plan together and if I to do this
project only with my students, I will have to still keep up with my
colleagues and time tables we set for each subject.
3. Volunteers and their prompt and regular attendance
- Second graders are still new to technology and its use, so I will need few
parent-volunteers to help me assist the kids with juggling the notebooks
and issues they might present. Having 25 students in a classroom and
limited amount of time will require few hands on a deck to help them get
going.

Prior Knowledge:
Before starting on this project, I will briefly introduce my students to the country
the collaborating class is going to represent and assign them homework to find
out one or two facts about that country. The children will share their finding the
following day. In addition, the students will be introduced to iEarn and basic
navigation principles will be practiced in class. Even though the children will not
be allowed to use the school scanner, I will model the steps of scanning a
photograph/document and saving it in the desired area.

Standards and Key Concepts

Content Standards:
Writing (English, Language Arts, and Reading)

4.2.A.3 Write narratives in which they recount a well elaborated event or short
sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings,
use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.
4.2.B.5 With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and
strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing.
4.2.B.6 With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to
produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
4.2.A.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use
facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or
section.
4.2.C.7 Participate in shared research and writing projects
Geography (Social Studies)
3.2.A.1. Use geographic tools to locate and describe places on Earth.
All State Standards retrieved from http://www.mdk12.org/esteachers/index.html

National Education Technology Standard for Students NETS (S):

1. Creativity and Innovation
- Students create original works as a means of personal or group
expressions
2. Communication and Collaboration
- Students interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others
employing a variety of digital environments and media
3. Digital Citizenship
- Students exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports
collaboration, learning, and productivity
All NETS standards retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students/nets-studentstandards-2007.aspx

Global Theme:
This project deals with the theme of, Race and Ethnicity: Human Commonality
and Diversity, by allowing students to concentrate on the topics such as daily
life, culture, traditions, and ethnic/cultural roots of students from other countries.
Through this project students will be able to compare similarities and differences
between different cultures.

Pre-Lesson Steps:
Below you will find a list of things I will have to do to prepare my class for this
project:

1. Find a class via iEarn to collaborate with

2. Create goals and objectives with the other teacher
3. Together with the collaborating teacher develop a lesson plan and a
tentative schedule
4. Prepare my class for this project (see prior knowledge section)
5. Line up parent volunteers who will help on regular basis
6. Pair up and introduce students for partner/collaborative work

Technology Use:
My Students will use mobile lab that RCES provides. Each child will have an
individual notebook to work on this project. They will use Word to write and edit
their letters, descriptions, and responses; they will need access to Internet to
connect with students on the other end and to access iEarn discussion area; they
will also need help with scanning their photos, taking and uploading new photos
and saving to their documents.

Essential Question (s): What are the key questions you want your
students to be able to answer successfully as a measure of whether the
unit was effective or not?
1. How is my daily life similar to my new friends life? (List two to three
similarities)

2. How is my daily life different from my new friends life? (List two to three
differences)
3. What did I learn about my new friends culture? (List at least three
facts/findings)
4. Name at least one landmark that can be found at your new friends
city/country.
5. Can I locate my and my new friends hometown/country on a map?

Starting Activity For Module: Describe the introductory hook for the
module. How will you stimulate global learning and what kinds of
experiences will you provide in the classroom?
What makes us so much alike and so much different? Lets explore
Here is a picture of my teacher friend who lives in Canberra, Australia and here is
a picture of me. I want you to look at these pictures and with your group
members write how are we similar.
Once the list is generated, I will contact my friend via Skype and we will talk
about time in Canberra, season/month both in Gaithersburg and Canberra, and
current weather.
Students will be asked to get together with their group members and generate a
list of differences that they found while listening to our conversation.
Once the lists are done, we will discuss how people are similar and different and
how the place we live makes us unique. I will also bring up a map of the world
and point Canberra, Australia and Gaithersburg, USA for them.

