- Grade Level: Upper Elementary
- Subject Area: Science
Students will collaborate with another classroom via the Internet to share data, questions, results, and check the validity of their testing procedures.
- Predict and observe plant growth over time.
- Gather and record data on plant growth.
- Collaborate with another class to share data on plant growth.
- Interpret data on plant growth.
- Apply and generalize data to other kinds of plants.
Materials and Resources
In developing our lessons and activities, we made some assumptions about the hardware and software that would be available in the classroom for teachers who visit the LETSNet Website. We assume that teachers using our Internet-based lessons or activities have a computer (PC or Macintosh) with the necessary hardware components (mouse, keyboard, and monitor) as well as software (operating system, TCP/IP software, networking or dial-up software, e-mail and a World Wide Web client program, preferably Netscape, but perhaps Mosaic or Lynx). In the section below, we specify any "special" hardware or software requirements for a lesson or activity (in addition to those described above) and the level of Internet access required to do the activity.
- Special hardware requirements: None.
- Special software requirements: None.
- Internet access:Medium-speed (28,000 BPS via modem) or higher.
Locate another class that is willing to work collaboratively with you on this project. You can use e-mail to post a message to a list server, or visit a Website (see Internet Resources below), to find a collaborative partner or classroom.
- Post to one of the listservs a message regarding your interest in a particular subject/idea or project.
- Contact a school that is already on the Web for a list of teachers.
- For suggestion Websites to locate teachers for collaborative projects, or see the Internet Resources below.
Contact your collaborative partner and share student data, questions, and results. Check the validity of each other's testing procedures. Did your partner class remember to control variables? Did they get similar results?
Have students write their conclusions in their Science Journals.
Suggested Follow-up Activities
Have the students write a book, with illustrations, on "How To Raise a Healthy Plant".
Design a web page sharing the information you gathered on plants.
Visit a local farm, nursery, garden or greenhouse.
Plan a garden feast where each student brings in a favorite food prepared with plant products.
- ThinkQuest Meeting Places
The ThinkQuest¬ team has put together several 'meeting places' for the contest participants to meet other participants to form Teams and share ideas.
- Teacher Link
The Teacher Link is an international community of teachers on-line. To register as a Teacher Link member, simply fill out the Teacher Link Membership Form. Once registered, you can share ideas and gain valuable insights into educational practice from others. Teacher Link members may also participate in SuccessMaker Online projects.
- (Intercultural E-Mail Classroom Connections
The IECC (Intercultural E-Mail Classroom Connections) mailing lists are provided by St. Olaf College as a free service to help teachers and classes link with partners in other countries and cultures for e-mail classroom pen-pal and project exchanges.
- Netpal List server
This listserv will allow classrooms to locate other classrooms who wish to collaborate and communicate via telecommunications.
- Classroom Connect's Teacher Contact Database
When you'd like to find other educators to do online projects with, keypal exchanges, etc., simply come here and search through Classroom Connect's Teacher Contact Database.
- Global SchoolNet Foundation
The Global Schoolhouse Projects Registry database provides a comprehensive source for Internet-based classroom projects. Anyone who visits the Global Schoolhouse can access the registry and it is an ideal way to get the word out by registering your project. The Global SchoolNet Foundation Internet Project Registry is for busy teachers searching for appropriate on-line projects to integrate into their required coursework.
- Project Center
This site, produced by Project Watch, is a good source to locate classroom projects involving the Internet. The site is updated every week. Many of the projects included in Project Watch come from Kidsphere or Classroom Connect mailing lists.
- Web66 International WWW School Registry
Web66 maintains the Internet's oldest and most comprehensive list of K12 WWW servers.
- Global SchoolNet Foundation
Global SchoolNet Foundation maintains a directory of K12 schools with the capability for using CU-SeeMe.
- National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Scientist-on-Tap
Scientists from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) demonstrate the power of distance learning, by interacting with students around world, from the comfort of their own offices!
- Ask An Expert Page
New Jersey Networking Infrastructure in Education lists experts on-line by subject.
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