TASK+&+DEADLINES+FROM+TONI+ERRO

= Collaborative Web Project =

= = =__ Hello, let's get acquainted! __=

=We are three teachers from the US and we have 100 students ages 14-16 who to exchange emails about culture, geography, climate, daily routines, etc. We are anxious to get started since we have to be finished by Dec. 10th. Toni, Rob, Bright=

[[image:e_budenkova_96.jpg]]
Hi, my name is Evgeniya Budenkova. I'm an instructor of the English language at the Siberian State Aerospace University and I'm really happy to present our new project "The way we are". Hope that you'll enjoy it :)

__**Description **__

Students, we're going to participate in very curious & interesting international web project! Do you know anything about
====the US and Russian cultural issues? So we're gonna know much more about this fascinating kind of stuff :) You'll get acquainted with an a epal from the USA/Russia, so you'll write mails using this site []====

Sounds interesting! This web project is connected with the WAY WE ARE project on epal service, it's right here:
= = [] So what is it all about? In this introductory project, you will engage in a collaborative learning experience. Through email exchanges, you will build friendships and learn about the daily lives and characteristics of the local environment of students who live in another region of the world. During this project making you should answer the following questions:


 * 1) How is my life similar to and different from my ePal's life?
 * 2) How does the natural environment where my ePal lives affect his or her life?
 * 3) What effect does the culture in my ePal's region have on his or her life?

Also you'll write letters to your epals on the following topics (don't forget that there are strict deadlines): = =

Social Aspect – 1st email – Complete Sometime During the Week of 11/1 – 11/6

What do your e-pals do with their spare time? Do they play sports, what hobbies do they have, what type of music do they listen to and any other questions you might have? How is the school structured? What is the process to get a driver’s license? How is their family structured?

Climate – 1st email- Complete Sometime During the Week of 11/1 – 11/6

What type of climate is dominant in their country. Define it and explain it. What type of terrain is the city your e-pal is from? Is it a rural or urban area. How do the people there adjust to the seasons? (think clothing and traveling)

Map – 2nd email – Complete Sometime During the Week of 11/8 – 11/13 Create a map of the country of the e-pal. This will include capital, major land forms, bodies of water, bordering countries, location of the e-pal’s city and the major roads. This will be colored with a key.
 * [[image:map-of-russia.gif width="464" height="359"]] || [[image:marked_us_map.jpg width="471" height="361"]] ||

Government – 2nd email–Complete Sometime During the Week of 11/8 – 11/13

What type of government is there? Define it and explain it. Who is the head of the government? Is there a representative body? If so, who is in the government? Are officials elected by the people? If so, explain how they are elected. Are there voting requirements? What are they? How are the government relations with the U.S.? How are the peoples’ relations with the US?

Economics – 3rd email – Complete Sometime During the Week of 11/15 -11/19

Is the economy thriving or going through a recession? What are the major products the country exports and imports? Where are their parents employed (through the government or private)? Where would they like to work later in life and why? Do they have any educational goals past high school? Do they have a choice in education?

Food – 3rd email - – Complete Sometime During the Week of 11/15 – 11/19

What do they eat on a daily basis? What are some traditional foods? What food is prepared for special events? What is considered an unusual food to them? Get a recipe from them and make it. Explain to them how it tasted. Did you like or dislike it and how difficult was it to prepare? Were the ingredients hard to find? Would you make this recipe again or another recipe that is served in that country?

Religion – 4th email – Complete Sometime During the Week of 11/22 – 11/26

What religion do they practice? How do they worship? Provide a brief summary of the religion. What is the main religion in their country?

History – 4th email- Complete Sometime During the Week of 11/22 – 11/26

Was it a colony? Was their country every a colony? Who controlled this colony? How long have they had their current government system? How were they involved in each of the World Wars? Did they have any revolutions? When? When did they get independence or have they always been an independent nation? What are some of the major events in the past century that has affected the country?

Exchange Culture Boxes: Due to Mail by 12/1 Choose one small item that you think best represents your culture and bring it to school to mail to your epal.

Culminating Activity by 12/1 You will create final digital presentations about themselves and their ePals reflecting an increased understanding of the differences and commonalities between their cultures, their environments and their lives.

