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Global Classroom Module: The Flat Stanley Project

Rachel Nachman
EDTC645 - Integration of Technology: Global Perspectives
October 29, 2014
Dr. Blesh

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Introduction
The Flat Stanley Project is a global collaborative unit designed for first grade students. This
unit involves three main components: learning about ones own culture, learning about the
culture of a student from another country, and comparing the two cultures.
For the first two weeks of the unit, students will engage in activities in which they learn about
culture and describe aspects of their own culture. They will take photos of Flat Stanley taking
part in daily activities such as eating meals, playing games, and going to school. Students will
write descriptions of their photos, in which they describe the activity taking place or situation
depicted.
For the following three weeks, students will use the ePals global network to communicate with
other first graders from another country. Students will be paired up with a student in the
partnering classroom. They will use the ePals project student forum to share their Flat Stanley
photos with their partner, as well as ask their partner questions and answer their partners
questions. Through these activities, students will learn more about their partners culture.
Throughout the next two weeks, students will use what they have learned to write an informative
writing piece in which they compare their culture to their partners culture. These informative
writing pieces, as well as all of the Flat Stanley photos and descriptions, will be compiled to
create a digital book.
For the last week of the project, students will have an opportunity to videoconference with the
partner class. Teachers will also share the digital book with students.
Henke (2007) states that as teachers, it is our responsibility to prepare our students for todays
workforce. She believes that while it is important that students learn academic skills, they need
to also learn the skills needed to succeed in todays society and economy. According to the
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards, these skills include the
ability to use technology for communication purposes, as well as the ability to communicate with
people from around the world. This project aims to help students in both classrooms develop
these critical skills while they are young. This project also aims to develop a sense of global
awareness and cultural awareness among young students in both classrooms. Additionally, this
project aligns with the Common Core State Standards as well as the Maryland State Education
Standards for Social Studies.
Overall, this project serves to develop students social studies, writing, and technology skills.
However, it is also hoped that as a result of this project, students will learn about different
cultures that exist in the world around them.

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Global Classroom Module Pre-Planning Template

Note: Revisions are in red.

Global Classroom Module

Pre-Planning Template

Designer: Rachel Nachman

Summary:
Throughout this project, students will be exposed to cultures and ways of life that
are different than their own. As a result of this project, students will be able to
compose an informative text that compares their culture with a different culture.

Background concerning the school and the group you are

working with:
17 first grade students
Oakland Terrace Elementary School is located in Silver Spring, Maryland.
It is extremely diverse with regards to race, and socioeconomic status.
o Demographics
32% White
27.4% Hispanic/Latino
21.4% African American
14.4% Asian
<5.0% Two or more races
<5.0% American Indian or Alaskan Native
<5.0% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
o Students within Oakland Terrace come from predominantly middle to
lower-middle class families
Oakland Terrace is a public school that operates within Montgomery
County Public Schools

Time frame:
Over an eight-week period divided into four different sections.

Subject And Grade level:

First Grade (Writing and Social Studies)

Proposed Topic and Rationale:

This project aims to expose students to different cultures and ways of life around

the world. The timeline for this project is as follows:

Weeks 1 & 2 Teachers will introduce this unit to students. Students will
learn about culture, as well as what comprises a culture, during these first
two weeks of the unit. Students will document their daily lives through
photographs and through written descriptions of these photographs.
Additionally, Flat Stanley will also be found in each photograph. Through
their photographs, writing, and the instructional lessons, students will learn
that ones culture includes aspects such as how people live, work, and
play. Students will also learn that ones culture includes components such
as holidays, celebrations, food, and traditions.
Weeks 3, 4, & 5 Students will use ePals.com to communicate with their
partner from the partnering classroom. They will share their photographs
and descriptions with their partner. Additionally, students will also generate
questions that they wish ask about their partners culture. Students will
conduct interviews in which they can ask their partner questions about
his or her photographs and culture. Students will also answer questions
about their own culture.
Weeks 6 & 7 Using what they have learned, students will write an
informative writing piece that compares their culture to their partners
culture.
Week 8 Students will have an opportunity to communicate via a
videoconference. Additionally, all Flat Stanley photos, as well as all
informative writing pieces, will be compiled to create a digital book for both
classrooms to save. This digital book will be shared with students during
the final week of the unit.
Overall, as a result of this project, it is my hope that students will develop a sense
of global and cultural awareness. This project also aims to develop students
ability to use technology to communicate, as this is a critical skill needed to
succeed in todays workforce. Through this project, students will have the
valuable opportunity of collaborating and communicating with others from around
the world. They will also develop their social studies knowledge and writing skills.

