Key Pals & E-pals

Here are five interactive ways that teachers can use Email with their students in an Elementary school classroom.

1. Teachers can pair students in their class with older students in the school in order to establish a mentoring program. The older students can offer advice and support to the younger students.

2. Teachers can have students exchange email addresses at the beginning of the school year with other students in the class. It allows students to practice reading and writing skills while making friends in their classroom.

3. Students can begin an email relationship with a student in another country which will allow them to make a new friend abroad and learn about another culture.

4. Students can continue practicing grammar and sentence structure by emailing their teacher. They will have the ability to ask questions and improve their relationship with their teacher.

5. Students can learn about different professions by “asking an expert” and emailing their questions to individuals within occupational fields that they have interest.

Here are two great sites that teachers can use to find E-pal activities to use in their classroom.

Epals This site offers projects that teachers can use in their classroom. It also offers a program which can connect students to other students around the world. Teachers will find helpful suggestions for incorporating email activities into their curriculum. www.epals.com

Ask an Expert Students can learn about many different topics by asking an expert questions. They can use the computer to communicate with an individual who has knowledge on the subject they are interested in. www.askanexpert.com