Collaboration

Collaborative projects are an excellent way to expose your students to different cultures, people, and places around the country and even the world. Using the web to communicate is a skill that every child needs to learn in this ever-growing technological world. Here is a compiled list of five excellent collaborative projects focused on global understanding and diversity for third through sixth grades. Peruse and use to benefit your classroom and expose your students to the world around them! Enjoy!

The Odyssey (Africa)-World Trek for Service and Education

This site allows you to explore the continent of Africa through the eyes and ears of a team of five people. Join them as they explore the 10 different countries, meet special guests, eat ethnic food, and learn about the cultures there! (http://www.worldtrek.org/odyssey/africa/timeaf.html)

Square of Life: Studies in Local and Global Environments

Students will explore and investigate their local environment, studying plants, animals, etc. and then share electronically with a class from a different part of the world. Exchanges occur through discussion forums, emails, and listservs. Students learn about different environments than their own and learn to observe their environment in a new way! (http://www.gsn.org/gsh/pr/GetDetail.cfm?StartRow=1&view=3&projtype=Active&sortby=Start%20Date&fAge=7&tAge=8&keyword=1%3Bglobal&pID=750)

The Globe Program Can you imagine talking with a real life scientist about their observations of this planet? This program allows just that. Explore the planet with other students, teachers, and scientists and exchange observations, data, and knowledge about our global environment. (http://www.globe.gov/fsl/welcome.html?lang=en&nav=1)

Global Grocery List Have you ever wondered what a gallon of milk would cost in Tempe, Arizona or Peru, South America? This project brings students together from around the country and the world and lists grocery prices from their respective states. Look at the data collected and learn a lot about the differences in our cultures and economics! (http://www.landmark-project.com/ggl)

Elephants of Cameroon Explore the African country of Cameroon through the eyes of researcher Dr. Mike Loomis as he travels to save the elephants from becoming extinct. Travel and learn with him through reading his diary links, viewing slide shows, and his research data. You’ve never taken a field trip like this one before!! (http://www.fieldtripearth.org/div_index.xml?id=3)