Monday, May 15, 2006

Avon Students use artifacts to better understand their community


Third grade students from Mrs. Friedel’s class at Heritage South connected to their partner school in Sedalia, Missouri to finish their artifact exchange project. The classes have been exchanging clues about their states and cities for the past month. The classes collected items that their students felt represented their community and sent them to each other through US mail prior to the videoconference.

Once the sites received their artifacts the classes connected through videoconferencing to share a last set of clues about their communities and presented the materials sent to each building. Heritage South sent a stuffed Eagle (Mascot), Duct Tape (Henkle Adhesives), maps of Lorain County and pictures of the Cleveland Indians, Cavaliers and the Browns. Skyline Elementary School sent a picture of stealth bomber (manufactured near by), toolbox (manufactured in Sedalia), pictures of their school and a local newspaper.

The artifact exchange program is one of our favorite collaboration projects. The students enjoy the problem solving activity to enhance geography, measurement, communities reading and writing. The program makes an excellent ice breaker for future collaborations.

Thanks again Skyline Elementary School