MysterySkypeLessonPlan

BACKGROUND:
StudentslearnaboutdifferentregionsoftheUnitedStatesincludingtheclimate,landforms,
resources,economy,andpeopleofthoseregions.MysterySkypeisaconnectedlearning
experiencethatallowsstudentdrivenlearning,inquiry,anddeductivereasoningtobeatthe
forefrontofinstruction.InaMysterySkypesession,acallisreceivedbyanotherclass,but
neitherclassknowsthelocationoftheother.
Usinggeographyquestions,studentsusemapsandconstructquestionstoasktheotherclassin
ordertodeterminetheirlocationfirst!Studentsbuildinquiryskills,learninghowtoformulate
questionsthatwillfurthertheirlearning.
Questionaskersandmapreadersworktogethertofigureoutthequestionsthatwillbestnarrow
downthelocationoftheotherclass,whilerecorderswritedowntheinformationlearnedandthe
answeringteamreceivesquestionsfromtheotherclass.Theroleoftheteacheristofacilitate
tohelpdirecttheSkypecall,andtoencouragestudentstousetheinformationtheygainto
formulatequestionsastheylearn.MysterySkypecallstakeapproximately2030minutesandare
easytoschedule.(
SourcePLP
)
OBJECTIVE:
Studentswillbeabletoidentifyspecificstatesbasedonamysterylocationusing
skills:longitude,latitude,cardinaldirections,capitals,andknowledgeofstateandregionalfacts.

ACTIVITIES:
Studentsareresponsibleforlocatingstates,capitals,andcountiesonamap.Theinteractiveand
engaginglessontakestheskillbeyondmaplocationwhereareconnectedtoamysteryclassroom
viaSkype.Thestudentsconstructquestionsbasedonlearnedmapskillstouncoverthemystery
classroomslocation
Procedures:
1.Initialcommunication:BhaviniPatel,theTechTOSA,communicatesthroughemailwith
anotherclassroomintheU.S.
usingthislink
thatincludesaspreadsheetwithwilling
participatingclassrooms

2.PriortotheSkypecallwiththemysteryclassroom,
theclassroomteacherisresponsibleto
assignstudentsindividualrolesorteamroles(seeattachedMysterySkypeJobs)

3.Themysteryclassroomwillalsohavethesameroles.Teacherswillneedtokeepclassfocused
tothetaskonhand.Oncebothlocationsarediscovered,studentsfromeachlocationcanask
questionsaboutschool,state,region,etc.Thisallowsforlessformalquestioningtoendthe
Skypeconnection.

MATERIALS:
Skypesoftware,internetconnection,videocam,speakers,whiteboards/markers,
atlas,mapstowriteon,GoogleMaps,listofskillslearnedanddefinitions

ASSESSMENT:
Takealookatthese
rubrics
forenvironmentalandinstructionalassessment

MODIFICATIONS/DIFFERENTIATION:(
FromDiscoveryLearning
)
1.
TwentyQuestionsLinkedHere!
Recommendedforgradesk2
Studentsineachclassprepareasetof20questionsand510cluesfortheotherclassbeforetheircall.Theclasses
trytoguesseachotherslocationbyansweringthequestionsandusingadditionalcluesforalittleextrahelp.This
canworkwellforyourfirstMysterySkypelessonandisagoodwaytoimproveyourstudentsknowledgeofwhere
theylive.
2.Yesornoanswers
Recommendedforgrades38
Classesareonlyallowedtoaskeachotherquestionswhichwillgetayesornoanswer.Thenumberofquestions
maybelimitedto20ifyouwantanadditionalchallenge.Theselessonscanbemorespontaneousandrequire
studentstothinkontheirfeetasthequestionsarentpreparedinadvanceoryoucanuse
thisform
forstudentsto
structuretheirquestions.
3.
MysterySkypeJobsLinkedHere!
Recommendedforgrades38
SometeachershavefoundthatwhenstudentshavespecificresponsibilitiesduringaMysterySkypelessontheywork
betterasateamandthewholeclassbecomesmoreengaged.
Theserolescanincludegreeters,questionkeepers,Bingmappers,runners,bloggers,photographers,livetweeters,
reporters,andanythingelsethatworksforyourclass.

SkypeLessonPlanExtensionsandIdeas:
VideoconferencingwithElementaryStudents
http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/11/16/videoconferencing
-
with
-
elementary
-
school
-
students/

50AwesomeWaystoUseSkypeintheClassroom
http://www.teachingdegree.org/2009/06/30/50
-
awesome
-
ways
-
to
-
use
-
skype
-
in
-
the
-
classroom/

GuidelinesforGoodGlobalCitizenship|GlobalSchoolNet.org
http://www.globalschoolnet.org/gsncenter/resources/citizens.cfm

STANDARDS:

04.8.1.A.1Demonstrateeffectiveinputoftextanddatausinganinputdevice.
04.8.1.A.2Createadocumentwithtextformattingandgraphicsusingawordprocessingprogram.
04.8.1.A.5Determinethebenefitsofawiderangeofdigitaltoolsbyusingthemtosolveproblems.
04.8.1.C.1EngageinonlinediscussionswithlearnersintheUnitedStatesorfromothercountriestounderstandtheirperspectives
onaglobalproblemorissue.
04.8.1.D.1Explaintheneedforeachindividual,asamemberoftheglobalcommunity,topracticecybersafety,cybersecurity,and
cyberethicswhenusingexistingandemergingtechnologies.
04.9.1.A.1Recognizeaproblemandbrainstormwaystosolvetheproblemindividuallyorcollaboratively.

04.9.1.A.2Evaluateavailableresourcesthatcanassistinsolvingproblems.
04.9.1.A.3Determinewhentheuseoftechnologyisappropriatetosolveproblems.
04.9.1.A.4UsedataaccessedontheWebtoinformsolutionstoproblemsandthedecisionmakingprocess.
04.9.1.A.5Applycriticalthinkingandproblemsolvingskillsinclassroomandfamilysettings.
04.9.1.B.1Participateinbrainstormingsessionstoseekinformation,ideas,andstrategiesthatfostercreativethinking.
04.9.1.C.1Practicecollaborativeskillsingroups,andexplainhowtheseskillsassistincompletingtasksindifferentsettings(at
home,inschool,andduringplay).
04.9.1.D.1Useeffectiveoralandwrittencommunicationinfacetofaceandonlineinteractionsandwhenpresentingtoan
audience.
04.9.1.D.3Demonstrateanawarenessofonesowncultureandotherculturesduringinteractionswithinandoutsideofthe
classroom.
04.9.1.E.2Demonstrateeffectivecommunicationusingdigitalmediaduringclassroomactivities.

REFLECTION:
Asaclass,discusswhatworkedwell,whatwasachallenge,whatjobstudentswouldwantnext
time,shouldadditionaljobsbeadded,etc.Askstudentstothinkaboutdifferencesand
commonalities.AskquestionslikeDidanythingsurpriseyou?

Youcanalsousethis
form
attheendofthelessonwithyourstudentsforclosure!