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Using Digital Tools and E-Pals to
Enhance Descriptive Writing
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Background of Project:
This unit will use digital imaging, collaboration and e-pals to teach and develop written language skills. Classroom e-pals will be the media used to introduce, develop and/or master simple paragraph and personal letter writing.
Teachers will link up with another class anywhere in the world using any e-pal organizational web site (i.e. www.epals.com). Teachers can set up email addresses for students through a filtering program such as www.gaggle.net . The first lesson will involve sending a simple paragraph to the whole class using descriptive language describing the physical location of their city. They may use clues such as climate, latitude and longitude coordinates, directional words, etc. within the letter to help the receiving class determine their location.
The teachers will then assign each student with his/her own e-pal. Lessons and assignments will include sending simple paragraphs about themselves (hobbies, likes/dislikes, etc.), family history, and school.
The culminating lesson will be to write a simple letter to their e-pals. They will have a couple simple paragraphs and the last one will be a physical description of themselves. The teachers will then send digital still pictures of each student and the students try to determine which letter goes with which picture. Lastly, the classes meet "Live" using a web cam and the free program Microsoft Netmeeting. This is an exciting way to meet the person they have been corresponding with over the duration of the project!