“A Tourist guide of  Primavalle” (a suburb of Rome)   

Children have produced a kids’ tourist guide of their own area within a Comenius 1.1 Project

Italy

Wilbury Primary school (London, UK), Nordbyen Skole (Molde, Norway)

Class teachers + Teacher of English

Patrizia Corasaniti : patriziacora@libero.it

Children have worked in groups sharing ideas, responsibilities and materials, making decisions, supporting each other. Teachers have planned activities together

Classroom, Computer Lab

Interacting in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar matters
Writing short sentences in simple English using the simple present of verbs
Giving information

1) how work has been organized either in class and at home. (i.e. individually/in pair/in small groups/ all class)
At school
After a brainstorming with children aimed at collecting ideas about things in the local area which could be of some interest to kids from other countries, a mind map of the guide has come out with titles of different chapters. Children have been divided into groups of 4: each group had to carry out a chapter. Children have translated information about places into English. They drew maps of the local area. They visited some places with class teachers. They typed the text on the Computer. They scanned pictures. They printed the guide.
At home
They visited some places with parents. They took pictures of places. They collected information about places
2) How the work has been shared among children
Each group had to supply pictures and short description of places agreed in the group. Each group elected a leader in charge of task sharing. Once a week the leader had to report the whole class about progresses (groups were provided with a chart in order to schedule weekly activities). Year 3 carried out the chapter about “Ipogeo degli Ottavi”(archaeological site). Year 4 carried out the chapter about “Pineto Park”  (a natural park). Year 5 carried out the chapter about local area facilities.
2) How resources have been used/managed
Each class group (4 groups per class) have been provided with a camera to be shared. In the last two weeks children have collected the whole material, typed information, scanned pictures and build up the hypertext. The hypertext has been copied on CD Rom

camera/computer/Internet/scanner/printer

teachers/children

At home: Camera
At school: Computer/Internet/scanner/printer

In the computer lab children worked in groups of 4. Tools utilized: Word, Power Point.  Teacher supervised.

Lack of cooperation among teachers
Children found many difficulties in organizing and sharing their own work
Problems in sharing equipment (camera)
Computer equipment did not work properly
Teachers not so much expert in the use of technological tools

Stimulating teachers, from the very beginning, to acquire competences in the use of technological tools needed for the success of the Project
Training children in work group
Training children in the use of technological tools
Soliciting the Headmaster and the Office in order to have all the technological tools in the computer lab working properly

Worksheets

Questionnaire, Circle Time

Interviews