Lesson Plans

Week 1 (MP1, week 6)

Lesson 1
Getting to know
Introduction
to the project
Locating MD,
USA and
Canberra,
Australia on a
map
Making initial
contact with efriends and
introducing
themselves
(name, age)

Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
My country
My Name
This is Me
Say hello and Share a photo of
Share a photo
write 5 facts about self and write a
of self and write
your country in the paragraph to tell
a paragraph to
discussion area
your e-friend how
describe
Read your eyou got your name.
yourself (write
(Why is it special?
mostly about
friends
Who
are
you
named
your character
introduction to
after? Whats your
trait rather than
his/her country
familys
tradition
in
physical
In the comment
name giving?)
characteristics).
area, add any

Read
your
eadditional
friends post; find
information that
things that are
you might know
about this country. similar and different.

Week 2 (MP1, week 7)

6-Week Module Overview:

Lesson 5
My Family
Share a photo
of your family
and describe
your family
members.
Read your efriends post;
compare the
number of
people in your
house and
his/her house.
Comment on
something that
might have
surprised you.

Lesson 6
My Room
Share a photo
or draw a picture
of your room and
describe it.
Discuss with
your e-friend how
your rooms are
alike and how they
are different.

Lesson 7
My Pet
Share a photo of
your pet and write
about it. Write a
paragraph about
what you and your
pet love to do
together.
If you do not
have a pet, write a
paragraph on what
kind of pet would
you like to have and
why.

Lesson 8
My School
Write a
paragraph and
describe your
school and what
is it like.
Discuss with
your e-friend
how your
schools are alike
and how they
are different.

Week 3 (MP1, week 8)

Lesson 9
My School
Write a
paragraph and
describe your
classroom and
what is it like.
Discuss with
your e-friend
how your
classrooms are
alike and how
they are
different.

Lesson 10
My School
Write a
paragraph and
describe your
teacher.
Discuss with
your e-friend how
your teachers are
alike and how they
are different.

Lesson 11
Lesson 12
Hobbies
Book Worms
Write a paragraph Write the
and describe your
name of your
hobby (if you have
favorite book
more than one
and its author.
hobby, choose one
Write a
and elaborate).
paragraph to
Discuss with your explain why do
e-friend how your
you like this
hobbies are alike
book and what
and how they are
is the best part
different.
of it.
Comment on
something that
interested you.

Week 4 (MP1, week 9)

Lesson 13
Holidays
Write a
paragraph about
your favorite
holiday. Youre
your e-friend
why do you love
that holiday?
Why is it special
for you? How
youre your
family celebrate
it.
Comment on
something that
might have
surprised you.

Lesson 14
We are Alike
Together with
your e-friend look
at all the previous
posts and find 3 or
more similarities.
Write your
findings (using
bullet points) in
your discussion
area.

Lesson 15
Lesson 16
We are Different Diverse World
Together with
Look back at
your e-friend look at the last 4 weeks
all the previous
of
posts and find 3 or
communication/
more differences.
collaboration
and write a
Write your
paragraph about
findings (using
bullet points) in your what they have
learned.
discussion area.
Fill in
compare/contrast
chart provided by
the teacher

Week 5 (MP2, week

Lesson 17
(full lesson)
Landmarks
Introduction
to Landmark
project
Define and
explain what

Lesson 18
In-class Research
Research a US
landmark;
copy/paste the
picture into a word
document
Write the name

Lesson 19
In-class Research
cont.
Research a US
landmark;
copy/paste the
picture into a word
document

Lesson 20
Presentation
Use your
research
findings to
prepare Power
Point

Week 6 (MP2, week 2)

landmarks are.
Together with
your e-friend,
find a photo of a
famous
landmark,
copy/paste the
photo in the
discussion area,
write the name
of that landmark,
the city/country
where it can be
found, and one
interesting fact
about it.

of the landmark as
a title (above the
photo)
Where can this
landmark be
found?
City/State/Country

Write the name of

Lesson 21
Presentation
cont.

Lesson 22
Presentation
cont.

Lesson 23
Presentation
cont.

