The projects and activities linked and described below have not yet been added to the TX TIPD Corps Web site.

Please help by exploring some of these sites to deduce
which telecollaborative/telecooperative and/or teleresearch activity types describe their designs,
and whether you think that they should be added to the our example curriculum-based project collections.

We'll decide together who will be exploring which sites.

Stories From the Streets

Grades:  All

Ongoing:  No
This innovative site provides an interesting idea for classroom teachers at all levels looking for a language arts and history project.  Teachers can download worksheets that allow their students to analyze the history of street names in their town or city.  Check out the interesting examples provided by a high school group in Canada to see how much your students can get from this kind of project.  Although designed for the secondary school level, teachers from all levels can use this site as an example to design their own similar project ideas.


Kidspired Bunnies

Grades:  K-2

Ongoing:  No
This story project incorporates technology and writing skills in a Web-based activity that encourages teachers to submit student story endings based on bunny story templates.  Although no longer active, the site provides examples that teachers can use to design their own similar projects.  Links are provided for examples and the required Kidspiration software.


Eye Spy

Grades:  5-8

Ongoing:  No

This project encourages students to become better descriptive writers by visiting locations close to home and submitting descriptions of their visits.  These descriptions are then built into Web sites, teaching students about Web design.  Although no longer active, this site provides any teacher with a template for creating similar electronic collaborations.


WeatherWatch

Grades:  K-8

Ongoing:  Yes

In this international project, your class can enter weather information for your local area and view weather conditions at other schools around the world.  The site is well designed and incredibly easy to use, encouraging your students to learn about predicting, tracking, and comparing weather patterns around the globe.  There is also a meteorologist email connection so that your students can “ask an expert” about weather-related phenomena.

Good Will Ambassadors

Grades:  K-6

Ongoing:  Yes

A project that incorporates social studies, science, and writing, this site helps connect schools around the world in a partnership to share cultural information.  Schools register with the site and are connected with a partner school.  The partner schools then exchange “mascots” (usually a stuffed animal) which become goodwill ambassadors for several months.  While the mascots are visiting the partner schools, students exchange emails to learn about the cultures of their partners.  At the completion of the project, schools return the mascots to their home schools with souvenirs of their trip.


First Day of Spring

Grades:  K-5

Ongoing:  No

A great example of a simple but interesting project that has schools around the US post weather conditions for the first day of spring.  Schools sent pictures and weather data for March 20, 2003 that allowed students to read and view the variety of weather conditions in different parts of the country.  Although no longer active, the site can be used to construct a similar project or to study the various weather conditions posted in 2003.


Reflections on Water

Grades:  All

Ongoing:  Yes

Focusing on the importance of fresh water, this site encourages students of all ages to take photographs of water that reflect their thoughts and ideas on this natural resource.  Photos are then published in galleries that students can visit and respond to in writing.  Several galleries are available for viewing and the site conveniently separates secondary and primary student work.


John Gray Recyclers

Grades:  All

Ongoing:  Yes

Sponsored by a school in the Cayman Islands, this site encourages collaboration and environmental awareness.  Developed to increase an understanding of the fragility of their own coral reef, the site also includes student songs and artwork.  A great example of electronic publishing of your student’s work and how the web can unite students in a common cause.  The site also includes great pictures and data on life in the Cayman Islands.


Writing Our World

Grades:  K-5

Ongoing:  Yes

A Web site that encourages students to submit their writing to help fight poverty, this telecollaborative example is well designed and helps teachers who want their students to publish their work for a cause.  The project includes a Child’s Play Touring Theatre company that chooses student work to perform live in support of an anti-poverty fund.  A great way to get your students involved in a social cause while still applying their writing and technology skills.


Listening to the Walls Talk

Grades:  Any

Ongoing:  Yes

This innovative telecollaborative project combines history, geography, basic web design, and writing into an interesting research assignment for your students.  Adaptable for any age group, the project encourages students to research the history of homes in their area, create basic web pages about this history, and share the finished pages with schools around the world.  There are several example sites and full lesson plans to get you started.


My Life as a Street Child

Grades:  Any

Ongoing:  No

A project intended to increase social awareness of homelessness among children, the site includes e-mail links, web forums, and electronic publishing of student work related to homeless children.  The site includes testimonials from real street children and provides your students the opportunity to reflect on and discuss their stories.  Excellent for any social studies teacher, the site provides an example of how technology can promote social awareness and action.


The Herbarium Project

Grades:  Any

Ongoing:  Yes

Dedicated to the study of local plant life, the site allows students to gather sample plants from their area, press and scan them, and submit them for publication on the site.  A great resource for science teachers at any level, the site provides an outstanding list of classroom resources related to plants and allows students to experience a science telecollaboration.  Lesson plans are also provided to get you started with the project.


Electronic Postcards

Grades:  K-8

Ongoing:  Yes

A simple but well designed telecollaboration site, this project offers students the chance to submit pictures and stories related to their own geographical area.  Postcards are then organized and published by region and your students can easily click on the map of the world to find pictures and postcards submitted from students around the globe.  This site is a good resource for teaching geography, electronic publishing, and communication skills.


Read to Feed

Grades:  2-5

Ongoing:  Yes

A reading motivation / service learning program, this fun site encourages reading and provides curriculum connections to civics, science, geography, and math.  Students can explore the world while getting their “passport” stamped and learn about the problems faced by people everywhere.  Students can send e-postcards and play games while still learning about the needs of others.  Check out the “cow-culator” for some fun with math.