Global Network You Plan to Use: ePals

Key Challenges:
Challenge #1: Level of writing ability among students in each class
Solution: Some students in first grade have a difficult time with composing

legible, understandable written text. Thus, to solve this problem, I will provide
extra guidance for these students when composing their descriptions of their
photos, interview questions, as well as when composing their informative writing
piece.
Challenge #2: Reading ability among students in each class
Solution: At such a young age, many students struggle with reading. As a
solution, I will provide extra support to those students who struggle reading their
partners written description of the photo. Because a reading strategy is to use
the illustrations to determine unknown words, I will encourage students to use the
photographs to help foster comprehension. Additionally, it may be a good idea to
partner higher readers with other higher readers, as well as lower readers
with other lower readers. I will also help students read their partners interview
questions and answers.
Challenge #3: Potential Limited English Proficiency in partner class
Solution: While this issue is not definite, there could be a challenge with regards
to English proficiency in the partner class. Because my students struggle with
reading English, they may struggle even more if they are reading imperfect
English. This needs to be considered when choosing a partner class.
Challenge #4: Level of analysis needed to compose informative texts with a
comparison structure
Solution: Some students struggle with the skill of comparison. To solve this
issue, I will first need to review how we compare and contrast. By reviewing this
skill on a basic level, I am hoping to set the foundation for when students
compare their lives to the lives of others around the world.
Challenge #5: Level of technological proficiency among students
Solution: Some students may have difficulty with using the computers or with
typing (especially if they do not have access to a computer at home). Thus, extra
support and extra time may need to be provided to these students.
Challenge #6: The partnering classrooms are not on the same schedule/same
step of the unit
Solution: As highlighted in the module timeline, it is critical that both classrooms
engage in the same lesson on the same day (or around the same day). This is
due to the communication aspect of this project. Thus, both teachers must be in
constant communication in order to ensure that both classes stay on schedule in
the completion of this unit.

Prior Knowledge:

Basic reading and writing skills

Basic computer and typing skills
Knowledge and understanding of the word culture
To succeed in this unit, students must possess basic reading and writing skills. I
will use formal assessment data, as well as informal and observational
assessment data, to determine my students current reading and writing skills.
Students must also possess basic computer and typing skills. I will use previous
observational/anecdotal data to determine my students level of technological
proficiency.
Furthermore, students must have a general, basic understanding of the word
culture. While we will discuss what this word means and what makes ones
culture, students should understand that culture refers to a way of life. To assess
this, I will conduct a preliminary lesson on culture to gauge my students
understandings.

Content Standards:
Common Core State Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.7 Use the illustrations and details in a text to
describe its key ideas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they
name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of
closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.5 With guidance and support from adults, focus on
a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to
strengthen writing as needed.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.6 - With guidance and support from adults, use a
variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration
with peers.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.8 - With guidance and support from adults, recall
information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to
answer a question.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.4 - Describe people, places, things, and events with
relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.5 - Add drawings or other visual displays to

descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
Maryland State Education Standards (Social Studies)
2.A.1.a - Observe and describe ways people in their school and community meet
human needs for food, clothing, shelter, and other commonalities, such as
recreation, music, and stories
2.A.1.b - Discuss and respect traditions and customs of families in the community
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards:
Communication and Collaboration:
2.a Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a
variety of digital environments and media.
2.b Communicate information and ideas to multiple audiences using a variety
of media and formats.
2.c Develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with
learners of other cultures.
2.d Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.
Digital Citizenship:
5.a Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and
technology.
5.b Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports
collaboration, learning, and productivity.

Global Theme:
This project relates to the Race and Ethnicity: Human Commonality and
Diversity category. Throughout this project, students will learn about a culture
that is different than their own. However, they will also explore the similarities
between both cultures. Students will develop an understanding that while
cultures may be different, they are similar as well. Overall, this project aims to
develop global and cultural awareness among students.

