Bringing the World to my Class

Each year I work hard to try and bring the best parts of the outside world into my classroom. There have been two really great ways that I have been able to do that. First by setting up a webconference with NASA and by Skyping with an enlisted soldier.

NASA has an amazing website, but very few teachers that I have spoken with know about its awesome Digital Learning Network. The DLN not only has a ton of lesson plans and videos for teachers to use, it also gives teachers the ability to set up a specific time to chat with a NASA scientist on a list of different topics. Last year our scientist was even able to connect our classroom to a training facility where the kids were able to watch astronauts practice getting out of a shuttle upside down in the water! It was amazing!

Another fantastic example of bringing the outside world in involves setting up a Skype session with an enlisted soldier. I will say that this really works best when you are speaking with a soldier that someone knows. In the past we have spoken with a friend of mine who is stationed in Alaska. It gave us a chance to talk about Alaska as well as the role my friend has in the military. Skyping with him also really gave us a chance to talk about the fact that the military does a lot more than just fighting. The children were really interested when the soldier explained the different parts of the uniform that he was wearing. Skyping with and enlisted soldier really helped young children to understand the idea of patriotism. It was fantastic.