(The following curriculum was formulated by Relief International – Schools Online

and adjusted for the Global Connectivity Project)

Activity: September 11^th - 29^th (approx. 3 weeks)

Description: Students begin the year long cross-cultural partnerships by exploring their own community and describing it for their partner students. In this introductory lesson, students complete a survey of their community and build a PowerPoint or webpage. The final product covers numerous aspects of the community- culture, history, media, location, school, economics and will be used as a reference on the project websites for the remainder of the year

Description: Using Microsoft Word and the Internet, students have an opportunity to exchange recipes, eating etiquette and food customs with their partners. Students write up family recipes, national dishes and food eaten for special occasions along with descriptions and directions for preparing and eating. This activity ends in a class "potluck" where students prepare one of the dishes from their partner country. The school can then compile their own International Cookbooks and sell them as a fundraiser for a community service project or global relief agency. They would make great Christmas presents for the cook in all of us.

Description: Every culture seems to have their particular cultural beliefs (like superstitions!). They’re very often weird and wonderfully wacky. Students carry out surveys and interviews with fellow classmates, community members and family members to document some of their cultures superstitions. Individually students pick one stereotype to do background research on and write the tale of how this superstition came to be and share the information they learn through the online forum, and by building a PowerPoint, or adding it to their webpage.

Description: This lesson looks at culture through the lens of clothing. How does what we wear send messages to our fellow countrymen? The world? What stereotypes do we make about different styles of clothing? Students examine the stereotypes they hold in their own culture through documenting different styles of clothing. Students will put together a fashion show using PowerPoint and through the forum students discuss what clothing says about a culture by looking at their own photos and text, as well as those sent by their partners.

Description: The arts are the cornerstone of many societies around the world. In this lesson students are able to explore their partner cultures theater and music through partner guidance. With the help of their partners, students will produce a short skit, dance or musical performance that is well known in their country and/or their partners country.