Pre-Lesson Steps:
There are various steps that must be taken prior to introducing this lesson to

students. Both teachers involved in this project should collaborate in the prelesson process:
Develop an idea for the project
Identify educational standards that align to the project
Brainstorm ways that technology will be used to promote student learning
and develop global technology, awareness, and collaboration skills
Identify educational objectives and an essential question for the project
Create lesson plans and activities to be used throughout the project
Develop a summative assessment of student learning

Technology Use:
Students will watch a video as an introduction to culture.
Students will take digital photographs of their Flat Stanley taking part in
various daily activities (such as going to school, eating dinner, and playing
a game or sport).
Students will type their written descriptions of their photos. Teachers will
attach each description to its corresponding photograph using Microsoft
Word. These will then be sent to the partnering classroom. These pages
will also be combined to form a digital book.
Students will use ePals to communicate with partnering students and to
conduct interviews.
Students will use technology to compose their informative writing piece.
These will also be combined to form a digital book.
If possible, students will communicate via Skype or an alternative
videoconferencing software.

Essential Question (s):

What are some characteristics of my culture?
How is my culture different than my partners culture?
How is my culture similar to my partners culture?

Starting Activity For Module:

To introduce this module, I will explain to students that we will be learning about
culture. I will tell students that in a few weeks, we will use computers to
communicate with students from another country. I will also explain that not only
will we be learning about our culture, but we will also be learning about the
culture of students from this country.
We will begin by learning about culture, as well as identifying the different ways

that people live, work, and play. This will help students think about their prior
experiences relating to their own culture, and will serve as the foundation for this
project.

Lesson Plans:
Summary of Two Lesson Plans:
Lesson #1: This will be the introductory lesson of the unit. Students will learn
about culture by reading an informational text and watching a video. We will
discuss the culture of the Inuit people who live in the Arctic. Students will also
identify and describe the ways that people in their own community live, work, and
play.
Lesson #2: This lesson will entail global communication between both
classrooms. Students will generate questions that they want to ask about their
partners culture. They will then have the opportunity to ask these questions, as
well as respond to their partners questions.
Summative Assessment:
As a summative assessment for this project, students will write an informative
writing piece that describes the similarities and differences between their culture
and their partners culture.

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Statement of Revisions
After receiving the instructors feedback, I revised some ideas for this global classroom module.
First, the instructor recommended that I extend the timeline of this unit due to the extensive
amount of activities included. Therefore, rather than this unit taking place for six weeks, it will
take place over eight weeks. The revised timeframe for this unit can be found in the pre-planning
template.
Additionally, the instructor recommended that I include Flat Stanley Project to the global
network used. However, there is no existing Flat Stanley Project for first grade students on
ePals.com. Thus, a new project on this global network will need to be created for this unit. I did
try and create a new project on ePals.com; however, the global network is currently not accepting
new projects due to the revamping of its collaborative project space.
Furthermore, while I was designing this module, I identified two additional challenges that were
not on my original pre-planning template. These challenges were added to the pre-planning
template. One of the challenges relates to technological proficiency, and this was added to the
prior knowledge section of the revised pre-planning template as well.
As I was creating the lesson plans, I realized that I did not include Maryland State Education
Standards for Social Studies on the pre-planning template. These standards were added to the
pre-planning template. I also added an additional example of technology use.
In addition, my original plan for my starting activity for this unit is different than the starting
activity I am using for my lesson plans. The revised introduction activity is included in the preplanning template.
Lastly, the two lesson plans included in this global module are different than the two lesson plans
I originally intended to include. A brief summary of each of these lessons is included within the
revised pre-planning template.

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Module Timeline
The following is a timeline for the implementation of this unit.

Each lesson is designed to be implemented during either a 30-minute or 45-minute block.

For homework on the night that lesson #4 is implemented, students should take one photo
of their Flat Stanley. They should bring this photo in (or this photo should be e-mailed to
the teacher) on the day that lesson #5 is implemented. This same routine should be
followed for the next two lessons.

During weeks 3-5, it is critical that the lessons are implemented on the same day in both
classrooms. If the lessons are not implemented on the same day, the partnering teacher
must be informed.

Week 8 must begin on the same day for both classrooms (the videoconference should not
be conducted until all students finish their informative writing pieces).

Unless otherwise indicated, lessons will be conducted in the classroom.

The teachers will create the digital book once week 7 is completed. Because students will
not be involved in the creation of this book, it is not referenced in the timeline below.

Weeks 1 & 2
Lesson #1:

Lesson #2:

Lesson #3:

Unit Introduction

Review Culture

Review Culture

What Is Culture?

What are traditions?

What are holidays?

How do people in our What are some

community live, work, traditions that your
and play?
family has?

What are some

holidays that your
family celebrates?

