On September 15, 2016, my second grade class was able to connect with another second grade class from Kaiserslautern, Germany. Many of my students came to school an hour before school started to get the chance to see and talk with the students living in Germany. As we headed down to my classroom, you could feel the excitement in the air. Many students were talking to each other saying, "I wonder what we will learn about them?" "I can't wait to see them!" "Do they do the same things we do?" The students were filled with questions and eager to get to know their global friends who were six time zones away. We connected via Google Hangouts and were able to view and talk with Mrs. Langston's second grade class. Students were all smiles as they had time to introduce themselves saying their name and one interesting. Students immediately started making connections with each other. I could hear students from both classes saying things like: "Hey, I do gymnastics too!" "I also have a twin brother." After getting to know everyone, the most important thing on everyone's mind was: What monster did this classroom have? Each class took turns asking questions to gain essential information in figuring out each other's monster. Both classes were so excited to see each other's stuffed monster. We got to meet "Pinkel," a smiling, pink, furry monster. They got to meet "Spike," a green monster holding a bat and ball. See all the monsters on SMART's LAB Monster Quiz. Our time connecting went fast and students were quick to say that they want to talk with them again. Students debriefed by filling out a page in their Passport Books, writing down the date, city, country, and anything they learned about this class. They left a space for a passport sticker, which Mrs. Langston made and mailed to us. Students often ask, "Have the passport stickers arrived yet?"
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MonstersElementary Teachers creating a global connection for their learners. Archives
March 2017
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