Grading criteria
Language & Style (stylistic, grammar and spelling errors) - 30% Webliography (more than 15 links with annotations) - 5% Visual aspects of PPT - 10% Authorship (name, contact information, organisation) - 5% Content (your text and additional materials) - 40% Structure & Organization (logic and clarity) - 10%

Useful links
[]:
 * AMERICAN CULTURE **
 * * [|Introduction to American Regional Studies (Fall Semester)]
 * [|Introduction to American Regional Studies (Spring Semester)]
 * [|The United States by Regions (Fall Semester)]
 * [|The United States by Regions (Spring Semester)]
 * [|American Culture for ICC Department (Fall Semester)]
 * [|Samples of Students' Papers]
 * [|Samples of Students' Web Projects and Power Point Presentations]
 * [|Webliography on American Culture] ||

** More ** []
 * ** AMERICAN LITERATURE ** ||
 * * [|STUDIES IN AMERICAN LITERATURE (A COURSEBOOK)]
 * [|Course Syllabus (Fall Semester)]
 * [|Course Syllabus (Spring Semester)]
 * [|Samples of Students' Papers]
 * [|Samples of Students' Web Projects]
 * [|USEFUL WEB-SITES ON AMERICAN LITERATURE] ||

[] : > Art history, grants and assistance for the arts, kids' music websites, National Endowment for the Arts... > American culture, African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics and Latinos, Native Americans, cultural resource... > American history, family history and genealogy, historic places and preservation, military history... > Local, federal, and national libraries; online library databases; grants and benefits for libraries... > National museums, Smithsonian Institutions, state historical museums, art museums... [|http://www.aresearchguide.com/941-999.html#941]:
 * [|Art and Architecture]
 * [|Culture and Ethnic Groups]
 * [|History]
 * [|Libraries]
 * [|Museums]


 * United States, United States - History - Chronology, United States - Politics and government, Americana, United States - Civilization, (American history), (American government), (American politics), (United States - Government), (United States - Time capsule) **

