Friends, Teach Me
4th Grade Unit
Collaborative Unit
Mrs. Esposito’s 4th grade students from Blackburn Elementary with the help of the Technology Facilitator, Linda McCray and the Media Coordinator, Cheri Hudson participated in a collaborative English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Technology unit utilizing Skype in the Classroom, a QR Code Scavenger Hunt and Video Project. It was a culminating activity to their Soft Rain unit. For three weeks, students read Soft Rain, studied the Cherokee Traditions, and the Trail of Tears through non-fiction texts, SS Weekly newspapers, National Parks websites, Skype in the Classroom activities, and images from the web. Parents, Grandparents, and Sixth Grade volunteers escorted small groups of students through a 16 QR Code stations that were located throughout Blackburn Elementary and responded to questions about Soft Rain and the Cherokee Traditions using the Explain Everything app. Students were successful in demonstrating their knowledge about Soft Rain and showing off their new technology skills to the volunteers. Mrs. Esposito, Ms. Ellis, Mrs. Hudson, and Mrs. McCray were amazed by their overall demonstration of 21st Century Skills: Collaboration, Creativity, and Communication.
Cherokee Research Projects
Students researched Cherokee history and culture through Skype in the Classroom, non-fiction books, videos, and images. Students researched in collaborative groups and created a video using the app Explain Everything. Students shared their videos in small groups and taught each other about the Cherokee history and culture.