45 minutes
Lesson #5:

45 minutes
Lesson #6:

45 minutes
Lesson #7:

Writing A Description
Of Our First
Photograph

Writing A Description
Of Our Second
Photograph

Writing A Description
Of Our Third
Photograph

45 minutes

30 minutes

30 minutes

Lesson #4:
Introduction To Flat
Stanley Photographs
Flat Stanley In Our
School (Modeling how
to take a Flat
Stanley photo).

45 minutes

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Weeks 3, 4, & 5
Lesson #8:
Introduction Of
Partnering Classroom
Where Are Our ePals
From?
Assigning Partners
30 minutes
Lesson #12
(Computer Lab):
Responding To Our
Partners Third Photo

30 minutes

Lesson #9
(Computer Lab):

Lesson #10
(Computer Lab):

Lesson #11
(Computer Lab):

Introduce ePals.com

Responding To Our
Partners First Photo

Responding To Our
Partners Second
Photo

Netequitte
Sharing Our First
Photo
45 minutes
Lesson #13:

Sharing Our Second

Photo

Sharing Our Third

Photo

45 minutes
Lesson #14
(Computer Lab):

45 minutes
Lesson #15
(Computer Lab):

Generating Questions
(What else do we want Asking Our Partner
to know about our
Questions
partners culture?)

Responding To Our
Partners Questions

30 minutes

30 minutes

30 minutes

Weeks 6 & 7
Lesson #16:

Lesson #17:

Planning Our
Informative Writing
(Topic #1)

Planning Our
Informative Writing
(Topic #2)

30 minutes
Lesson #20
(Computer Lab):

30 minutes
Lesson #21
(Computer Lab):

Composing Our
Informative Writing
Piece & Adding
Illustrations (Topic
#2)

Composing Our
Informative Writing
Piece & Adding
Illustrations (Topic
#3)

Lesson #18:
Planning Our
Informative Writing
(Topic #3)

30 minutes

Lesson #19
(Computer Lab):
Composing Our
Informative Writing
Piece & Adding
Illustrations (Topic
#1)
45 minutes

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45 minutes

45 minutes

Week 8
Lesson #22:
Videoconference

Lesson #23:
Unit Closure
Reading Our Digital
Book

30 minutes

30 minutes

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Lesson Plan #1
The following lesson plan is designed for lesson #1 (see above timeline).
Lesson Title: Introduction To Culture
Grade Level/Subject Area: 1st Grade (Social Studies and Writing)
Concept/Topic and Essential Questions:
What is culture?
What are ways that people in our community live, work, and play?
Length of Lesson: 45 minutes
Standards Addressed:
Maryland State Education Standards (Social Studies)
Standard 2.0 Peoples of the Nation and World
2.A.1.a - Observe and describe ways people in their school and community meet human
needs for food, clothing, shelter, and other commonalities, such as recreation, music, and
stories
Mastery Objectives:
Students will be able to identify one way in which people in our community live.
Students will be able to identify one way in which people in our community work.
Students will be able to identify one way in which people in our community play.
Students will be able to describe one way in which people in our community live, work,
or play.
Lesson Materials:
Computer with projection capabilities
What Is Culture? Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o32l-_U6nGY)
Life In The Arctic by Betsy Herbert
White poster paper (6 pieces)
Crayons
Ways That People In Our Community Live, Work, and Play Assessment (Appendix A)
Introduction:
This is the first lesson of the unit, and thus, it serves as a unit introduction. The teacher will
explain to students that we will be learning about culture. The teacher will tell students that in a
few weeks, we will use computers to communicate with students from another country. The
teacher will also explain that not only will we be learning about our culture, but we will also be
learning about the culture of students from this country.
Lesson Procedure (to be completed after the introduction):
Have students sit on the carpet. Ask students if they have heard of the word culture
before. Provide time for students to think about this word. After students have had some
time to think, ask for volunteers to share if they have heard this word, and if so, what it
means.
Explain to students that culture is how people live and what people believe. Remind
students that for the next eight weeks, we will be learning about culture. Remind students
that we will be learning about our culture, as well as the culture of students from another
country.