[|50 States]. All 50 States and Capitals. Topics covered include state birds, climate, economy, flowers, history, lottery, maps, mottos, museums, national park, nickname, population, symbols, tourism, weather, etc. Flags, songs, fast facts and trivia, newspaper directory, and more. [|American Civil War Collections at the Electronic Text Center]. Primary source material on the American Civil War, including letters, diaries and newspapers. Letter collections include searchable transcriptions as well as digital images of the manuscripts. [|American Experience - Reconstruction: The Second Civil War] from PBS. Contents: Watch the Program (view videos in Quick Time or RealVideo), Forty Acres and a Mule, Plantations in Ruins, Black Legislators, Northerners in the South, Access to Learning, Slave to Sharecropper, The Negro Question, In God We Trust, White Men Unite, State by State, and Teacher's Guide. [|American Memory Photo & Print Collections]. Include African American Odyssey, American Indians of the Pacific Northwest, Baseball Cards, 1887-1914, Creative Americans: Portraits of Celebrities by Carl Van Vechten, 1932-1964, Emergence of Advertising in America: 1850-1920, "Votes for Women" Suffrage Pictures, 1850-1920, and others. [|American Memory: Today in History]. U.S. History and Culture from the Library of Congress. Three searchable options available to view 365 pages in the Archive. Includes photos and links. [|The American Revolution] from Kidport. Contents include: [|Timeline of Events] (Pre-1775, 1775-1777, 1778-1789), Quest for Independence, Boston Massacre, Gaspee Incident, Boston Tea Party, First Continental Congress, Second Continental Congress, Declaration of Independence, Battles of the Revolution, French Alliance, Articles of Confederation, Treaty of Paris, and Links. See other [|Social Studies] topics. [|American Social Hygiene Posters ca. 1910-1970] from the University of Minnesota Libraries. Includes 200 posters used in campaigns against venereal diseases and related social problems in the U.S., mostly during and between World War I and World War II. [|An American Time Capsule]. The Printed Ephemera Collection at the Library of Congress consists of 28,000 primary source items of key events and eras in American history dating from 17th to 21st century. Collection includes over 7,000 items (images, posters, notices, advertisements, proclamations, propaganda, business cards, etc.) from the 50 States, District of Columbia, and London, England. Topics include: the American Revolution, slavery, western land rush, American Civil War, woman suffrage, Industrial Revolution, etc. [|Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids]. Choose a grade range to explore: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Topics covered for Grades 9-12: Our Nation, Historical Documents, Branches of Government, How Laws Are Made, National versus State Government, Election Process, Citizenship, National High School Debate Topic, Games and Activities, Glossary, and U.S. Government Web Sites for Kids with links to various subject areas. [|Best of History Web Sites - U.S. History]. Top 5 U.S. History Sites, U.S. History in the Classroom, and U.S. History in the Making. You can also search by Topics: Native American, African American, Women, Government, Immigration, General Resources, or by Periods: Pre-Colonial, Colonial, Independence, Constitution, South & Slavery, Civil War, Gilded Age, Westward Expansion, Early Imperialism, Progressivism, WWI, Roaring '20s, Great Depression, Civil Rights, Cold War Era, and Post Cold War. [|A Biography of America]. Excellent resources for K-12. This is a companion Web site to the video series and telecourse offered by Annenberg Foundation and Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Site includes 26 educational video programs. Each program features flash or non-flash versions of images, interactive timelines or maps, gallery of images, questions to ponder, key events, transcript, Webography, and other quality resources. Topics include: Rise of Capitalism, Slavery, Civil War, 1920s, FDR and the Depression, World War II, 1950s, 1960s, etc. [|Bureau of Land Management Historical Photographs]. This BLM database contains more than 3,500 historical digital images documenting the nation’s westward migration, primarily in 12 western states, 1890-1980. [|ClickState.com - United States Local Web Directory]. Search for business in your community. Select a State, then browse by Cities. Includes latest State News, State Information (includes flag, geography, longitude / latitude, restaurants, real estate), and more. [|Core Documents of U.S. Democracy]. Cornerstone Documents include: Articles of Confederation, Bill of Rights, Constitution of the United States of America, Declaration of Independence, Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg Address, Congressional Bills, Pictorial Directory, Record, Public and Private Laws, United States Code, Presidential Inaugurations, Supreme Court Decisions, American FactFinder, Statistical Abstract of the United States, Economic Indicators, United States Government Manual, and more. [|Digital History]. Includes [|Resource Guides by Period & by Topic], [|Hypertext History: Our Online American History Textbook] - An interactive, multimedia history of the United States from the Revolution to the present, [|Interactive Timelines], [|Encyclopedia of American History], [|Biographical Directory of American History], and much more. [|The Federal Register (FR)]. Official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents. It is updated daily by 6 a.m. and is published Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. [|FirstGov]. WWW information portal for the United States Federal Government. Links to Workers.gov and Mapstats.gov, Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches of the U.S. Government, as well as State and Local Governments. [|GPO Access]. A service of the United States Government Printing Office that provides free electronic access to a wealth of important information products produced by the Federal Government. [|HistoricalVoices.org]. Featured Galleries include: [|The OYEZ Project] - virtual reality tour of U.S. Supreme Court building, [|Earliest Voices: A Gallery from