"Do not go where the path leads;
Rather, go where there is no path and leave a trail."
-Emerson

I submit for your consideration the annual online collaborative projects issue of the newsletter. Listed below are a variety of projects which are just getting underway and are looking for creative, dedicated, connected teachers like you to help make them a success! Not sure where to start or what to do? Consider my guidelines for collaborative projects at http://surfaquarium.com/cpguide.htm and then peruse these listings for something that catches your fancy. Check out the project web site and then email the contact person with questions you may have. You'll be a seasoned pro in no time!

You'll find many projects now state learning objectives and some even correlate to state and national standards. I can promise you that if you dive in and include a project in your classroom this year, you'll increase student interest, excitement for learning, and academic achievement as the project unfolds! You may also be interested in reviewing last year's projects issue at http://surfaquarium.com/newsletter/projects2001.htm.

Thanks to Jerry B for his recommendations - oh - and don't forget that registration for my eIditarod project http://surfaquarium.com/e_iditarod.htm will begin in December!

Art & Architecture - http://www.arlington.k12.va.us/schools/drew/a&a/a&a.htm

This year the students at Drew Model School in Arlington, Virginia will use the Art & Architecture project started a year ago as a basis for the study of architecture and culture from around the world! They invite K - 12 classes from every continent to study their website on architecture through history and then create a virtual tour of architecture in their own part of the world. The virtual tour can be presented in web page format, as a slide show, or through the use of digital video, and should also include examples of student art work which reflect awareness and understanding of the architectural elements evident in your community.
Contact person: Walter McKenzie - walter@surfaquarium.com

Classroom Pets - http://www.sugargliders.org/pets.htm

Share your classroom pet with the world! Each participating class will draw and/or photograph their class pet(s). Students will create an information sheet about their pet(s), including the jobs assigned to care for pets. If you don't have a class/school pet, the students can do the project with an animal found in your state, adopt a pet or one of their own pet(s) at home. The project site is still under construction but the registration information is there.
Contact person: L. Kirkpatrick - chs@swcp.com

Email Newsletter Project - http://www.geocities.com/marykreul/2Kschool/Newsletter/newsprojectindex.html

Join the Email Newsletter Project, a monthly email newsletter exchange among groups of approximately 10 elementary/middle school classes on topics such as subjects we study in school, holidays and celebrations, where we live, pets and collections, sports and games we like to play, favorite books and authors, and future career choices. This is not intended to be a keypal exchange with individually written student letters or a letter written by a teacher or other adult. Newsletters are to be done by a class of students as a group activity and are to be limited to one page via email.
Contact person: Mary Kreul- marykreul@yahoo.com

Fun in the Sun Sunscreen Lab - http://www.sanford.k12.me.us/SunRayHare/home.htm

Help these inquisitive students to test the effectiveness of different sunscreen products. They will work with you to complete labs and report results that will be compiled on the web site for everyone to share. The objective is to learn about the health risks associated with the sun and to find products that can really work to prevent damage to our skin. The project site is definitely home grown and full of all kinds of activities and information.
Contact person: Joan Wright - sunray@sanford.org

International School and Classroom Virtual Visit Project. - http://lists.literacytent.org/mailman/listinfo/icvv

This is the fourth cycle of our International School and Classroom Virtual Visit Project. The theme this year is Understanding Cultural Differences. Young people in elementary and secondary schools will not only share with their partner schools pictures and writing about themselves, their school and their community, they will also choose a cultural understanding theme to discuss. The project is designed for students who would like to collaborate and learn in a global environment using e-mail and the World Wide Web, and who would like to discuss strategies for overcoming cultural misunderstanding, ending cultural conflicts, and/or bringing about world peace.
Contact person: Susan Gaer - sgaer@yahoo.com

Let's Explore Australia! - http://www.expedition360.com/australia.htm

Participants will view video created by explorer Jason Lewis and his team as they biked across Australia. Then students will complete Math , Science and Social Studies tasks that are based on the expedition. The project page includes a virtual classroom and discussion board, as well as a teacher section with lessons, assessments, standards and tips and a kid corner with puzzles, mysteries to solve and an ask the experts feature. Competition between classes is built into the project and prizes include a digital microscope and a sound morpher.
Contact person: Barbara Schulz - schulz@uscolo.edu

Native Cultures Around the Globe - http://65.42.153.210/kidspace/start.cfm?HoldNode=623

