Projects School Year 2002-2003

Clifford Capers

Students will participate in a technology integrated theme unit based on the character "Clifford The Big Red Dog." Students will participate in a number of thematic curricular activities and will design a "big pet" to gain graphic competencies using MS Paint or Kid Pix. "Big Pets" will be showcased in the "Pet Gallery" or class pages will be linked to the "Pet Gallery" page.

Age Range: 5-9  years
Project Coordinator: Susan McBride Wentzell
Timberlea, N.S., Nova Scotia, CA

Comsewogue Participants: Mrs. Singer's class, Terryville Elementary School

Come Grow With Us

This project was developed to enhance existing science curriculum by adding a technology component. The essential question posed in the project is "How does a scientist (student) investigate how a seed becomes a plant?" (Science 21: Science for the 21st Century, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES)

At the end of the unit students will understand the germination process, make observations about the growth of their plants, predict how different growing conditions will affect the plant's growth and share and record their observations.

Please note that you may participate either in the Fall of 2002 or the Spring of 2003.

Comsewogue Participants: Mrs. Burr's Class, Boyle Road and Mrs. Gardner's Class, Norwood

The goal of this activity is to determine what year pennies are in circulation. You will need to gather 100 pennies, from coins that are actually in circulation. These are pennies that you get from you pocket, do not use coins that are stored in a piggy bank, jar or container. Once you have collected 100 pennies, tally the dates on the coins and send the data to me. I will compile the data and present it in a graph. This data will be added to data I collect from my 7th grade classes this fall, and other students through a collaborative internet activity. Thanks for your help.

Students will learn how to use a spreadsheet and create graphs from the spreadsheet. An added benefit will be locating where the respondents are from on a map.

Registration Acceptance Dates: 6/01/02 to 12/15/02
Number of Classrooms: unlimited
Age Range: 11 to 14 years

Project Coordinator: Kathy Leggett
7th Grade Math/Science Teacher
Robert Abbott Middle School, Waukegan Unit Dist. 60 Grayslake, Illinois

Tiger Tales

Newport is an urban, river city located in Northern Kentucky. A.D.Owens is an inner city school that has many hard working teachers and super students. Our class mascot is a stuffed tiger named Owen. We would like to send Owen on an adventure to visit some other happy students around the world. Owen can visit your class for a 2 week period. Participants must agree to E-mail us at least 6 times during his visit--as soon as he arrives, when he leaves, and at least 4 other times during his stay. The E-mails should include information about your school community, native plants and animals, weather information, landforms, and anything else that you would like to share. We would also like pictures or photos showing some of Owen's activities during his stay. Please do not include students in the photos. The photos or pictures may be sent through  E-mail or snail mail. I would like to request that each class add a small item to the plastic bag in Owen's box.  A picture, postcard, pencil, or anything small that represents your town would be appreciated. Please label the item that you send so we will know who sent it. It should be sent First Class Priority Mail. Participants must agree to follow Owen's schedule to that he will arrive at his next school on time.

Project Coordinator:  Michelle Beagle
1st grade teacher - A.D.Owens Elementary School
Alexandria, Kentucky US

Participant:  Nancy Cobb's second grade class, Clinton Avenue Elementary School

Project Summary:
An online interdisciplinary technology skills adventure game (survivor for students). Challenges will test the skills of students to integrate ICT outcomes and collaborate or be banished. Only 20 schools will be chosen to start the game - who will survive till the end?

Registration Acceptance Dates: 7/10/02 to 9/01/02
Number of Classrooms: 20
Age Range: 12 to 16 years
Project Author: Dave Durrant
Linkhorne Middle School, Lynchburg, VA

Participant: Wendy Bender's Computer Club, JFK Middle School

Bucket Buddies 

Project Summary:
Participants will identify organisms in a local pond water sample and then share their findings with other classes . Students will look for similarities and differences in the data collected by all project participants. This project provides students with practice in the science process skills, as well as in writing to convey information and explain ideas.

Project Timeline: Sept. 13-Nov. 27
Number of Classrooms: Unlimited
Age Range: Grades 1-5
Coordinated by  Center for Improved Engineering and Science Education  ( CIESE )

Students will:
* learn about places in the world and communicate with other classes using the Internet.
 * write a description of significant features about their special place in poetry form.
* read and/or listen to books about quilting.
 * contribute to any form of a class quilt related to their special places.
 * view and respond via email to participating class entries on the project webpage.

Project provides substantial resources for teachers related to poetry formats, website links about "places," quilting, and book lists.

Project Timeline: August 10-November 15
Age Range: Elementary Grades
Project Author: Marci McGowan, First Grade Teacher, Spring Lake, New Jersey

 Animal Diaries

Project Summary:
Animal Diaries is an award winning online collaborative project, winner of a Childnet 2001 Award (Schools category)! Participating classes/students will become authors and illustrators through the writings on animals and their interactions with other living things. We offer several interactive topics for students... such as animal diaries (humorous or serious animal adventures written by students from the animal's point of view), becoming a co-author by being a part of a progressive animal story which changes according to the school/ town/ or country that adds the next chapter, a chance to chat or email your favorite author of children's stories (See our previous chats archived on our site!), animal cartoons, animal illustrations or photos that students wish to share, travel buddy stories ("animals" who travel the world and have many adventures to tell), and even a place to create animal greeting cards to send to friends.

Project Timeline: Throughout the School Year
Age Range: All Grade Levels
Project Authors: Joan Goble - Cannelton Elementary School in Cannelton, Indiana USA and Rene de Vries- Primary School De Wadden in Haarlem, The Netherlands

Project Summary:
Classrooms will collect one week's data of what students in their class brought/bought for lunch. Most popular lunchbox favorites will be sent to coordinator and we will see if regional favorites exist. Students can illustrate lunchboxes/foods using Kids Pix to be posted on web site. Tallies/graphs should be used to interpret data.

Registration Acceptance Dates: 8/01/02 to 12/30/02

Age Range: 6 to 10 years

Coordinator: Cheryl Singer,  Terryville Elementary School

Traveling Kids

Project Summary:
Students write and illustrate using Kids Pix what they think is the most fun place to visit in their state. Name and address of place must be included along with student's description and best time of year to go to this attraction. Work will be compiled by state and posted on a web page.

Registration Acceptance Dates: Ongoing

Age Range: 6 to 10 years

Coordinator: Cheryl Singer, Terryville Elementary School

Fairy Tale Cyber Dictionary

Project Description:

The teacher will read a specified fairy tale or folk tale to the students. The students will compose a class "Cyber dictionary" using each letter of the alphabet and relating it to an object in the story e.g. "W" is for wolf. Students will create a picture that will be saved as .gif file.

Participants: Cheryl Singer, Rachel McAllister, Jennifer Wunsch

Project Coordinator: Janet Barnstable

   Read A Winter Book Write a Winter Poem

Project Description:

Classes will read or listen to the reading of a winter book. As a response to the reading, students will write a class poem about the book's theme or about a character in the book. Any poetry form may be used.

Participants: Mrs.McAllister, Clinton Ave., Miss Taormina, Boyle Road,