Summary: This set of activities begins the presentation of one school and one set of students to another.
Materials:
camera, digital if possible
Classroom Management: The problem with this activity is not the writing but the entry into the computer of all of the descriptive paragraphs. Students could be organized into teams of 5 students (with names they make up, logos etc.) and they could rotate the responsibility for data entry.
Activity Steps:
1. Presentation of students. Each student should be registered in the PARTICIPANTS section of the on-line Linked Neighborhood. See HELP in the Resources Section in the navigator bar at the bottom of this page.
Ask each student to take five minutes and write a paragraph about themselves. Then they should pick an icon representing themselves or attach a photograph.
If students are stuck with the descriptive sentences, they might ask a friend to help them out. They might describe what they look like, mention the music they like, what they want to be when they grow up, special features of their family, a book they just finished or sports they like to play. They might also say what they are looking forward to in the school year.
The teacher and any assistants should also enter pictures/icons and annotations!
2. Presentation of school and community
Brainstorm: How do we want to describe
ourselves to others? Of what are we are especially proud as members
of the school and the community? Are their special events which
have shaped our community? Special historical figures, whether
heros and heroines or infamous characters?
Write two or three paragraphs as the basic description of the
school and community. You might want to do this as homework and
spend another class session selecting the best sentences.
3. Explore the Basic Survey
"The Neighborhood" has a SURVEY area. In order to help your international partners, enter answers to the SURVEY about your area. You may prefer to "whittle away" at it over the first few months. [NB "to whittle" is to cut away at a piece of wood gradually until it assumes the desired shape.]
Name of School
Name of Teacher
Grade Level
Number of Students
Number of Boys
Number of Girls
Primary Language
Different Languages (list)
Average Number of Languages spoken
Urban __Suburban__Rural
Nearest City
Country Capital
Political System
Key Exports
Famous Landmarks (scenery? statues? museums?)(list)
Famous Artist (list up to three)
Famous Novelist (list up to three)
Famous Poet (list up to three)
Important Holidays (list up to three)
Favorite Sports (list up to three)
Traditional Foods (list up to three)
Dominant Religion
Different Religions
Birth Rate
Death Rate
Extensions:
Prepare a small package for your partner school, and send it via DHL.
Include such things as postcards,
objecvys designed to capture the spirit of your place.
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