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Meet Kendall McCreary
 Kendall
McCreary is a language arts and honors social studies teacher
for seventh graders at Cario Middle School. Most of the seventh
grade curriculum is world geography; and to really capture the
essence of these locations, her students "travel" via
the web to their assigned destinations throughout the year. The
weekly routine of using the computer labs has greatly enhanced
the student's technology skills and abilities.
The students are engaged and become curious to find out more
and more about each of their destinations. This technology framework
in conjunction with the textbook has greatly increased the students'
motivation to learn about geography. According to Kendall, "We
have gotten the students to take ownership for their work and
to really want to learn more about the world through the integration
of technology." In addition, their people skills have also
increased due to required collaborative group work. According
to Kendall, students' reading/writing skills have increased as
well because of the vast amount of writing and research required.
Kendall McCreary's Best Practice Strategy:
Improving students' knowledge of geography and reading/writing
skills through the use of the Internet research and electronic
projects/documents.
Lesson Plan Overview:
Seventh grade social studies is full of geography because Ms.
McCreary's class has set sail on a student named Internet Cruise
ship. This is a yearlong voyage starting with the United States
and Canada. Each destination requires the same core assignments
(ex. brochure, souvenirs, postcards, etc.). The students are assigned
to teams. Each member in the team is an "expert" on
a particular subject (i.e. culture, foods, geography, history,
nature and travel). Throughout the voyage there is a great amount
of group work as well as independent work. Classes are enrolled
with ePals and Cyberbee's Postcard Geography. Both of these programs
allow students in Charleston, South Carolina, to communicate with
students from all over the globe.
For travel purposes, students have been issued a "passport."
These passports are present at all times while "traveling"
on the web. Students also are issued "steamer trunks"
(dress shirt boxes) and keep track of the websites visited by
making stickers on the computer and then putting them on their
"steamer trunks." This trunk also is a practical way
of keeping track of materials (similar to a portfolio). This fun,
exciting and educational way to REALLY learn about geography has
resulted inparent and student support and enthusiam.
In May there is a "Captain's Dinner" to celebrate the
return to Charleston, South Carolina. This dinner is a time for
the students to showcase their work and to let parents, friends,
and family see all the projects and information.
Currently the "ship" is on display outside Ms. McCreary's
classroom door. The portholes (paper plate pictures) show some
of the most recent destinations.
These lessons are based on a unit written by Vareane Gray Heese,
called: Internet Cruises, published by Interaction Publishers,
Inc. of Carlsbad, CA in 1998. The lessons were adapted to the
needs of the students at Cario and coordinated with the South
Carolina Social Studies curriculum standards.
Student Requirements
Brochure Rubric
Collaboration Rubric
Sample Brochure
Student Work Samples
Pictures of Students
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