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Introduce the video What Is Culture? by explaining to students that this video shows
the different things that make up a culture. For example, what we eat, the holidays we
celebrate, and the clothes we wear are all part of our culture.
o Pause the video after each section (beliefs, food, clothes, etc.) to discuss the
different images that students saw in that section of the video.
After the video is finished, explain to students that what we eat may be different than the
food that students from another country eat. Explain that the games we play may be
different than the games students from other countries play, and that the holidays we
celebrate may be different than the holidays that students from around the world
celebrate. Explain that these differences are okay; its what makes us who we are and its
important to have so many different cultures around the world.
Introduce the informational text Life In The Arctic by Betsy Herbert. Explain to students
that this text describes the way that the Inuit people in the Arctic live.
Read the informational text out loud to students:
o After reading the title and showing the cover to students, ask students to identify
which aspect of culture we can see on the cover (we can see the clothes that
people wear). Ask students to describe this aspect of the Inuit peoples culture
(they wear heavy coats and what looks like Native American clothing).
o After reading page 5, ask students to identify which aspect of culture we can see
in the photograph (we can see where people live). Ask students to describe these
houses (they look like tents, theyre shaped like triangles, theyre covered with
fur).
o After reading page 6, ask students to identify which aspect of culture we can see
in the photograph (we can see how people work). Ask students to describe how the
Inuit people work (they get ready for winter by preparing food).
o After reading page 7, ask students to identify which aspect of culture we can see
in the photograph (we can see the food that the Inuit people eat). Ask students to
describe the food that the Inuit people eat (they eat lots of fish from the ocean and
then save the fish for the winter). Ask students why they think the fish needs to be
saved for the winter (because in the winter, the ocean freezes and the Inuit people
may not be able to get fish).
o After reading page 8, ask students to identify which aspect of culture we can see
in the photograph (we can see where people live). Ask students to describe another
place in which the Inuit people live (the house is a lot bigger than the tent, it
keeps the Inuit people a lot warmer than the tent).
o After reading page 9, ask students to identify which aspect of culture we can see
in the photograph (we can see the clothes that the Inuit people wear). Ask students
to describe the clothes that the Inuit people are wearing in this photograph (they
are wearing big shirts made of fur). Explain to students that these big shirts are
called parkas. Ask students to think about why the Inuit people need to wear
these parkas and to share their answer (the parkas keep the Inuit people warm).
o After reading page 10, ask students to identify which aspect of culture we can see
in the photograph (we can see the clothes that people wear). Ask students to
describe the shoes that the Inuit people are wearing (they are boots, they look
soft). Ask students to describe why the Inuit people need to wear these boots (to

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keep themselves warm).
o After reading page 11, ask students to identify which aspect of culture we can see
in the photograph (we can see how the Inuit people travel). Ask students to
describe how the Inuit people travel (they use sleds and snowmobiles).
After reading the book, ask students to think about some ways that we can describe the
Inuit peoples culture. Have students share their answers with a partner. After about a
minute, ask for students to share their answers with the whole class.
Explain to students that a culture includes the way that people live, work, and play.
Today, students will be brainstorming the way that people in our community live, work,
and play.
o How We Live can include where we live, the foods we eat, and the clothes we
wear
o How We Work can include the jobs people have, the chores people have, and the
school work children do
o How We Play can include the different games and sports people play.
Divide students up into six groups (5 groups of three students and 1 group of two
students).
o Assign two groups the topic of how people in our community live
o Assign two groups the topic of how people in our community work
o Assign two groups the topic of how people in our community play
Explain that with their group, students will be creating a poster that highlights different
ways in which people live, work, or play.
Provide time for students to collaborate with their group members to come up with ways
that people either live, work, or play. After about three minutes, provide each group with
a piece of white poster paper. Explain to students that on their poster paper, they will
draw different ways that people either live, work, or play (depending on their assigned
topic). Students can also write captions or labels on their poster as well. Allow students to
work on their poster for 10-12 minutes.
After groups have finished working on their posters, call all students back to the carpet.
Provide time for each group to share their poster with the class.
Direct students to go back to their seat to complete the assessment for this lesson (see
below).
Assessment:
Explain the Ways That People In Our Community Live, Work, and Play assessment to
students.
o Students will be drawing one way in which people in our community live, one
way in which people in our community work, and one way in which people in our
community play.
Note: See Accommodations and Differentiation section of this lesson
plan for a note on how this assessment can be differentiated.
o Students will choose one picture to write a sentence about.
o A set of criteria for determining students proficiency level is included on the back
of this assessment
o Per the school systems curriculum, the following grading scale will be used:

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P Proficient
I In Progress
N Not Yet In Progress
ES Exceeds Standard