Classes will be sharing research about Native peoples from their country with others around the world. Students will be using geography skills to locate the tribes of the participating classes on a map, sharing literary experiences by reading either The Island of the Blue Dolphins or Call It Courage (or another book about Native peoples) and responding to the events or characters in the stories, writing Math word problems, sharing Native legends, and digitally designing an artifact box for their native culture which will be posted on the project web page. Register by September 20th, 2002!
Contact person: Barbara Schulz - schulz@uscolo.edu

One Out of Two Homes in America - http://web.utk.edu/~awatkin3/appliances/

Through this project classrooms across America will participate in gathering data to test Sears' claim that 'One Out of Two Homes in America has a Kenmore appliance.' A questionnaire will be printed from the web site and each student in a classroom will be asked to survey one household to gather data. The data will be submitted via the project's web site and a database of the results will be updated at least once a week. An activities page will even encourage students to role play Sears management and to analyze the data to make decisions regarding manufacturing and marketing issues.
Contact person: Allison Watkinson - watkinsona@k12tn.net

Operation RubyThroat: The Hummingbird Project - http://www.rubythroat.org/

Operation RubyThroat is a cross-disciplinary project that revolves around observations of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Through Operation RubyThroat's new affiliation with The GLOBE program, schools can submit ad correlate on-line data about atmosphere, climate, soils, etc. with observations about hummingbird behavior, nesting and migration. Schools that are not GLOBE-certified may join the project independently. See also http://www.hiltonpond.org and http://www.globe.gov.
Contact person: Bill Hilton Jr. - info@rubythroat.org

Presidents' Project - http://surfaquarium.com/prezproj.htm

The Presidents' Project 2003 is underway, and we're looking for classes interested in researching one of our nation's Presidents and creating a first class website presenting their findings. Content of the website will include definitive, accurate information on the terms of his Presidency, his career and accomplishments, biographical data and anecdotes, his home state (a virtual tour), and a game, puzzle or extension activity. Completed projects will be posted on the project server where it will be featured on the Rollcall of the Presidents page. All posted projects will be recommended to President Bush for his approval!
Contact person: Walter McKenzie - walter@surfaquarium.com

Road Trip USA - cchs_jolthou@k12server.mveca.org

I usually require a project web site if I am going to promote a project, but in this case I'll make an exception due to the potential this particular project holds for excellent online learning. Ms. Olthouse's class would like to help your class learn about major U.S. cities by presenting you with simulated "tours" through videoconferencing. Her students will each research a city, describing history and attractions in a vacation itinerary format that utilizes visual aids, music, and other multimedia. Approximately 3-4 students will present in the space of an hour, and multiple sessions may be scheduled. Your class is invited to write travel journal entries about each 'trip' and email them to her students.
Contact person: Jill Olthouse - cchs_jolthou@k12server.mveca.org

Searching the World Over for Good Character - http://www.teacherweb.com/MO/SullivanElementary/GoodCharacter/index.html

Searching the World Over for Good Character will enable students and teachers in schools around the world to come together in sharing their experiences demonstrating good character. The project includes sharing stories, poems, posters, activities and quotations online. There are additional links regarding character education on the project web site. This is a very comfortable way to celebrate your character education with like-minded teachers around the globe.
Contact person: Sharon Sumner - sumners@eagles.k12.mo.us

Seasonal Changes Through Our Eyes and Yours - http://www.lakelandschools.org/EDTECH/Seasons/home.htm

Ms. Brandon's class is interested in comparing and contrasting seasonal data with other classrooms in environments/climates different than their own. Students will observe changes in a specific deciduous tree, temperature, seasons, and times the sun rises and sets and share their findings via e-mail. Templates are provided on the project web page to support classes in completing each of these tasks between now and next June.
Contact Person: Linda Brandon - lbrandon@lakelandschools.org

What's My Number? - http://65.42.153.210/kidspace/start.cfm?HoldNode=899

In this project, students are asked to create a set of clues that challenge other students to use math to determine a specific number. At the same time your students will work to solve other math challenges posted by participants in the project. Student math challenges should contain no numbers, use descriptions of the number to lead students to determine the number, and contain a clue that mentions something about the area where you live. Your students may also send any other math challenges that they would like to write.
Contact person: Joy Boehm - boehmj@EVESHAM.k12.nj.us

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