Mystery Skype
Standards-Based Authentic Learning
What is a Mystery Skype?
Mystery Skype is a global critical thinking challenge that gets kids learning about geography, culture, and the similarities and differences of how children live all over the world. Two classrooms connect using Skype or another video conferencing tool such as Google Hangouts. The classes take turns asking strategic "yes" or "no" questions to determine where the other class is located. Mystery Skype can be played in a number of ways with a number of different operating norms and resources. What a great way to get kids to authentically use their critical thinking, communicating, collaboration, and map skills!
Standards-Based, You Say??
Mystery Skype incorporates many, many standards! Almost all grade levels cover some type of map skills, and all grades include speaking and listening standards, informational text, and research/ communication skills. For a comprehensive list of standards by grade-level, please visit this google doc.
- #2: Digital Citizen- Students recognize the rights, responsibilities, and opportunities of living, learning, and working in an interconnected digital world, and they act and model in ways that are safe, legal, and ethical.
- #5: Computational Thinker- Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems in ways that leverage the power of technological methods to develop and test solutions.
- #6: Creative Communicator- Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats, and digital media appropriate to their goals.
- #7 Global Collaborator: Students use digital tools to broaden their perspectives and enrich their learning by collaborating with others and working effectively in teams locally and globally.
Resources
Mystery Skype [Microsoft Education]
Connect with other classes, getting started guides, and teacher tips.
https://education.microsoft.com/skype-in-the-classroom/mystery-skype
eSchool News
Mystery Skype Call Tips
http://www.eschoolnews.com/2015/06/16/myster-sykpe-calls-307/
History Tech
Follow these easy steps!
https://historytech.wordpress.com/2013/12/06/tip-of-the-week-mystery-skype/
Record Sheet
Record the questions asked and answered throughout the game using this Doc.
Mr. Solarz' How to Set Up and Run a Mystery Skype Session
Mr. Solarz offers some great suggestions... pick and choose what you like from his suggestions.
http://psolarz.weebly.com/how-to-set-up-and-run-a-mystery-skype-session.html