Closure:
Explain to students that the next day, we will be talking about traditions that our families have.
Traditions make up a persons culture as well, and everyone has different traditions.
Technology Requirements:
Computer with the ability to project onto a screen (such as a Promethean or Smart Board)
Internet connection (for YouTube video)
Related URLs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o32l-_U6nGY (What Is Culture Video)
Follow-Up:
The follow-up lessons during weeks 1 and 2 will focus on:
Traditions
Holidays
The introduction of Flat Stanley and photographing Flat Stanley around our school.
Photographing Flat Stanley outside of school
Writing descriptions of three Flat Stanley photographs
These follow-up lessons aim to help students learn more about different aspects of their own
culture.
Classroom Management:
Students will be given verbal reminders of remaining time throughout the different
instructional activities within the lesson. This will better help students pace their work.
Students will be engaged in whole-group, small-group, and independent activities. Thus,
they will not just be sitting listening to the teacher talk throughout the entire duration of
the lesson.
Students of all races, genders, and ability levels will be asked to share their thoughts and
ideas throughout the lesson.
Accommodations and Differentiated Instruction:
When working in small groups, students will be grouped heterogeneously.
Students who require extra prompting to stay on task will be provided with these
reminders.
Students will have the option to include captions and labels on their posters (catering to
those students who enjoy writing or who are better able to write).
Students who have difficulty with spelling and writing will be asked to try to write their
sentences on the assessment; however, will also have the opportunity to dictate their
sentences to the teacher.
Rather than drawing three pictures on the assessment, students with fine motor
difficulties will be provided with three pre-cut pictures (one picture for each category).
They will sort the three pictures and glue them into the correct box on the assessment.
They will then write a sentence about one of the pictures.

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Lesson Plan #2
The following lesson plan is designed for lessons #13, #14, and #15 (see timeline above). These
three lessons are all related to each other and thus, are being combined for the purpose of this
lesson plan.
Lesson Title: Learning About My Partners Culture & Describing My Own Culture
Grade Level/Subject Area: 1st Grade (Social Studies and Writing)
Concept/Topic and Essential Questions:
What do I still want to learn about my partners culture?
How can I describe my culture?
Length of Lesson: 3 30-minute sessions
Standards Addressed:
Common Core State Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.8 - With guidance and support from adults, recall information from
experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.4 - Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant
details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
Maryland State Education Standards (Social Studies)
Standard 2.0 Peoples of the Nation and World
2.A.1.a - Observe and describe ways people in their school and community meet human
needs for food, clothing, shelter, and other commonalities, such as recreation, music, and
stories
ISTE Standards for Students
Communication and Collaboration
2.a Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety
of digital environments and media.
2.c Develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of
other cultures.
Mastery Objectives:
Students will be able to generate at least three questions to ask about their partners
culture
Students will be able to use details to answer at least one of their partners questions
Students will be able to use technology to communicate with their partner
Lesson Materials:
Lesson #13:
Promethean Board, Smart Board, or overheard projector
Indonesian wedding photograph
(http://a.abcnews.com/images/WN/ht_indowedding1_080625_ssh.jpg)
6 stacks of Post-It notes

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6 pieces of poster paper (with topics pre-written)

Questions About My Partners Culture (Appendix B)

Lesson #14:
Computer lab with 1 teacher computer (hooked up to a projection screen or board) and 17
student computers (both with Internet connection)
Using Technology To Communicate Observational Checklist (Appendix C)
Lesson #15:
Computer lab with 1 teacher computer (hooked up to a projection screen or board) and 17
student computers (both with Internet connection)
Using Technology To Communicate Observational Checklist (Appendix C)
Student Response Grading Form (Appendix D)
Introduction:
To introduce this lesson, the teacher will explain to students that now that we have seen our
partners Flat Stanley photos, we have a better idea of our partners culture. However, we may
still have questions that we want to ask in order to learn more about our partners culture. The
teacher will also explain that over the next few days, we will be asking our partner questions
about his or her culture. We will also be answering questions that our partner has about our
culture.
Lesson Procedure (to be completed after the introduction):
Lesson #13:
Remind students that throughout the year, we have been practicing asking questions about
stories that we read. Ask students to share the different question words (who, what,
where, when, why, and how).
Explain to students that today, we will be thinking about questions that we want to ask
our partner about his or her culture.
Using either the Promethean Board, Smart Board, or overhead projector, show students a
photograph of an Indonesian wedding. Have student think of a question that they can ask
about this photograph, and have students share their question with the person sitting next
to them. Remind students that questions start with the question words that were just
discussed. Encourage pairs of students to brainstorm more questions. After one or two
minutes, ask students to share the questions that they and their classmate were discussing.
Explain to students that they will be divided into groups, and each group will be given a
different topic. Groups need to think of as many questions that relate to that topic about
their partners culture. Model this activity by saying, For example, if I were in the
sports group, one question I can ask my partner is: What sports do people play in your
country? Students will write each question on a Post-It note.
Divide students into six groups (5 groups of three students and 1 group of two students).
Assign each group a different topic.
o Food
o Sports

