Hadley Takes A Cyber Trip

How It Works: 

Hadley Takes A Cyber Trip is a multicultural as well as a holistically academic project. The class chooses a country to fully analyze throughout the course of the year. The purpose is to integrate reading, math, social studies, science and technology into a unit whereby the students will successfully utilize research skills.

 The students will explore a country using online resources to acquire background knowledge of the history, culture, and social aspects of the people involved. They will then begin to make online contact by way of the Internet, e-mail, web pages, bulletin boards and various other cyber sources. They will then synthesize the information, incorporating keyboard skills and various other aspects of the computer, into a usable hard copy.

 Standards:

 To convert from metric to standard measurement

To communicate ideas and information effectively

To learn how to convert currency

To learn to e-mail, use scanner and clip art

To learn to make a graph on the computer

To learn new vocabulary

What You Need:

  Internet connection, scanner, CD-ROM encyclopedia, World Atlas CD-ROM, books on chosen country, printer, digital camera, desktop publishing software program

Keywords:

Cyber-travel, world, trip, social studies, travel, multicultural, Ireland, (name of country)

Students: 

This unit is designed for fourth and fifth grade students but can be adapted for the primary grades as well. It works for all types of academic levels, including ESOL (English as a Second Language) and ESE (Exceptional Student Education) students.

Overall Value:

This unit is designed to give students the opportunity to work cooperatively for the purpose of a common goal. This encourages the lower academically able students to achieve the competencies required. By working in pairs or small groups the boys and girls will be able to assist each other in comprehending the information gleaned from the Internet.

Tips:

These lessons are best accomplished by having the students work in small academically heterogeneous groups in order to assure that all levels participate and succeed.

About the Teacher: 

Ann Stephenson is a fifth grade teacher whose class is part of the Citibank FamilyTech program, a project which provides home and classroom computers and computer training to parents, teachers and students. As a result, her students are learning technology along with academics. She has been a presenter at the Florida Reading Association Convention and is the recipient of several AT&T TeachNet Grants and Citibank Success Funds Adapter Grants.

Subjects:  Social Studies and Computer Science

Grade Levels:  4-5

Email Ann