coordinated by
Joan Brown
jobrown@icebox.ncook.k12.il.us
and
Jane Romack
jromac@icebox.ncook.k12.il.us
GOALS:
The goals for this project were to use telecommunications to interact with students in other locations; to reinforce skills taught in the curriculum - coordinates (mathematics) and map reading (social studies); and to extend a computer lab activity (Crosscountry USA) beyond the playing of the simulated computer program.
PLANNING:
All fifth grades in our school district study coordinates in mathematics and map reading in social studies. One of the software programs we use with fifth grade students in our computer lab, Crosscountry USA, offers reinforcement of these skills in a simulated game format. I wanted to "extend" this highly motivating program beyond the walls of the computer lab by developing a "geo game" to play with other schools.
Because I was aware that Irving Elementary School in Bloomington also uses Crosscountry USA, the media specialist there, Joan Brown, and I exchanged a series of email messages with each other discussing collaboration in using the computer program, designing a game sheet, and exchanging student work. Our initial email conversations took place when we exchanged Paper #2 as assigned in this course. (Please see email exchanges as part of this paper in appendix). We designed the project to directly relate classroom curriculum content to student activities in the computer lab and vice versa. I used the ISBE bulletin board to invite another media specialist in our school district to join our activity. (See email invitation in appendix).
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1. As preface to using the computer program, Crosscountry USA, the fifth grade students reviewed coordinates in the computer lab by using two other computer programs: Bumble Games by The Learning Company and Coordinate Math by MECC.
2. We learned the Crosscountry USA computer program as a whole class via computer hooked to monitor. The students then played in pairs on the IIe's in the computer lab.
3. After "playing" the computer program, Crosscountry USA, for two weeks in the computer lab, I explained the email communication between Joan Brown and myself to the students, as well as the project: to complete the game Sheets and exchange with Irving School across town - Crosstown USA.
4. Students mapped their routes on the game sheets during their regular media center class period. They were asked to name a destination city, a city from which to start, and three cities they would pass through as they traveled from starting point to destination. Filling out the game sheets required them to name coordinates and think of clues. They also completed the answer keys. We used one thirty-minute period to fill out the game Sheets to be sent: write in the coordinates and clues and complete the answer key.
5. We sent the the game Sheets by school mail to Irving School. Although we had planned to exchange the game sheets electronically, we changed the plan. Please see the relevant discussion in the PROBLEMS section. (Sample game Sheets are included in the appendix).
6. We received game sheets from Irving students and "played" by determining the starting and destination cities and those passed through from the coordinates and clues supplied. Students "checked" the accuracy of their work by unfolding one end of the game sheet, which included the answer key. Classes used a thirty minute library/learning center period to "play." I photocopied multiple copies of the sheets so that each pair of students could complete several game sheets as time allowed.
7. As an extension resource, Mr. Vincent Luckey, former truck driver and now owner of Luckey Trucking Company in Streator, came to speak with all fifth grade students at Washington School. Because the students had recently used Crosscountry USA in the computer lab, they were familiar with trucking terms, such as commodities, log book: they were able to understand Mr. Luckey's explanations and ask intelligent questions. Mr. Lucky brought a new cab for students to view and sit in. This "assembly" extended our computer lab activity into the area of vocational education.
8. As a follow-up activity, several students made a Crosstown bulletin board at the entrance to the computer lab. They included a map, sample game sheets, and photographs of our students in Mr. Luckey's truck.
RESULTS:
Three classes of fifth grades students at Washington School, totalling seventy-two students, participated in playing Crosscountry USA. Since they were allowed to work in pairs when creating the information on the game sheets, an average of twelve game sheets were produced from each class.
Students had the opportunity to review coordinates and map skills. I observed that practicing these skills was needed. They also had the opportunity to use creativity and thinking skills as they developed clues for the names of the cities.
Students were enthusiastic about creating the route on the game sheets and receiving the sheets from Irving School. Many students asked to create more than one game sheet.
Because the game sheet included the names of the students who created the route, students enjoyed the exchange of names when they read the coordinates and clues and determined the cities.
Students and teachers learned some of the limitations of email as I shared with them the difficulty in trying to design a format for exchanging the game sheet data electronically.
