©1996, D. Rogers & P. Winn

Projects	RE 503 - Internet for Teachers

GREETINGS FROM VERMONT PROJECT

PROJECT: GREETINGS FROM VERMONT


SUBJECT(S):

COMPUTER LITERACY, LANGUAGE ARTS, SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL STUDIES

GRADE LEVEL(S): GRADES 4 TO 8


NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: TWO HUNDRED


SUMMARY:

USING THE BENNINGTON VERMONT AREA AS A THEME, STUDENTS WILL LEARN VARIOUS METHODS OF RETRIEVING INFORMATION FROM THE INTERNET. THE INFORMATION GATHERED WILL LATER BE TURNED INTO A FINISHED DOCUMENT THAT WILL BE E-MAILED TO A SCHOOL IN ILLINOIS.

GOALS:

TO DEVELOP STUDENTS' SKILLS IN THE USE OF INTERNET TOOLS. TO DEVELOP STUDENTS' ABILITY TO SELECT AND SHARE ELECTRONIC INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY.

OBJECTIVES:

THE STUDENTS WILL LEARN TO ORGANIZE THEIR INFORMATION AND TO PUT IT IN WRITING. BY THE END OF THIS PROJECT, STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO MANEUVER THROUGH VARIOUS WEB SITES, AND TO EVALUATE, SYNTHESIZE AND ANALIZE THE INFORMATION THEY HAVE GATHERED.

RATIONALE:

THE INTERNET PROVIDES A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO ACCESS, REMOTE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AND PEOPLE. THIS IS ALL THE MORE TRUE IN SMALL RURAL STATES LIKE VERMONT, BOUND TO ISOLATION. THIS PROJECT IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TO IMPLEMENT SUCH OPPORTUNITY.

PROCEDURE:

THE STUDENTS WILL BE PAIRED TWO TO A COMPUTER. FOR FIVE DAYS, THEY WILL GATHER NET-BASED INFORMATION ON THE LOCAL WEATHER. SIMILARLY, THEY WILL COLLECT INFORMATION FROM THE "BENNINGTON, VERMONT" HOME PAGE ABOUT VERMONT FAMOUS PEOPLE, HISTORICAL SITES, AND MONTHLY EVENTS. FINALLY, STUDENTS WILL TURN THE RESULTS OF THEIR QUERIES INTO A WRITTEN DOCUMENT AND E-MAIL IT TO THE SCHOOL IN ILLINOIS. ALL IN ALL, THE PROJECT WILL LAST TWO WEEKS.

ASSESSMENT:

THE INSTRUCTORS WILL OBSERVE THE STUDENTS WORKING WITH THE ON-LINE PROJECT, AND ASSESS THE QUALITY OF THE ACTIVITIES THEY COMPLETE. STUDENTS, IN TURN, WILL FILL IN A FORM TO EVALUATE THE QUALITY OF THE SITE. ADDITIONALLY, STUDENTS AT THE SCHOOL IN ILLINOIS WILL PROVIDE THEIR OPINION ABOUT THE INFORMATION THEY RECEIVED FROM THEIR PARTNERS IN VERMONT.