1. Introductions! The goal of this was to get the classes to become familiar with each other as well as with Skype. We spent our first couple session learning about each other and learning what we wanted to do with each other for the duration of the school year. That's when, we, Erik & Amy made some long term term plans about curricular-based activities we could use via Skype.

2. We had an Autistic Support teacher, Mrs. Heather Peterson, come into the classroom for a video conference. She described what autism is and and common characteristics of students with autism. The purpose of the conference was to inform students about a population of students that learn and communicate differently, but have the same needs for for acceptance and socialization. After the conference, a quiz about the content was made using Discovery's Quiz Builder. The quiz incorporated math curriculum (problem solving), and language arts curriculum (drawing conclusions, making connections).

3. Our classes each read the book, Rules, which focuses on a girl who has a brother with autism. Our classes met via Skype on a regular basis to discuss the book. Students made predictions, discussed vocabulary and character traits, summarized, and made inferences.

4. Currently, the 4th graders are tutoring the 3rd graders to help increase math fluency of addition and subtraction. After which, they will do the same for multiplication facts. A 4th grader gives each 3rd grader a series of 20 facts, with a time limit to solve each one. Afterwards, the 3rd grader records the number of facts correct before putting the data into their own Excel document so their progress can be charted.

5. Upcoming... We are looking at putting together a Reader's Theatre with some of the students using jumpcut.com to put it all together. We are looking at taping the kids saying their lines and then uplinking them to jumpcut where the kids will learn how to put it all together to make a movie.

6. Digital storytelling is another idea we are thinking about putting together with our classes.  Erik has done this before in his learning support class where the students brought in characters from home (i.e. Barbie Dolls, G.I. Joes, stuffed animals) to put them into a story of their own.  The two classes would bring in all sorts of characters and put together creative stories. 

What else can you think of doing with another class?

7. Holidays

8. Recipes..Local recipes vs. recipes in other places

9. Communicate with troops overseas