Presentation

the landmark as a
title (above the
photo)
Where can this
landmark be found?
City/State/Country
Write 3-5 facts
about this landmark

Continue
Watch your e Time to show
working on your
friends Power
what you have
Power Point
Point Presentation
learned about your
Presentation
In the
friends presentation
Share your
Use a Voki to
discussion area,
presentation with explain what do
record the name of
your e-friend
you like about this your e-friends
landmark and what Landmark. Mention
does it remind you the name of the
of.
city/country the
landmark can be
found in, and add 2
facts you have
learned from the
presentation.
Share your Voki

Lesson 24
Wrapping Up
Comment on
your e-friends
Voki. Make sure
to check for
correct
information.
Write a final
paragraph
thanking your efriend for the
experience and
teaching you
about his/her
life and country.

Detailed Lesson (Lesson 17 in the module)

Lesson Title

Landmark Project Introduction

Grade level

Second Grade

Concepts/Topics:

Writing/Social Studies

10

Length of Lesson 60 min.

Standards
Addressed

Measurement
Topics

Writing
4.2.A.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a
topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a
concluding statement or section.
Geography (Social Studies)
3.2.A.1. Use geographic tools to locate and describe places on Earth.
Informative/Explanatory
Students demonstrate proficiency of Grade 2
standards for this measurement topic by
composing, over shorter and extended time
frames, informative/explanatory texts with
evidence of:

an introduction to a topic.

facts and definitions to develop points.

a concluding statement or section.

Process, Production, and Research
Students demonstrate proficiency of Grade 2 standards
for this measurement topic by:

gathering and analyzing relevant information from print

and digital sources.

conducting short and sustained shared research and writing

projects for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and
audiences.

planning, revising, and editing based on conferences with

adults and peers.

using a variety of digital tools to produce and publish

writing.
Use of Language
Students demonstrate proficiency of Grade 2 standards
for this measurement topic by:

demonstrating command of grade-level grammar, usage,

spelling, and capitalization.

listening and speaking to develop and strengthen writing.

Geography
Students demonstrate proficiency of Grade 2
standards for this measurement topic by:

using geographic concepts and processes to recognize,

identify, define, describe, and compare locations and its relationship
to human activities.
11

Lesson Goal
Objectives

Technology
Required

What is a Landmark? Why are they important?

Where can landmarks be found?
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
- collaboratively select a famous landmark
- successfully copy the photo to the discussion area, add the
name of the landmark and location
- collaboratively research for 1 (or more) facts about the
chosen landmark
Laptops and headphones
Connection to Internet
iEarn Collaborative Network discussion area

Warm-up

9:00 9:05 Srart by watching Famous Landmarks of the World video

(http://youtu.be/yTAC3NcufTY)
9:05 9:07 Time to ponder: Students will brainstorm ideas on what does
this video have to do with todays lesson. Questions such as should be
asked:
- What did we watch?
- What does it have to do with todays lesson?
- What do you think we will learn about today?
- Why do you think we looked at both man-made features
and natural features?

Procedure

9:07 9:10 Open a flipchart called Landmarks. Gather children on the

carpet and introduce the word Landmark. Define the word and ask if
they can now understand the connection between this word and the video.
9:10 9:15 Go to the first page of the flipchart: Look at the collection of
nature made landmarks. Talk about their locations (hint: if needed, move
the picture to reveal the location) and their importance in the world.
9:15 9:20 Go to the second page of the flipchart: Look at the collection
of man-made landmarks. Talk about their locations (hint: if needed, move
the picture to reveal the location) and their importance in the world.
9:20 9:30 Send the children back to their seats and ask them to log in to
their notebooks. While notebooks are taking their time to load and let
them log in, explain the Landmark Project. Children should know that
they will be collaborating with their e-friends (pre-assigned from previous
project) in Australia to locate a famous landmark (using Internet), finding
the location of that landmark (city/country), the name of that landmark
and, at least one fact about it.

Collaborative
work time

9:30 9:55 Log in to iEarn collaborative network: http://www.iearn.org/

and proceed to the discussion area.
Together with your e-friend, use the websites provided and start working
on locating a famous landmark and researching facts about it.

