Holiday Card Exchange Project 2013
Collection of photos from collaborating with other classes.
Project Idea Was Posted
A member of my PLN (personal learning network), Jen Wagner, hosts a project each year. It is called the Holiday Card Exchange (http://projectsbyjen.com/Projects/HCE13/2013_HCEWelcome.html). Classrooms around the globe connect and share a warm greeting to dispel some of the winter chill.
Registration opened on November 4th for educators to sign up to join the fun. Of course, when I was able, I registered. At this point I didn't know which students in my building I would working with. But I hoped to find a partner class.
Two days later, while visiting a classroom a teacher expressed that she was looking for a fun way to bridge writing and mathematics. I mentioned the HCE13. She was kind enough to agree to explore the unknown of this project with me.
Comparing Cards
I shopped as one does this time of year. And I came across the cutest cards. But they were two expensive. And they only had half in the box that were of the right style. I passed with regret. A few days later, I found the perfect cards at a local pharmacy.
Students Translated Cards
Students Decorated Cards
Mrs. Shields Packaged Cards
Each day checking Mrs. Shields' mailbox was an adventure.
Our First Received Card
Our Second Received Card
More and More Arrived...
Planning
Mrs. Ponce, the kind teacher who agreed to embark on this project with me, and I met to think and plan. I showed her the two styles of cards and we discussed what our students could create to send. This led to a perfect mathematics collaboration. We presented both boxes of cards to students and discussed the value behind ½ a box of expensive cards and a full box of less priced cards. They discussed set theory. One box had 16 cards. We needed to send 30 cards to various schools and programs. To me, this equals a much more rich learning experience then completing a worksheet with multiplication and division problems. But the same concepts were covered.
The class I partnered with is a dual language class. Mrs. Ponce assisted the children in translating a greeting into Spanish. The students then wrote the Spanish translation on the left half of the card for the message inside the card that was pre-printed on the right. The children excitedly asked if they could decorate the cards. Why not raise the fun level!
Cards were prepared for delivery to the post-office before our deadline of December 7th. Mrs. Shields made labels to share our school website with the other classes in our group. And away they went.
Thank you for all the great cards!
Each time new cards arrived the excitement built. How adorable each of the cards were that we received. Thank you to all our partner classes! The extension lessons after the Winter Recess break will continue the fun and learning. Mapping our received cards, discussing traveling distances, possibly writing thank you cards, and more. Can't wait to see what Mrs. Ponce, the students and I come up with in coming weeks. Thank you Jen Wagner for originating, organizing, and orchestrating this. Very pleased to be part of this project!