United States of Ancestry:
A Flat Classroom Project Proposal
Project Idea: Students will create electronic genealogy profiles based upon family records and photographs, genealogy databases, public records, and print resources. The class will invite other schools to join in the project through word-of-mouth, social media resources, and the eacher's professional connections. The project website will feature links to resources, blogs, and the eventual final versions of individual cultural heritage pages.
Name: United States of Ancestry
Location: The location may start local: The hope is that it will grow to represent the project title.
Communication: Blogs, Skype, and GoogleDocs
Generation: This project may be adapted to any age range depending upon adult support. However, because of the research aspect of the project, the best elementary ages would be 4th-6th grade.
Information: Resources will include relatives, public records, genealogy databases and apps (Ancestry app, genealogy.com, fotopedia's heritage app, usgenweb.org).
Time: Most of a school year (to account for the very limited time that many schools have to incorporate social studies)
Month 1: Introduction to genealogy and cultural heritage; Creation of invitation for other classrooms and schools; Introduce blog
Month 2: Researching your family; blog about process; Skype at least 1 other classroom
Month 3: Researching your family; blog about process; Skype at least 1 other classroom
Month 4: Researching your family; blog about process; Skype at least 1 other classroom
Month 5: Translating research to technology based presentation; blog about process; Skype at least 1 other classroom
Month 6: Translating research to technology based presentation; blog about process; Skype at least 1 other classroom
Month 7: Translating research to technology based presentation; blog about process; Skype at least 1 other classroom
Month 8: Exploring others' cultural heritage; How do we compare? Skype!
Month 9: Exploring others' cultural heritage: How do we compare? Reflect, Skype and celebrate!
Learning Legacy: Students create a collaborative yet personal project which they can utilize for the rest of their lives and pass down to future generations. They'll explore and understand patterns of ancestry from throughout the United States. They will gain fluent knowledge of the internet, how to be a good digital citizen, and polish important writing skills.
Curriculum Integration and Alignment: This project integrates Social Studies, Language Arts, and Technology.
Guiding Question: Where do we come from? Why are we here? How are our histories alike and different? “The project is designed to develop cultural understanding, skills with Web 2.0 and application software, experience in global collaboration and online learning, and awareness of what it means to live and work in a flat world” (Lindsay & Davis)
Project Aims: Students will research their own ancestry and compare it with others'. They'll present their research through their choice of technology resource. Students will also collaborate in the research process through blogging and Skyping with other classrooms. They will explore others' projects and compare ancestries.
Focus Questions: What is genealogy? How can collaboration and technology improve our learning about our families? How can we learn from and teach one another across distances? Are ancestry patterns similar in other areas?
Standards Alignment: (Based upon 4th grade standards)
CT Social Studies Curriculum Framework
2.1 Access and gather information from a variety of primary and secondary sources including electronic media.
2.2 Interpret information from a variety of primary and secondary sources including electronic media.
2.3 Create various forms of written work to demonstrate an understanding of history and social studies issues.
2.4 Demonstrate an ability to participate in social studies discourse through informed discussion, debate and effective oral presentation.
2.5 Create and present relevant social studies materials using both print and electronic media.
Language Arts Common Core State Standards
4.RIT.3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
4.RIT.7 Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitativey and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.
4.RIT.9 Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
4.W.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
4.W.7 Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
4.SL.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Technology
All NETS.S and NETS.T C21 Standards are covered within this project.
Prerequisites and Skill Level: Students will be expected to collaborate with their families and with each other. They will also understand
how to communicate online and collaborate with others across distances. Skills that will be scaffolded include keyboarding skills, research skills, and ability to present ideas in a technology-based format.
Required Outcomes: The hope is to create the beginning of a national database of student projects based around personal ancestry and cultural heritage.
Team Structure: Students will be grouped within their own classrooms based upon writing and reading skills. They will collaborate in the research process and the publishing process.
Required Inputs: Students will communicate with immediate and distant relatives to research their ancestries. They will participate in the “handshake” phase to meet and connect with other participants that are launching the program through Skype. They will also reflect upon the process through a class blog, in their teams, and with other classrooms on Skype at least once per month. Students will collaborate with one another to create a technology-based database of personal ancestries.
Assessment: Rubric-based assessments will occur to allow for consistency. Rubrics for each phase of the project will be posted on the website or blog for students to consult whenever needed.
Evaluation: Project evaluation will take place with recorded Skype calls, teacher and students reflections on the blog, and the final projects. Parent feedback may also be evaluated.
Supplies and Resources Needed: Computer lab, library, relatives, Ancestry app, genealogy.com, fotopedia's heritage app, usgenweb.org.
Benefits for Students: Students will engage in collaborative learning in person and through social media platforms. They will research their own ancestry, something that is personal and relevant, and therefore, authentic and memorable learning will take place. They will communicate with their families, peers, teachers, librarians, and other classrooms. The goal is for the project to grow so that students will collaborate in the research process with children from great distances to create a children’s ancestry database. Students will be good digital citizens and become fluent in one or more technology based platforms in the creation of their project. They’ll be able to pass their recorded stories onto their own children in the future.
