HOW IT WORKS
In Project Planet, students first study maps and globes, and then internalize what they have learned by creating their own globes out of papier-mâché. The class plans the project together. Students make a papier-mâché mixture, measure and cut newspaper, blow up balloons, and carefully cover them with dampened strips. When the globes dry, a rubber band is placed around the center to represent the equator and to help children place the land bodies with accuracy. A digital camera is used to photograph the students as they perform each step. Next, students write directions instructing others how to make a globe. They list and draw materials needed; draft, edit, and rewrite their directions; and transfer their work to the computer. In preparation for creating a PowerPoint slide presentation, they plan on paper an approximation of what their slide show will look like, and make many design decisions. The students also design a rubric in order to assess whether they have done a good job of writing clear directions and presenting a visually interesting body of work. Finally, they share their PowerPoint presentations, and their work is posted on the Internet, where students, their families, and the world may view their work. 

THE STUDENTS
The program is designed for students in grades three through six. It takes six to eight weeks, depending on the amount of time allotted each week. Students meet in class daily and in the computer lab weekly. This program can be adapted to suit an infinite number of classroom settings. It addresses the needs of all learners because the many different aspects allow opportunities for success for each type of learner, whether he/she is kinesthetic, visual, or linguistic. 

THE STAFF
Alexandra Atkin has been teaching for eleven years, and for eight years at P.S. 8 in Washington Heights. She has a National Board Certification (Early Childhood Generalist) and a master’s degree in elementary education with a dual certification in reading instruction. This program requires skilled assistance for the technology segment. 

WHAT YOU NEED
To teach Project Planet, you need basic classroom art materials, textbook references, maps/globes, several computers in a lab setup, a digital camera, a scanner, Microsoft PowerPoint software, and disks. 

OVERALL VALUE
The students OWN this project! They become engrossed in every step and care deeply about their final projects and presentations. Along the way, they practice working collaboratively, reading, writing, measuring, planning, drawing, building, painting, and speaking. Using computer technology to showcase their work and make it come alive is incredibly rewarding. Students take home their globes and share what they have learned with their families.