Mystery Skypes in GV Classrooms: Learning through Connection and Collaboration

So far this year, Garnet Valley classrooms have been connecting with many schools throughout the United States of America and Canada.  Students are learning geography, culture, and different ways to collaborate and learn.


Here are a list of states that we have connected with via Mystery Skype.
Geography: So how does it work?  Students from both classrooms take turns asking Yes or No type questions via Skype or other forms of video chat such as Facetime, or Google Hangouts.  Once a question gets answered, students cross off states on a map.  This is a phenomenal way for students to learn Geography.  They are scaffolded to use certain types of vocabulary: North, South, East, West, Border, Great Lakes, River, Longitude and Latitude, Landlocked, etc.

GV students asked, "Does your state border the Pacific Ocean?" 
Students on the other end answered, "NO!" 
GV students are crossing off states that border the ocean!
Culture: Once both sets of students find out which state they are located, classes have the opportunity to tell a little bit about there area.

Students have learned:
  • Iowa produces the most corn in the US and Benton SD covers 113 Square Miles
  • Arkansas is best known for Walmart stores and the state tree is a Pine Tree
  • Vermont is a major contributor of Maple Syrup
  • Highpoints, North Carolina is the "Furniture Capital of the World."

Technical Difficulty?  It happens!  Here are students using white boards
 to ask questions and tell about culture in the Garnet Valley area.

Collaboration and New Learning:  Three classes in GV are getting ready to collaborate with classes from Wrangell, Alaska, Fowler, Michigan and Quebec City, Canada in different capacities.

  • Mrs. Ferry's group received a Flipgrid from students in Wrangell, Alaska.  After seeing the videos about the student life and culture in Alaska, Mrs. Ferry plans on sending a Flipgrid back to have a form of communication throughout the year.  Pretty cool!!
  • After students in Mrs. Stec's class figured out that the students they were speaking too were in Fowler, Michigan, they started discussing different books they were getting ready to read.  Students from Michigan finished reading Wonder GV students finished reading Schooled.  Soon, the students are planning on having a book discussion through SKYPE in the near future.  More details coming soon!!
  • Madame Belinsky teaches French at GV Middle School.  She is getting ready to collaborate with an ESL/EESL teacher at Juvénat Notre-Dame du St-Laurent in Quebec City Canada.  They are working together to set-up a SKYPE so students on each end could learn from each other; both language and culture.  What a fantastic opportunity!
Students learning about Wrangell, Alaska.  Check out this Flipgrid for more info!
Students in Mrs. Stec's class are talking to other students from Michigan about a possible "Book Talk!"
Fill out this Google Form if you are interested in scheduling a Mystery Skype with a class in Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania.  As you can see, there are so many learning opportunities through Mystery Skype.  Stay tuned for more info about it!  

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