Collaborators for a Science Project?

Hi,

My name is Elise Jury and I'm a Teacher Leader for Technology in Oak Park, IL. I'm currently working with a 6th grade science teacher and we are hoping to add a collaboration piece to her Catastrophic Events unit. During the unit earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and volcanoes are covered.

If you would be interested in collaborating via a wiki, we'd love for her classes to work with your students as we learn about these catastrophic events that we don't really experience in the Chicago area. Please reply to this post if you would be interested. This collaboration doesn't have to be extremely time consuming, but rather could be an opportunity for kids across the US to connect.

Thanks!

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Elise Jury on January 6, 2011 at 12:58pm

Great! Thanks so much! I think the project is supposed to start in February, but there's a possibility it could be rearranged. I thought for sure I could find someone on the west coast, but another continent is even better!

Thanks.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Alan Stange on January 6, 2011 at 6:49am

I have a 5-6 split in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. I would like my class to be involved in your project. My students have started personal wikispaces and they use a variety of other web tools. Our district has an enlightened policy on internet use and as part of their network use, they all have school-based email accounts. Contact me if you like stange.alan@prairiesouth.ca or even Skype me at school (wikistange). I've tried a few collaborations with Skype, but I really want my students to experience the potential of wiki-collaborations.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Elise Jury on January 6, 2011 at 1:00pm

We've started to do quite a few wiki projects here in Oak Park. For us its great because the kids don't yet have email accounts (although its coming). Wikispaces for education allows users to have accounts without being associated with an email address.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Allegra Riley on January 16, 2011 at 10:36am

Hello Elise,

I'm a sixth grade Earth science teacher in San Jose, California. I have two classes of sixth graders and we are just beginning our unit on earthquakes. We'd be delighted to collaborate on a catastrophic events unit. Our earthquake faults here in the Bay Area have been cooperating nicely with the beginning of our unit by shaking us up a little ( 4.2 and 5.0 quakes over last week end). We don't have much in the way of blizzards or tornadoes, though!

I have a colleague in Hawaii who might like to participate as well. What does the unit look like? You can contact me via my gmail account at riley.allegra@gmail.com in addition to Classroom 2.0

Perhaps we could even try a Skype session between classes? We have a modified block schedule on Wednesdays and Thursdays that might allow us to account for the time zone difference and still have our students talk to each other

Let me know! This sounds like a great way to create some student learning through an innovative use of technology.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jill B on January 17, 2011 at 12:32am

Elise, I'm a teacher in south Carolina. Hurricanes are a way of life here. I teach a gifted 5th grade class. I would be interested in taking part in this activity.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Doug Walker on January 19, 2011 at 6:55pm

Hi Elise,

We are a K-12 school district in North Western NJ. We are 30 miles from NYC. We have had a tremendous amount of snow so far this year. We also experience a number of coastal storms. Our students use wikispaces as well. I am sure i could pair you up with one of our grade 6 teachers. Their curriculum covers the same topics at that level. You can contact me at the below info:

Doug Walker
Jefferson Township Schools

Oak Ridge, NJ

dwalker@jefftwp.org

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Catherine Bennedick on January 20, 2011 at 12:54am

Hi Elise,

I teach a Yr 6/7 class in Brisbane, Australia. We have just experienced our worst floods ever and had 75% of our state of Queensland affected. My school area was lucky to escape the rising river but I think it would be good for my students to work their way out of this devestating event by corresponding with your students. We begin our new school year next week 25 Jan so would be keen to get something started then.

Cheers

Cathie B

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Grace Gorman on January 30, 2011 at 5:22am

http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2011/01/29/januarys-%e2%80%9cthe-...

THis webpage has lists of sites to learn about various natural disasters. You can subscribe to his newsletter for regular updates. He has earthquakes, Autralia's floods, mudslides in Brazil... You should find plenty of information for your class.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sean Junkins on January 30, 2011 at 9:46am

Elise,

Im sorry to hear that Chicago doesn't experience many catastrophic events. But, it's been 140 years since the Great Chicago Fire... so you guys are probably about due for one. I'm sure when it comes, you will turn it into an excellent teachable moment that your students will never forget.

Sean