A Trip Down Memory Lane

I’m working on moving our old distance learning website into my videoconferencing section in new Berrien RESA content management system. It’s a great opportunity to clean up old files. So you’ll see some of these resources get posted here over the next few days as I do some cleaning.

This page was from the collaborative projects we did in 2000-2001, the second year of our videoconferencing program. I find it quite interesting that this list basically has about 10 events. Now we’re doing about 400 a year! (The other half of our 800/year are content providers and PD/meetings.)

Collaboration/Project Events from 2000-2001

  1. July 2001: Summer Literacy K-3 classes shared presentations on what they’d been learning.
  2. March 2001: Galien Spanish students meet with a native Spanish speaking teacher from Eau Claire. Several meetings planned.
  3. Student Career Interviews: Spring, 2001.
  4. Nov. 15, 2000 A Creative Arts Academy class and a Bridgman Elementary class who are pen pals met via videoconferencing, introduced themselves, and share writing, songs, and more.
  5. Sept. 26, 27, 28, 2000 Iowa Underground Railroad Quest. Cassopolis and Benton Harbor classes participating.
  6. Collaboration Planning Sept. 14, 2000, 4-6p.m., ISD DL room. Four projects for the school year were planned during this meeting.
  7. March 2, 2000 St. Joseph High School students read Seuss books to students at Blossomland Learning Center for Read Across America day.
  8. May 22, 2000: 4th grade students share presentations across the state for Michigan Week. This event happens yearly. If you’re interested, email Janine at janine.lim@berrienresa.org.
  9. May 30, 2000: Service Learning Project Sharing Time with Bridgman and Benton Harbor at BCISD, and Coloma, and New Buffalo at their home sites. Students shared an overview of their projects.
  10. July 7, 13, 14, 2000: Summer Literacy K-3 classes shared presentations on what they’d been learning. Benton Harbor, Brandywine, Countryside, Coloma, and Galien. See pictures below.

Collaboration Pictures

Viewing the front of the DL room. Note the second monitor on a cart!
Students from Countryside Charter read stories to the other classes.
Galien students listen attentively.

Other Project Possibilities

Following are some examples of projects and short learning experiences that we could share between sites. Some schools have offered to share the following units/projects. Email their contact person to set up a collaboration.

  • Social studies teachers from Eau Claire and Coloma hope to do a project in October 2000 on election issues
  • A Brandywine English teacher would like to do a project (or more) on Shakespeare where students discuss or share readings and one with drama students sharing their work
  • A Spanish teacher would like to have a game show or quiz bowl
  • A Berrien Springs ESL teacher would like to have her students read to K-2 classes and/or give cultural presentations to classes that are studying the countries the students are from
  • A Cassopolis teacher has a 4 week unit on genetics that he would like to share with another high school
  • Lakeshore HS could share a unit on research skills.
  • Edwardsburg HS could share a unit or two on ACT, SAT prep
  • Marcellus HS could possibly offer a unit on hydroponics with their greenhouse
  • Galien has someone who could possibly do a small unit on Civil War, Military History, Persian Gulf War
  • elementary space camp project
  • financial aid sessions for parents/students
  • Other Ideas include:
  • Special guest speakers for various classes such as career information
  • Quiz bowls
  • Geography Bee
  • Spelling Bee
  • Practice sessions for speeches or presentations
  • Academic Challenge
  • Defensive Driving (a 6 hour training)
  • Plays
  • Professional performers for demonstrations
  • Competitions after school – chess, debate club, etc.
  • Exchange programs – sharing ideas and comparing information
  • Science fair prep sessions
  • Financial aid sessions for parents and seniors
  • Prep sessions for SAT, study skills, etc.
  • Diversity training/experiences
  • Language learning
  • Cultural exchanges
  • Debates between schools
  • Projects across schools such as the GM project where students at a high school in Detroit collaborated to construct a car and asked advice from GM engineers
  • Communicate with authors

Nice list of ideas, isn’t it?! Did you learn anything new?

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