Objectives: To learn to e-mail, to learn to use scanner, to learn to insert clip art, and to write effectively

Materials: paper, pencils, scanner, clip art software

Procedure: 
1) Students will e-mail key pals and tell them that they will be sending the opening paragraphs of a story written by the class.

2) Working in groups, the students will then write an opening to a theme-related story about Halloween, Christmas, New Year's Day or another holiday or topic that is indigenous to both countries. Visit Yahooligans Holidays Around the World to learn about countries and their holidays. Did you know that France celebrates a holiday similar to April Fool's Day called April Fish Day? It all started when Kings Charles IX of France moved New Year's Day from April 1 to January 1and many people would not honor the change.

3) They will then vote on which group has the best story, then type, proofread, spell check, and save. 

4) Graphics, scanned digital photos, and clip art can then be inserted. 

5) Finally, students will email it as an attachment to the boys and girls in Ireland or country of their choice.

6) After the final chapter has been added and sent, the students will print the story and snail mail it to the students in Ireland or country of their choice.

Tips: Make a web or list thoughts on the black board to generate ideas prior to beginning lesson.

Have students sit in heterogeneously grouped academic groups to assure fairness.

Evaluation: Place original drafts on overhead projector for students to edit and correct mechanics of writing, or use a cable to connect computer to TV monitor, show the draft on the TV monitor and edit as a group. Students will edit for misspelled words, capitalization, punctuation and other mechanics of writing.

Extension Activity: Create a Flyer about Your School

• Students will brainstorm a list of ideas to include about their school for a flyer to share with key pals
• Have students use the School Planning Sheet to compile information
• Have students create a template for the school flyer, including the name of the flyer, name of school, name of mascot, picture of logo, and space for articles and clip art
• Have students work in groups to plan and write articles and locate clip art
• Use word processing to write, edit, proofread and spell check text
• Insert clip art
• Publish
• Email to key pals
• Ask key pals to create a flyer about their school

Tip: This flyer can be posted on the classroom or school web site and updated frequently.

Homework: Students will visit various web sites, such as Everything EMail  and About Netiquette to learn about writing email effectively and netiquette. They will then write three netiquette rules, such as
1. Do not type all the letters in CAPS, it looks like you are shouting. 2. Do not forward chain letters, they are a nuisance. 
3. Do not send an email when you are angry or write personal attacks, that is called flaming.

Speaker: Does anyone in the class or school know an author? Contact the local library or university's English department to contact an author and invite him to class to speak about writing.