12

Independent
Work to be
assessed by the
teacher

9:55 - 10:00 Use your finding to copy/paste it onto a word document and
turn to the teacher. Follow the rubric provided by the teacher. Use this
format to complete the assignment:
Name of the landmark
Photo of this landmark (insert here)

Location (city/country)

Facts

Accommodations
for high and low
achievers

Resources

Above grade level students, will be expected to produce a

document with at least 3 facts about the chosen landmark and one
fact about the country the landmark is found in.
Below grade level students, will receive help from the teacher
and/or paraeducator to guide them through the process of
researching for a landmark and will write one fact about it.

Below grade level students will work with a paraeducator or

parent volunteer to help them write/type up the facts into the
discussion area. The students will be expected to summarize their
findings into a coherent and structured sentence.
1. Sheppard Software (to help them locate famous landmarks)
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/worldgames/puzzles/jigsaw_m
enu.htm
2. A guide to famous American Landmarks for kids
http://www.areavibes.com/library/famous-american-landmarks13

kids/
3. 100 most famous Landmarks around the world
http://designlike.com/2011/12/05/100-most-famous-landmarksaround-the-world/

Rubric
Research Report : Famous Landmarks
Teacher Name: Mrs. Bayburtian
Student Name:

________________________________________

14

CATEGORY

Organization

Information is very
organized with name
of the landmark as a
title, location of the
landmark written
under the photo, and
facts provided at the
bottom of the page.
Facts should be
written in well
constructed
sentences.

Information is very
organized with name
of the landmark as a
title, location of the
landmark written
under the photo, and
facts provided at the
bottom of the page.
Facts are provided
but are not well
constructed.

Information is
The information
somewhat organized, appears to be
but paragraphs are disorganized.
not well-constructed.

Internet Use

Successfully uses
suggested internet
links to find
information and
navigates within
these sites easily
without assistance.

Usually able to use

suggested internet
links to find
information and
navigates within
these sites easily
without assistance.

Occasionally able to
use suggested
internet links to find
information and
navigates within
these sites easily
without assistance.

Quality of
Information

Information clearly
relates to the main
topic. It includes
several supporting
details and/or
examples.

Information clearly
relates to the main
topic. It provides 1-2
supporting details
and/or examples.

Information clearly
Information has little
relates to the main
or nothing to do with
topic. No details
the main topic.
and/or examples are
given.

Needs assistance or
supervision to use
suggested internet
links and/or to
navigate within these
sites.

Assignment Outline
____________________________
(name of the landmark)

15

(photo of the landmark)

Location: City/Country
____________________________________________________
Fact 1:

Fact 2:

Fact 3:

Fact about the country: ____________________________________

Assignment Sample

Geghard Monastery

16

Image retrieved from: http://www.armchemfront.com/2013/social.php

Located in Geghard, Kotayk Province in Armenia

Fact 1: Gregory the Illuminator founded the monastery complex in the 4th
century.
Fact 2: The monastery is entirely dug out of the rock.
Fact 3. Beautiful cliffs surround the Geghard monastery.

Fact about the country: The capital of Armenia is Yerevan.

References:
Hawkins, R.J. (n.d.). Ten lessons for ICT and education in the developing world.
World Links for Development Program, The World Bank Institute. Retrieved
from http://www.cid.harvard.edu/archive/cr/pdf/gitrr2002_ch04.pdf

17

Ho, Li-Ching (2009, November/December). Global multicultural citizenship

education: A Singapore experience. Retrieved
from http://www.hci.sg/admin/uwa/MEd7_8678/Global_Multicultural_Citizenship_
Education-A_Singapore_Experience.pdf

iEarn (2011). One day in my life project. Retrieved April 2, 2014 from
http://collaborate.iearn.org/space-2/group-6
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2007). NETS for
students 2007. Retrieved from: http://www.iste.org/standards/standards-forstudents/nets-student-standards-2007
MDK12. (2014) School Improvement in Maryland. Retrieved March 18, 2014
from http://www.mdk12.org/esteachers/index.html

18