the Vincent Voice Library] - hear actual voices of Thomas Edison, William Taft, Booker T. Washington ..., [|History and Politics Out Loud (HPOL)]- a collection of audio materials of significant U.S. historical events and people of the 20th century, and other digital library collections. [|History Matters]. Developed by American Social History Project, Center for Media & Learning, City University of New York, and the Center for History and New Media, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA. Site is designed for high school and college teachers of U.S. History courses. See [|WWW.History] - an annotated guide to the most useful websites for teaching U.S. history and social studies. [|History of the American West, 1860-1920] from American Memory, Library of Congress. Over 30,000 photographs, drawn from the holdings of the Western History and Genealogy Department at Denver Public Library. [|History Wired: A Few of Our Favorite Things]. From Smithsonian Institution. Map face has 10 categories representing different types of objects in the museum collections. Each "square" on the map face represents an object. Choose a category to view: Accomplishments, Arts & Entertainment, Commerce, Computers, Events, Leisure, Medicine, Military, People, Politics, Science, Tech, Transportation, and Sports. [|infoUSA - Information USA]. An authoritative resource for foreign audiences seeking information about American society, political processes, official U.S. policies and culture, from U.S. Department of State. Contents: Facts about the USA, Government and Politics, Economy and Trade, Laws and Treaties, Media, Society and Values, Education in the U.S., Science and Technology, Arts and Culture, Geography and Travel. [|Life in the USA: The Complete Guide for Immigrants and Americans]. Contents include: The American People, American Culture, Public Services, Transportation, Everyday Life in America, Government and Law, Doing Business in the USA, Education in America, Retirement and Aging, Life in the USA Magazine, Great American Places, Land, History and Language, Religion in America, Money and Finance, Living in an American Community, Making a Living in the USA, Immigration and Citizenship, Medical Care, Death in America. [|The Nation]. Much of the back issues of the magazine (from 1999 to current) can be accessed online. [|Office of Community Services (OCS)]. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. [|Services for Families] include Adoption and Foster Care, Child Abuse & Neglect, Child Care, Child Support, Disabilities, Disaster Assistance, Early Childhood Education, Emergency Preparedness, Family/Domestic Violence, Fatherhoold Initiative, Head Start, Missing Children and Runaways, Native American Tribal, Parenting, Refugees, State Social Service Agencies, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and more. [|Politics Navigator]. Guide to political, government, and public opinion sites from New York Times. Free registration to use site. (Pop-up ads). [|Pop Culture]. Contents: General Pop Culture of the United States, Decades: 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, Movies, Pop Music, Television, Theater, Miscellaneous ([|Bad Fads Museum], [|Life Magazine Cover Collection 1936-1972], [|Origins of American Animation]). [|Talking History]. 1997-2003 radio archives from the University at Albany, State University of New York. Listen to audio documentaries, speeches, debates, oral histories, conference sessions, commentaries, archival tape and interviews, and other aural history resources. Wide variety of topics including: Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775-1782, Tulsa Riot of 1921, Remembering Kent State, 1970, Why September 11th Happened, and many more. [|Today in History] from Library of Congress, American Memory. See also [|Archive of 365 pages of Today in History]. Browse archive by specific day or month. [|United States Coats of Arms]: National arms, Arms and seals of states, Arms of counties (districts), Arms of municipalities, towns and cities, from [|International Civic Heraldry]. [|United States history] from Lilly Library, Indiana University. Online exhibitions include: [|Medieval & renaissance manuscripts], Early printing & the church, Voyages & exploration, [|American History Documents], and more. [|USINFO - U.S. Department of State]. Includes: [|The West: People]. Interactive biographical dictionary of the men and women featured in THE WEST (an 8-part documentary series from PBS). Biographies offer details about their lives along with comments on their historical significance. See also [|Places]: Section features archival maps from the 1860's and 1880's, [|Events]: Interactive timeline charts significant events from pre-Columbian times to the early 1900's, plus Lesson Plans and Quizzes. [|The White House]. Direct links to US Federal government services. White House history, tours, virtual library, and archives. White House for Kids. See also [|Ask the White House] - This online interactive forum, the first of its kind in politics, allows you to interact with Bush administration officials and friends of the White House. [|WWW-VL History: United States]. Index to major U.S. history sites, maintained at the University of Kansas. [|Yahoo! United States].
 * [|Topics]. Sites featuring materials focusing on U.S. foreign policy, international trade, and a variety of issues and topics of interest worldwide, e.g. International Security, Trade and Economics, Global Issues, Democracy, Human Rights, U.S. History, Geography & Population, U.S. Life & Culture.
 * [|Regions]. U.S. policies and issues, topics of regional or local interest, covering Africa, The Americas, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Eurasia, Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, U.S. Embassies and Diplomatic Missions.
 * [|Resource Tools]. Department of State - Web portal of the U.S. Department of State. Identifying Misinformation - Sheds light on misinformation, disinformation, hoaxes and other false reports about the U.S. government. International Events Calendar. Information USA. A compilation of materials for foreign audiences seeking information about American society, political processes, U.S. historical documents, and culture.