CanAmerica Style

As a culminating project in social studies, students are tasked to create a "Utopian Country."  They are asked to apply all that they learned about geography, government, economics, and culture.  The task becomes more involved when students must learn to be diplomatic when they are put into groups.  

 FalconWarrior2 Group hard at work using a Galaxy Tablet.

The task is further riddled when the students are from different countries:  Mrs. Clement's (Windsor, ON, Canada) and some of Mr. Hitchcock's (Coal City, IL, USA) students took this classroom-based project to the next level by developing their country through the global-information-super-highway using Skype (video interface), Edmodo (Like a closed Facebook platform where students converse, share files, garner guidance from teacher, etc.), and Google Docs (share documents).  The St. Rose Falcon and Coal City Warrior students used an array of devices including iPads, Galaxy Tablets, MacBook, and iPod touches in their FalconWarrior groups.

 

All of the Illinois Learning Goals for Social Studies (Goals 14 - 18) were addressed with this project.  Students used their understanding of government, economics, history, geography, and social systems in creating a utopia.  The project required students to solve problems, communicate, use technology, work on teams, and make connections to other learning areas.  

FalconWarrior3 Group has questions.

 

These Coal City students collaborate with each other and with their Canadian group members in completing their project. 

Carly and Joe of St. Rose share their ideas using Google Docs.

St. Rose's Jack and Greg Skype with  their Coal City counterparts using a desktop PC while sharing files with team members using Edmodo on a laptop.

Robert and Ivan discuss their utopia's laws with their Coal City partners.

Falcon students Zachary and Austin plan the economy of their Utopia while deliberating with their U.S. counterparts from Coal City.

Mrs. Clement and Mr. Hitchcock look forward to seeing the products that their "internationalist" students produce.

FalconWarrior Groups' projects will be posted/linked sometime during the week of May 21st. 

Here are some samples of the work-in-progress:

FalconWarrior2's Flag

Students collaborating and Mrs. Clement giving inspiration via Edmodo.

FalconWarrior3 Work

FalconWarrior3: History of Fruitsway on GoogleDocs Slideshow

Link to St. Rose's School District 

Mrs. Clement's Email 

Link to Coal City Middle School's School District 

Mr. Hitchcock's Email 

Student Resource Page