Project 2: Collecting on the Edge
The grade 5 social studies curriculum focuses on the study of Newfoundland. Students are exposed to the culture diversities of their own province. Using computer technology and the Internet to search for and retrieve information from several communities throughout the province related to population, economy, industries, leisure, weather, topography, schools, churches, services, tourist attractions, artists, crafts (local cultures), politics, technology available and so on. A variety of locations will be selected, such as; western Newfoundland, a native community, a northern community, and so on. A list of questions and topics of "conversation" will be created for the students to ask their friends. Students will be given the opportunity to observe the different lifestyles, languages and so on throughout the province of Newfoundland. They are looking for the cultural diversity of the province. Students will make comparisons using charts and tables, prepare and send messages to their friends, search using search engines on the Internet for information relating to the contacted communities, download, print, analyse and prepare reports and presentations of the information gathered. Collecting on the Edge has the possibilities to connect with several curriculum areas within the grade 5 context. Three specific area are those of the Language Arts program, Social Studies program and the Math program. However, with such a project the learning experiences will not be limited to these three areas, other subject areas will be incorporated when deemed appropriate. Specifically, each will be linked by; Language Arts: Upon completion of this project students will;
Social Studies: Upon completion of this project students will;
Math: Upon completion of this project students will;
Technology Outcomes: Upon completion of this project, students will fulfill several of the technology outcomes intended for the elementary level, as set forth by the Department of Education and Training, in the Technology Education: Curriculum Foundation Document. Included would be;
This project will allow for a number of connections which would be difficult to make without the STELLAR Schools connection. Students from these grade 5 classes, in St. John's, can make connections with students around Newfoundland. Personal connections are often viewed as much more reliable and believable then reading from a book. It makes the project more interesting and will encourage the students to be more conscience of their province. It will bring the information they study from other resources "to life." The information they receive from their provincial friends will also be more recent and current. Often, other resources have information that may be outdated by 3 -5 or more years. Other resources will be used with this project as well. Students will be exposed to maps, CDRom technologies, spreadsheets (Microsoft works or others), artifacts (relating to the communities), human resources (special guests), videos, newspapers and so on. Evaluation of this project will be an ongoing process. Students will be observed as they work with their peers, on the computer, use of other resources and so on. They will also have to complete work to be reported to the class, such as;
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