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Basic Project Information

Title: The SANTA LETTERS - Since 1985 (ID:2076)

Begin & End Dates: 11/06/14 to 12/15/14 (Completed)

Number of Classrooms: No Limit

Age Range:  5 - 17 Years

Target Audience: Anyone

Summary: This letter exchange, which pairs classes of elementary students with Jr/Sr High students, is GSN's oldest (1985) telecomputing project... and one of its most successful.

Best of all, it is simple while giving your students a highly satisfying, authentic experience with letter writing (and reading!).

Key Words: Santa, Letters, Christmas, Holiday


Project Details

Project Level: Basic Project

Curriculum Fit: Language; Technology; Community Interest; English as Foreign Language

Technologies Used: Email; List server; Text: stories; essays; letters

Collaboration Styles Used: Intercultural Exchange; Global Classroom; Impersonation

Full Project Description:

Project Name: The SANTA LETTERS - Since 1985 By Dennis Cowick, Global SchoolNet Foundation A favorite annual GSN project since 1985.

Students in grades K-1 or 2 write letters to "Santa."

Students in grades 7-12 reply as "Santa."

When you register to participate, we match you up with another class with whom you exchange letters... one primary class (ages 5-8 years), one older class (ages 12-17).

We also provide you with abundant lesson ideas and tips to help your students have a successful... and very authentic... letter writing experience.

Objectives:

Purpose: Improve writing skills in primary and upper grade students, and produce many student-authored papers for reading.

ACADEMICALLY: This project strengthens students' writing. Primary students want their letter to Santa to be "just right", and secondary students feel such a high degree of responsibility to the task that they also want their work to be their best. Students gladly write, edit, revise and perfect their letters.

They even get quite a bit of practice reading, because they want to read each others' letters and compare the contents.

SOCIALLY: One of the most noteworthy results of this project is the cooperative mode that the students seem automatically to slide into so effortlessly. They want to help each other, to compare what they have written with what others in the class have done. The desire to cooperate is obvious, natural and strong.

Project URL: http://www.globalschoolnet.org/gsnsanta

Project Sponsor: Global SchoolNet Foundation


Registration Information

Registration Status: Closed

Registration Dates: 9/21/14 to 11/10/14

Registration Instructions: Complete project materials and guidelines are at http://www.globalschoolnet.org/project/santa.

Beginning on October 12 please REGISTER for the project and view the project timeline at http://www.globalschoolnet.org/gsnsanta

to send email to project coordinator.

Project Registration URL: http://www.globalschoolnet.org/gsnsanta


Project Coordinator Information

Dennis Cowick -
San Diego City Schools
San Diego, California, United States

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http://globalschoolnet.org/gsnpr/ViewProject.cfm?pID=2076