Positive results included a "stretching" of the attitudes of our students. When I mentioned the school with which we would be exchanging the game sheets, my students groaned. Our partner school, Irving, has a predominantly low-income racially mixed population, whereas our school, Washington, is predominantly middle/upper-income white. The game Sheets we received from Irving were at least as well-done and successful as those we sent. The Washington students were surprised. Our students enjoyed the project.
PROBLEMS:
1. Limited Scope - When Joan Brown and I proposed this project, we realized that it was limited in scope and audience. We decided we needed the project as a pilot to try out collaboration on a small scale before designing a larger project to be posted on the "network." Throughout the project we continued to acknowledge our narrow scope to each other. (During this semester we both had heavy professional and family responsibilities, and a limited project was all either of us could manage).
2. Game Sheet - The game sheet we included with our original proposal was not successful, because it had no place for an answer key. I designed two more before we had one we wanted to use. Each time I designed a new sheet, I sent it to Joan by email. She evaluated each and finally suggested we should position the page horizontally, which became the solution. (Please see drafts of game sheets in appendix).
3. Exchange of Information - Our original intent was to exchange the game sheet information electronically. We tried several formats before deciding that the time and effort to have the students type the information on the computer in order to send it electronically was not worthwhile - given our limited knowledge. I tried sending a database by pasting into the word processor, but learned that the format would not be retained when I first tested it by sending it to myself. I considered having a "form" that each student would fill in on the computer - which was too cumbersome. (A draft of this form is included in the appendix).
4. Maps: Our students all used the maps supplied with the computer program. I found that these maps didn't include some of the cities the students would like to have traveled to and from - such as Orlando (Disneyworld). In the future, I would use a different map, which would give the students experience with more than one map and allow them to transfer their practice from the Crosscountry USA maps to effective use of other maps.
5. Technical difficulties: We experienced difficulties with busy telephone lines, frequent inaccessibility to ICEBOX, and the timing of our messages to each other. Sometimes I needed a fast response to a question, and Joan either hadn't had time to "read her mail" or had been unable to access the system because of busy phone lines and/or technical problems with ICEBOX. Often we used Heartland FreeNet, because we both have that access at home. If that network was inaccessible, we used the ISBE connection. However, the variety of communication presented its own difficulties: sometimes Joan left me a message on a system I was temporarily unable to access and vice versa. Also, the variety of systems available meant that we had to check each system every day - which was not an efficient use of time.
6. Timing: The project extended over a longer period of time than we had anticipated. Ideally every week the regularly scheduled class time in the computer lab would have been another part of a four-five week activity. However, because of a busy school schedule, including teacher institute days, fifth grade class play, and spring break, the project was delayed. The students maintained their interest in using the computer program, but my teacher enthusiasm waned! I also observed that from the time we used coordinates in the computer lab to using them to complete the game sheets, students forgot what coordinates are!
EVALUATION:
Now that we have gone through the labor pains, I would like to try this kind of project again and invite (persuade) other elementary schools - especially in our district - to join. I have considered loaning our computer programs to another school to stimulate this project; however, only a few schools are equipped with Apple IIe labs which could accommodate. The schools without labs could play the program as a whole group with computer hooked to monitor. However, as students really do not need to use the computer program to participate in the extension - the email collaboration and the game sheets.
We were disappointed to be unable to exchange the game sheet data electronically. I think for this project to be more successful, there must be an easy way to do so. We will experiment with resolving this technicality.
In the future I would take a closer look at some of the network GEOGRAPHY projects and either use or learn from their format or try to join one in progress. Perhaps the project wouldn't have to relate so closely to the use of coordinates in order to fulfill the goal of using telecomunnications to interact with students in other locations. Another type of GEO project might suffice.
Through this project I experienced the pleasures, advantages, and disadvantages of planning and executing a collaborative project almost entirely by email - a valuable learning experience. Because of this experience, I am eager and more prepared to plan such projects with other teachers in distant locations.
Crosstown USA accomplished our goal to introduce students and teachers to telecommunications. It provided practice in curriculum content skills and extended our computer lab activity beyond the walls of the school.
ADDITONAL NETWORK ACTIVITIES:
Bridges to the World of Telecommunication
Project Participation
1. Australia - response to call for collaboration by Vijay at Victoria
University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
three second grades
2. There's a Monster in My Closet designed by Karen Thompson (Satex)
three third grades
3. Walk to the Moon designed by Siri Hartsfield (Satex)
three fourth grades
4. MythBusters designed by Bob Pearse (Satex)
three fifth grades