Owl Prowl

Every participating class researches an owl that lives in its region. If there are no owls in the area, the class may choose an owl that they would like to study. Students write reports, poems, and stories about owls, and draw pictures. Text and illustrations are sent electronically to be posted on a webpage for each participating class. The class URL or e-mail address is also posted on the page.

Objectives:

• develop research skills in young children
• showcase student work on the World Wide Web
• learn facts about owls
• enhance reading and writing skills
• appreciate owls and their importance in our world
• learn about different owls by visiting the pages of participants
• participate in an online collaborative project

Frosty Readers

Every participating class is assigned a book with a winter theme. (Teachers are welcome to choose a book that is not on the list.) Students do various activities associated with their book, and their work is published at the website. Each class is invited to submit some illustrations and photographs. The class URL or e-mail address is also posted on the page.

Objectives:

• develop literature appreciation
• develop language skills
• showcase student work on the World Wide Web
• foster creativity and imagination
• develop higher level thinking skills

Sample follow-up activities:

• Research the author of the class book and write a report with bibliography and any relevant URLs.
• Write a book review.
• Create a diorama or mural of the story, photograph it, and submit the image file for the website.
• Interview some of the characters in the book.
• Rewrite the story as a play.
• Write a poem about the book or a character in it.

Online Autumn

Young students write original poems and stories, create graphic organizers, etc., about an aspect of autumn. Every class in this project has student work published on a separate webpage. In addition to the written materials, each class is invited to submit some student illustrations. The class URL or e-mail address is posted on the page. Participants are encouraged to share their assessment tools with the rest of the group.

Objectives

• develop early literacy skills
• develop appreciation of poetry and other literature
• guide students to become producers as well as consumers of information on the World Wide Web
• help students use the Internet for online collaboration
• provide a vehicle that offers integrated learning experiences

Sample follow-up activities:

• Teachers share their favorite autumnal lesson plans.
• Participants add their favorite books to an autumn bibliography.
• Teachers and students inform the group about autumn-related websites.
• Children write autumn poems using some of the formats on the Pumpkin Patch (see below) and put them in their own poetry books or post them to other sites.
• Participants trade apple, pumpkin, or other autumn recipes that can be made in class or at home.

The Pumpkin Patch

Young students write original poems about pumpkins following an assigned format. Every child has his or her work published on the web. In addition to the poetry, each class is invited to submit student illustrations(by e- or snail mail). The class URL or e-mail address is posted on the page.

Objectives:

• develop reading and writing skills
• develop poetry appreciation
• showcase student work on the World Wide Web
• use the Internet for online collaboration

Sample follow-up activities:

• Teachers are encouraged to share their favorite pumpkin lesson plans.
• Children find key pals from the project and continue corresponding, or they trade travel buddies.
• Participants can add their favorite books to a pumpkin bibliography.

Stellaluna's Friends

Every participating class researches a bat that lives in its region. If there are no bats in their area, the class may choose a bat that they would like to study. Students write reports, poems, and stories about bats. The work is published on a separate webpage for each class.

Objectives:

• develop research skills in young children
• showcase student work on the World Wide Web
• learn facts about bats and dispel myths
• enhance reading and writing skills
• appreciate bats and their importance in our world
• learn about different bats by visiting the pages of participants
• participate in an online collaborative project

Go to conclusion
Return to article opening
Go to index of project descriptions posted May 1997 to June 2000