Overview

This lesson will introduce the students to the Internet-based collaborative project and the
partner schools with whom they will be working. They will use a map to find the location of
other schools that are participating in the project. Activities will include reading, writing and
geography.

Learning Objectives
The students will be able to:

Find their own school location on

a world map

Identify major parts of a world

map (land, oceans, rivers, etc.)

Mark selected countries on the

same map

Understand that they will be

working on a project that will
also be done by students in other
countries, and in different parts of
their own country

Understand that they will use the

computers and the Internet to
share information with these
other schools and students

Materials

Childrens book (see Related

Children's Books)

List of project participants

3x5 Cards

String

Tape

Medium sized container

Wall map of the world

Globe

Push pins and post-it notes

A folder for each student

Student copies of a world map or

student atlases

Time: Approximately four hours spread over a one week period.

Teacher Preparation:

Obtain a list of the participating schools; this can be found in the Project Data section
off of the main project web site.

On 3x5 cards write the school name, country, state/providence, city/town and address
for each participating school. On the back of the card write a number or a letter.

Fold cards and place into medium size container.

On large wall map locate each school and tape a long piece of string on the location.
At the other end of the string, staple an new index card with the corresponding letter
or number you previous record on the 3x5 card for that school. If you need assistance
finding the location of some of the schools try using http://www.mapquest.com (click
on the "Online Map" link and enter in as much information as you have for the
school's location).

Assemble student folders and place a student world map or atlas in each folder.

Procedures:
Activity #1: Project Introduction
For this activity, do the following:
1. Introduce this lesson by reading aloud one or more of the books listed below (or
choose a similar book). The goal is to engage the students interest and curiosity and
to get them excited about working with students from all over the world.
2. For older students you can stop occasionally and point out where some of the places
they are reading about are located on a world map.
3. After reading and discussing the book(s) explain that they are going to start a project
to learn what it is like to live in other parts of the world. Tell them that they are going
to use the computer and the Internet to communicate or "talk" with other students
from all around the world. Relate this to the books if possible.
Activity #2: Using a Map
For this activity, do the following:
1. Have the students take out their student maps or atlases. Give them a few minutes to
explore the maps and discuss them with their neighbor. As a class, discuss what they
found on the map and see what they already know about using them.
2. Take out the globe and large wall world map. Start by reviewing some basic map
concepts with the students. Explain what a map is and some of the basic symbols that
are found on it (e.g. What is land, what is water, political boundaries, etc.).
3. Discuss with the students where their school is located. On the board write down the
different ways that they describe their location. Ask them to tell you the street,
city/town, state/providence, and country that you are located in. If they lack this
information help them determine it by showing them letters with addresses on them or
taking them outside to look at the road signs.
4. Go over to the wall map and starting with the country, work your way down to the
state and city until you can approximate the location of the school. Please a piece of
string on the location and tape it in place. Hold out the string and have the students
visually note where they are located on the world map.
5. Have the students take out their students maps from their folders. Using the wall map
and the string marker have them locate their school on their own maps. Have them
place a mark on the location.

6. If you have selected a particular class with whom you will be working, tell the
students that, although many classes will be participating in the project, there will be
one class with whom they will be "special" partners. Locate and mark that school as
in Steps 4 and 5 above.
7. Complete the activity by discussing other places the students know about or have
family members living in. List these places on a wall chart and locate them on the
wall map.
Activity #3: Locating Other Participating Schools
For this activity, do the following:
1. Have students sit in a circle. Remind them of the project and the other schools with
whom they will be working with over the next few weeks.
2. Take out the container with the 3x5 cards and tell them that you have written down
the names and locations of each partner school on the cards. Explain that one at a time
you are going to let them pick a card from the container and find where it is located
on the wall map.
3. Show them an example card and demonstrate how they can use the number or letter
your wrote on them to find the corresponding card that is attached to the string and
wall map.
4. Go around the circle and allow one student at a time to select a card at random. Once
that student has selected the card have them go to the front of the room and locate the
corresponding card and string. Have them follow the string until they can see where
that school is located on the map. Before returning to their seat ask the students to
point out the location of their own school and the location of the selected school to the
rest of the class. Once the student returns to his seat move onto the next student until
all of the students have found a school.
5. Have students attach their 3x5 card to their folder for future reference.
6. Either during this activity or at "free" point during the week have students use the
wall map and strings to locate school once again.
Activity #4: Journey Around the World
For this activity, do the following:
1. Using their maps have the students write a short story about what it would be like to
travel from their own school to wherever their partner school is located. Have them
draw pictures of their trip to illustrate some of the most interesting aspect of it.
2. For young students, have them just draw pictures of the trip and then pair up and
discuss the trip with another student. If needed, you can have them dictate the story to
you and you can record it.
3. Ask the students to include the following in their story:

o Location of their school

o Some of the landmarks or sites in their community (parks, malls, playgrounds,
etc.) and where they are located relative to the school or home (e.g. there is a
park around the corner from my school)
o On their map they should draw the route they would take to get to their partner
school
o Some of the types of geographic areas they would need to travel through to get
to their partner school (rivers, lakes, oceans, mountains, etc.)
o Some pictures to illustrate the items above
4. All of their work from this lesson should be placed in their folders for future
reference. This folder can also act as a student portfolio for future assessment.