20

o Jobs
o Games
o School
o Holidays
Give each group a stack of Post-Its and a piece of poster paper with their topic written on
the top. Give students 10 minutes to collaborate with their partners to think of questions,
write them on the Post-It notes, and stick them to the paper.
After 10 minutes, ask each group to share two or three questions that they have written.
Direct students to return to their seats and explain the assessment for this lesson
(Questions About My Partners Culture). For this assessment, direct students to
independently write three questions that they can ask about their partners culture.

Lesson #14:
Remind students that yesterday, they wrote three questions that they wanted to ask their
partner. Today, they will be using ePals to ask their partner these questions.
Using the computer that is hooked up to a projection device, review how students access
the units Project Space and access the projects student forum. Remind students that
they will be using this forum to communicate with their partner.
o Note: This is not the first time that students will be accessing the projects student
forum.
Model/review how students can start a new thread in the student forum. Create a new
thread using the topic name [Teachers Name]s Questions For [Partnering Teachers
Name] and model how to type and post three questions.
o For example: Ms. Nachmans Questions For Ms. __________
Distribute students written questions from the day prior. Explain to students that they
will be typing these questions and posting them in a new topic within the ePals student
forum for their partner to read. The topic name of their thread should be [Students First
Name]s Questions For [Partners First Name]. Remind students to look at any changes
or corrections made to their questions (spelling, grammar, etc.).
o Note: If the partnering class has already posted their questions, tell students to not
focus on these questions. They will have an opportunity to answer their partners
questions tomorrow. Rather, the focus of todays lesson is to solely ask their
questions.
Provide time (about 10-15 minutes) for students to type their questions into the ePals
project student forum. Remind students that they are creating a new thread (and remind
students of the threads title) for their questions.
As students are working, monitor their use of technology to communicate with their
partner. Additionally, provide any support on an as needed basis.
o Use the Using Technology To Communicate Observational Checklist to
collect anecdotal assessment data.
Lesson #15:
Remind students that yesterday, they asked their partner three questions about his or her
culture. Their partner also posted questions for them to answer. Today, we will be

21
answering those questions.
Using the computer that is hooked up to a projection device, review how students access
the projects Project Space and access the projects student forum. Remind students that
they will be using this forum to communicate with their partner.
Model how students can access their partners questions. Look for the thread that contains
the questions written by the partnering teacher (it should be under the name [Partner
Teachers Name]s Questions For [Teachers Name].
o For example, the model thread should be called Ms. ____________s Questions
For Ms. Nachman.
Model how to read the questions written by the partnering teacher and how to type and
post a response.
o Provide an example of a response that lacks detail (a 1-sentence response) and a
response that includes detail. Ask students to describe the difference between
these two responses.
o Explain that when we respond to our partners questions, we need to include detail
in our response.
Provide time (about 10-15 minutes) for students to type their answers to their partners
questions into the thread.
As students are working, monitor their use of technology to communicate with their
partner. Additionally, provide any support on an as needed basis.
o Students may need support with reading their partners questions, formulating a
response, and typing a response.
o Use the Using Technology To Communicate Observational Checklist to
collect anecdotal assessment data.
Assessment:
The Questions About My Partners Culture assessment will be given to determine if
students are able to generate at least three questions to ask about their partners culture.
o A set of criteria for determining students proficiency level is included on the
bottom of this assessment
o Per the school systems curriculum, the following grading scale will be used:
P Proficient
I In Progress
N Not Yet In Progress
ES Exceeds Standard
While students are using the ePals student forum to type their questions and their
responses to their partners questions, use the Using Technology To Communicate
Observational Checklist to note their comfort level and ability level regarding the use of
technology to communicate with their partner.
Once students have finished posting their responses to their partners questions, grade
students responses using the Student Response Grading Form.
o Note: Due to the lack of control over the questions that students are answering,
students should be graded on at least one of their responses (students have no
control over whether they are asked a question that they cannot answer).
Closure:

