Teach Me How to Play!
Who?
Welcome! My name is Jamie Locklin and I am
Instructional Technology Specialist working with 1st-5th
grade students in the Houston, TX area.
This website is
designed for you as the facilitator to communicate with other facilitators of
the project. Please feel free to email
with question or concerns (jwlocklin@gmail.com) or post them in the comments of
the part you are currently working on with the project.
You don’t need to
be a tech expert to join this project either! All you need is a camera (even
your phone will do), an internet connection, a class, and a sense of
adventure!
What?
This Global
Learning Project will provide your students the opportunity to interact with
other students around the world synchronously and/or asynchronously around a
topic they already love…GAMES!!!
Using expository
writing, and the writing-process, students will describe their favorite games
in a how-to paper that will then turn into a video tutorial of how to play
their favorite schoolyard or neighborhood games.
In the first part
of the project students will use their composition and writing skills to
describe the games that they play during recess, at home, or in their
neighborhood. Included in their writing should be an explanation of
instructions and rules to the game as well.
In the second step
of the project students will use their compositions to create a video
explaining the game they play. Classrooms can choose to record multiple games
or pick one in the end that is the class’ favorite after finishing the writing
part. These videos will be shared via
YouTube (or another approved method) and then shared with the other classrooms.
Students will then try to play the games of the other classes to see if the
instructions are clear. Classrooms can then connect synchronously via Google
Hangouts or Skype to ask clarifying questions and share the joys of what they
have learned about each other. As an alternative to synchronous meetings
classrooms can create a response video showing them playing the games the other
have taught them to connect asynchronously.
When?
This project will
repeat twice a U.S. school year (once from August to December, and again from
January to May), offering teachers and students the opportunity to participate
when their schedule allows during the year.
It is not necessary for the project to take all of the time allotted as
some projects could be finished in just three or four weeks.
Where?
In order for
students and teachers around the world to participate, example videos can be
found on JamieLocklin.com, as well as sample lesson plans and other
resources. These resources are all
located on ePals.com as well.
Why?
The purpose behind
this project is to not only enrich your curriculum by giving writing a global
dimension, but also to add a little fun to learning the expository writing
process that also helps students learn to respect, value, and celebrate other
cultures.
As the world grows
smaller every day, events that once seemed distant in places like the Ukraine,
Saudi Arabia or South Korea are now just a click or a tweet away. Through the games that students play they
will be taken from their own neighborhoods into the neighborhoods of this
ever-shrinking world to have an experience they will remember for a lifetime.
How?
An introductory
video explaining the idea behind the project is provided. Teachers will then help students brainstorm
the various games they play, creating an extensive list. From that list,
students will then choose one and write out instructions and directions to the
game.
After the
instructions have been through the writing process and are complete, a short
1-3 minute video will be made using their writing as a guide to help explain
the games. It is not expected that the paper will be read but will form the
guideline for the filming of the video project. The videos will then be shared
with the other classrooms.
Each participating
classroom will then vote on the favorite game they received and create a video
response (or connect live via Google Hangouts or Skype) to ask questions and
demonstrate them playing the game at their school.
All coordination
will be done through email, JamieLocklin.com blog postings, YouTube,
ePals/iEarn, as well as (when available) synchronous meetings via Hangouts or
Skype throughout the process.
Jamie you have some really strong points here:
ReplyDelete1. Your introduction is strong and welcoming, teachers or students would not feel intimidated by your information or your project introduction. love the part were you say no one needs to be an expert to participate.
2. Secondly, as a visual learner I know that i would be able to understand what your project is about because of the videos on your web page. THis is something that should be completed for those multiple intelligence learners.
3. I like the topic because who doesn't like video games????, i especially liked that you are starting your first steps of the assignment with writing and letting students describe their video game.
4. Question: I know the end result is a video of their game, but is the game just a re explanation of what they already play or are they creating a new, math, language, science game? Not quite sure.. Maybe you can clarify this.
5. Good job!
This is a great model of what to do - it makes mine look really bad.
ReplyDeleteJamie the introduction is wonderful! I also like how in the end they vote on their favorite video, so the project just isn't an assignment for students but a game too! The correlation of writing to technology to entertainment is a fabulous idea. I feel that most kids would love to do this project, however I didn't see what grades you were looking for to participate. The resources that you have available to the teachers/students are great as well (e-Pals and your own site). While learning about the games from other cultures maybe they could also journal on e-Pals about what they like/don't like about the game they played and what they would do different or how it could work better. They could also discuss whether or not they have the same resources available to them where they live to play the game correctly, or if they have to improvise. Overall I would love to see the student-student interaction be on the fore front and I am happy to see the GLP unfold.
ReplyDeleteHi Jamie! Your GLP site content was written beautifully in that it is set up and ready to be placed on a website. I am also loving the concept of what your GLP is and that it focuses on games, which all students love. In the “What” portion of your explanation it would be helpful I think if you started out with a mission statement that quickly describes what the GLP is. You go into great detail about how it works and what it’s for, but I think a quick tagline would help make it clearer what you’re doing on the site.
ReplyDeleteI am definitely a visual learner so while I understand the concept of your project, it’s a bit hard to follow along in that I think once I see the plans and exactly what is happening it will all come together. Question: I know you mentioned everything being linked to your personal domain name. Does this mean teachers have to go through you in order to make this happen in their class or how will the correspondence take place since it happens 2 times a year? Sorry, I may be slow to understand but I was a bit confused on that part. :-/