Framework Source: Lindsay, J. & Davis, V.A. (2013). Flattening classrooms, engaging minds: Move to global collaboration one step at a time. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Name: United States of Ancestry
Location: The location may start local: The hope is that it will grow to represent the project title.
Communication: Blogs, Skype, and GoogleDocs
Generation: This project may be adapted to any age range depending upon adult support. However, because of the research aspect of the project, the best elementary ages would be 4th-6th grade.
Information: Resources will include relatives, public records, genealogy databases and apps (Ancestry app, genealogy.com, fotopedia's heritage app, usgenweb.org).
Time: Most of a school year (to account for the very limited time that many schools have to incorporate social studies)
Month 1: Introduction to genealogy and cultural heritage; Creation of invitation for other classrooms and schools; Introduce blog
Month 2: Researching your family; blog about process; Skype at least 1 other classroom
Month 3: Researching your family; blog about process; Skype at least 1 other classroom
Month 4: Researching your family; blog about process; Skype at least 1 other classroom
Month 5: Translating research to technology based presentation; blog about process; Skype at least 1 other classroom
Month 6: Translating research to technology based presentation; blog about process; Skype at least 1 other classroom
Month 7: Translating research to technology based presentation; blog about process; Skype at least 1 other classroom
Month 8: Exploring others' cultural heritage; How do we compare? Skype!
Month 9: Exploring others' cultural heritage: How do we compare? Reflect, Skype and celebrate!
Learning Legacy: Students create a collaborative yet personal project which they can utilize for the rest of their lives and pass down to future generations. They'll explore and understand patterns of ancestry from throughout the United States. They will gain fluent knowledge of the internet, how to be a good digital citizen, and polish important writing skills.
Curriculum Integration and Alignment: This project integrates Social Studies, Language Arts, and Technology.
Guiding Question: Where do we come from? Why are we here? How are our histories alike and different? “The project is designed to develop cultural understanding, skills with Web 2.0 and application software, experience in global collaboration and online learning, and awareness of what it means to live and work in a flat world” (Lindsay & Davis)
Project Aims: Students will research their own ancestry and compare it with others'. They'll present their research through their choice of technology resource. Students will also collaborate in the research process through blogging and Skyping with other classrooms. They will explore others' projects and compare ancestries.
Focus Questions: What is genealogy? How can collaboration and technology improve our learning about our families? How can we learn from and teach one another across distances? Are ancestry patterns similar in other areas?
Standards Alignment: (Based upon 4th grade standards)
CT Social Studies Curriculum Framework
2.1 Access and gather information from a variety of primary and secondary sources including electronic media.
2.2 Interpret information from a variety of primary and secondary sources including electronic media.
2.3 Create various forms of written work to demonstrate an understanding of history and social studies issues.
2.4 Demonstrate an ability to participate in social studies discourse through informed discussion, debate and effective oral presentation.
2.5 Create and present relevant social studies materials using both print and electronic media.
Language Arts Common Core State Standards
4.RIT.3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
4.RIT.7 Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitativey and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.
4.RIT.9 Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
4.W.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
4.W.7 Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
4.SL.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Technology
All NETS.S and NETS.T C21 Standards are covered within this project.
Prerequisites and Skill Level: Students will be expected to collaborate with their families and with each other. They will also understand
how to communicate online and collaborate with others across distances. Skills that will be scaffolded include keyboarding skills, research skills, and ability to present ideas in a technology-based format.
Required Outcomes: The hope is to create the beginning of a national database of student projects based around personal ancestry and cultural heritage.
Team Structure: Students will be grouped within their own classrooms based upon writing and reading skills. They will collaborate in the research process and the publishing process.
Required Inputs: Students will communicate with immediate and distant relatives to research their ancestries. They will participate in the “handshake” phase to meet and connect with other participants that are launching the program through Skype. They will also reflect upon the process through a class blog, in their teams, and with other classrooms on Skype at least once per month. Students will collaborate with one another to create a technology-based database of personal ancestries.
Assessment: Rubric-based assessments will occur to allow for consistency. Rubrics for each phase of the project will be posted on the website or blog for students to consult whenever needed.
Evaluation: Project evaluation will take place with recorded Skype calls, teacher and students reflections on the blog, and the final projects. Parent feedback may also be evaluated.
Supplies and Resources Needed: Computer lab, library, relatives, Ancestry app, genealogy.com, fotopedia's heritage app, usgenweb.org.
Benefits for Students: Students will engage in collaborative learning in person and through social media platforms. They will research their own ancestry, something that is personal and relevant, and therefore, authentic and memorable learning will take place. They will communicate with their families, peers, teachers, librarians, and other classrooms. The goal is for the project to grow so that students will collaborate in the research process with children from great distances to create a children’s ancestry database. Students will be good digital citizens and become fluent in one or more technology based platforms in the creation of their project. They’ll be able to pass their recorded stories onto their own children in the future.
Framework Source: Lindsay, J. & Davis, V.A. (2013). Flattening classrooms, engaging minds: Move to global collaboration one step at a time. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.