22
Explain to students that next week, they will use their partners photos, written descriptions of
the photos, and interview responses to begin planning their informative writing piece.
Technology Requirements:
Lesson #13:
Promethean Board, Smart Board, or overheard projector
Lesson #14:
Computer lab with 1 teacher computer (hooked up to a projection screen or board) and 17
student computers
Internet connection
Lesson #15:
Computer lab with 1 teacher computer (hooked up to a projection screen or board) and 17
student computers
Internet connection
Related URLs:
http://www.epals.com
o This project is not an existing ePals project. Thus, for the purpose of this lesson
plan, the related URL is the main ePals homepage.
Follow-Up:
The follow-up lessons during weeks 6 and 7 will focus on:
Using the information collected through global communication to plan and write an
informative writing piece
Including illustrations within writing to clarify ideas
Classroom Management:
Support will be provided to students on an as-needed basis in order to limit behavior
problems and confusion (which can lead to behavior issues).
Students will be given verbal reminders of remaining time throughout the different
instructional activities within the lesson. This will better help students pace their work.
Throughout the sequence of these three lessons, students will be engaged in whole-group,
small-group, and independent activities. Thus, they will not just be sitting listening to the
teacher talk throughout the entire duration of the lesson.
Students of all races, genders, and ability levels will be asked to share their thoughts and
ideas throughout the lesson.
Accommodations and Differentiated Instruction:
When working in small groups (during lesson #13), students will be grouped
heterogeneously.
Students who require extra prompting to stay on task will be provided with these
reminders.
Students who have difficulty with spelling and writing will be asked to try to write their
questions; however, they will also have the option to dictate their sentences to the teacher.
Students with fine motor difficulties will be able to use text-to-speech software to help
during the typing process.

23

Students who struggle with reading will be encouraged to read their partners questions
and responses; however, support in reading will be provided.
Students who struggle with writing will be encouraged to draft a response to their partner;
however, teacher support will be provided on an as-needed basis.

24
Appendix A Ways That People In Our Community Live, Work, and Play

Name:

Date:

Ways That People In Our Community Live, Work, and Play

Draw one way in which people in our community live, work, and play.
How People In Our
Community Live

How People In Our

Community Work

Write a sentence about one of the pictures that you drew above.

How People In Our

Community Play

25

Appendix A Ways That People In Our Community Live, Work, and Play

Proficiency will be determined by

_____ Can students identify one way in which people live, work, and play?
_____ Can students describe one way in which people live, work, or play?

ES

26
Appendix A Ways That People In Our Community Live, Work, and Play

Pictures For Differentiated Assessment:

27
Appendix B Questions About My Partners Culture

Name:

Date:

Questions About My Partners Culture

Write three questions that you can ask your partner about his or
her culture.
1.

2.

3.

Proficiency will be determined by

_____ Are students questions relevant to their partners culture?
_____ Do students questions make sense?
_____ Do students questions begin with a question word?

Appendix C To Communicate
Checklist

ES

Using Technology
Observational

28

Students Name:
Date:

When using technology, can the student

____ Navigate through the student forum successfully?
____ Convey messages and ideas through typing?
____ Read his or her partners questions and responses?
On a scale from 1-5, rate the students comfort
level with using technology to communicate with
others:
1
Uncomfortable

Comments:

Comfortable

Very Comfortable

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Appendix D Student Response Grading Form

Students Name:
Date:

Note: Each response should be graded separately.

Students Response #1:
____ Does the students response answer his or her
partners question?
____ Does the students response include relevant details?
Students Response #2:
____ Does the students response answer his or her
partners question?
____ Does the students response include relevant details?
Students Response #3:
____ Does the students response answer his or her
partners question?
____ Does the students response include relevant details?

30

References
Henke, K. G. (2007) Measuring up in a flat world. Technology & Learning. Retrieved from
http://www.techlearning.com/showArticle.php?articleID=196604144
International Society for Technology in Education. (2007). ISTE Standards for Students.
Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-S_PDF.pdf
Maryland State Department of Education. (2006). Maryland State Education Standards (Social
Studies). Retrieved from
http://mdk12.org/instruction/curriculum/social_studies/standard1/grade1.html
National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School
Officers. (2010). Common Core State Standards. Retrieved from
http://www.corestandards.org