Making Global Connections
Dot Day, Mentor Experts, Read for the Record, and more!
Promoting and Teacher Collaboration
International Dot Day celebrates connecting our global dots. The Dot by Peter Reynolds, is a simple book with a big message. The book suggests you “make a mark and see where it takes you.” So we asked our art students at Lamar to make dot art and answer the essential question, “How will you make your mark on the world?”
Dot Day Collaboration
Student Reaction?
Students really enjoyed the experience and seeing how students across the nation interpreted the lesson.
“I think this is really fun,” student Aryan Sharama, whose dot was based on inspiration, said. “We are sharing and talking with people we do not know, and we got to see their dots from their point of view, too.”
After each Hangout session, students made reflection videos about their dots and the overall experience. Then, teachers tapped all of the dots on a “Dot Tree” display in the hallway for the entire campus to see.
- Look for others on the shared Gdoc
- Tweet or email to see if people want to connect
- Make a schedule of times that you are available to connect
- Keep track of who you've contacted and put their email or twitter handle on your schedule
- It's complex to schedule, but so worth it for the kids!
Dot Day Tree
We hung all of our dots on this tree outside of the library to celebrate our connections!
Connecting with Hawaii
Students were amazed at the difference in Hawaiian schools especially since we chatted with a military base.
Feedback in Flipgrid
After connecting, students were asked to respond in Flipgrid.
Dot Day #1!
We loved our snail mail too!
Matthew's students sent us dots and another librarian's students sent us a whole poster that taught us about her state. We decided that next year, we'd love to send more tangible things to others. Mailing cool stuff is such a lost art!
Mentor Experts - authors, community members, and tech experts
During my second year of Maker Programming
I spent the month of May focused on coding, so I contacted a game developer friend to chat with my students. See below....
May ker Monday and Coding
3rd year of Maker Programming: Makey Makey Experts
This year my students were having trouble getting "beyond the banana" with Makey Makey, so I asked the company on Twitter if they would do a Hangout with us... and they said YES! It was such a life-changing experience! The inventor, Jay Silver, told my students they were ALL AWESOME! (About 2.5 min in)
@lamar library Ss and Stewart MS Ss GHO w Creators of Makey Makey
Inviting Community Experts
Sometimes I just facilitate connections by reaching out on Twitter or even just hosting the space. My Science teachers invited FEMA out at the end of a PBL. Our Home Ec teacher asked City of Commerce members to be on an expert panel at the end of her business unit. We were always having community members in our school and it made our kids feel important!
FEMA at Science Expo
Presenting to an authentic audience
Director of Instructional Technology, Zone Leader, Teachers
for All Songs Listening Gala
See clips of the Business presentations to local experts....
Collaborating with students around the globe
Culture Shock Picture Books
- Organize through Skype Classroom or Google Hangouts
Australia Video Pals
Read for the Record
6th graders walked over to local ES to read to kindergartners
8th graders Skyped pre-school students and read to them.
Reading and an activity
Made by Colleen Graves
for Round Rock ISD Professional Development
Website: colleengraves.org
Twitter: @gravescolleen