Timeline 2002

2002 Respecting Diversity and Cultural Heritage

Students involved:

forty 5th graders: Design a Clock
twenty-four 8th graders: Unite the Nations Game
seventy-five 9th graders (aged 12/15) - Classroom Twinning Activity (e-mailing) and Discussion Forums
sixty 10th graders (aged 14/16) - 1 group on Forums/Classroom Twinning/another group monitoring Unite the Nations Game
ten 11th graders (aged 15/17) - Classroom Twinning (e-mailing) and Discussion Forums

voluntary 11th/12th graders start translating site into Portuguese.

Aims:

Practice target language

Practice computer skills (e-mailing, search on net, oral presentation interacting in a forum)

stimulate young citizens to become aware of and respect their own heritage as well as the heritage from their peers around the world.

Make students think about their own culture;

the aspects that reflect their culture and develop their own views on diversity and culture

To become aware of (famous) heritage sites in their own country; understand the advantages and disadvantages of tourism to cultural or natural heritage sites;develop their own views on heritage and tourism.

To become aware of the different cultures in their country; understand differences in cultures; develop their own views on diversity and society.

To become aware of other worldwide problems like pollution and other environmental issues; understand the environmental problems in their own country or region; develop your own views on diversity and the environment.

Technology:

School:

4 computers with fast connection in teachers' room,

8 computers library (fast connection)

16 new computers (with fast connection in technology room), printer, scanner

8 very old computers science room (slow connection), 1 printer, 1 scanner

1 Digital Mavica

Home:

2 computers (fast internet connection), 1 printer

Macromedia Dreamweaver software

Process:

Classroom Twinning: students participate in emailing and two forums during the year : from April to early June and from October to end of November.
Unite the Nations Game: students search the Web, prepare questions about Brazil in Portuguese with teachers from different areas and translate them into English.
Translation site into Portuguese: voluntary 11 and 12th graders start translating the site into Portuguese

First semester:

The mailing is done in English between groups of classes of different countries (Mexico, Indonesia, The Netherlands, Italy, Finland, Belarus, France, Brazil and Canada).
I post tips for teachers on e-mail exchange on the community forum.
I pair students with the different classes around the world.
Students get in groups and prepare a set of questions to send to other schools and compose a paragraph on their country.
Students write personal letters of introduction according to plan. Example Lesson Plan and letters sent (10th grade);Examples of letters sent (9th grade); Example of letters received (10th grade)

In May, the students meet on a closed forum and exchange messages on themes related to cultural diversity (either live on a pre-arranged date and hour or leave their messages and receive comments afterwards).
Teachers meet in the Time Classroom Twinning Community to exchange ideas, point out eventual problems, post doubts and suggestions and together evaluate their students' work.

Second semester:

Workshop at Cyberlangues 2002 in Bordeaux, France to present a workshop on Time project to French foreign language teachers.

Lesson plan in English and in French is posted on Classroom Twinning Community and students in each country start writing their introductions.

Instructions are posted for teachers on how to operate the forum.

Students post their introduction letters on the forum and start communicating with others.

Questions on the various themes are established.

Students get in groups according to their choice.

Discussions are held in class after presentation of target vocabulary and research on the Internet.

Students exchange their views with students from different countries on the forums

- Group A: Diversity and culture
- Group B: Diversity and sustainable tourism
- Group C: Diversity and society
- Group D: Diversity and the environment

Students get together on Time Day and participate in the United the Nations Game, Discussion Forums, Design a Clock activity.
Report on year activities is sent to headquarters.