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Camp Internet
Distance Learning Project
Syllabus
Grades 4-12
Subject : Technology Literacy, Science, Social Science, Literature
Format : the year long program is called a Camp Internet Expedition; can be utilized daily or weekly; ten month session divided into eight study units. Setting : single computer classroom, library or home school; school / afterschool computer lab with networked computers; host sites are called Camp Internet Expedition Outposts.
Conceptual Framework : The California Channel Islands have a rich and relatively unknown history and abundant marine and terrestrial biological habitats for study; these islands and the region in which they have evolved, offer students an opportunity to explore a multi-disciplinary range of subjects - from paleontology to meteorology, from California literature and landscape painting to astronomy and marine biology, from prehistoric Native American culture, to pirates and smugglers, to the discovery of oil, to the birth of the environmental movement - and - the birth of the Internet; this opportunity to study the Island's region offers a chance to explore human and environmental interaction on a 10,000 year scale.
Skills :technology literacy, communication, observing, inferring, reading, researching, writing, creative problem solving, team cooperation, sharing, following directions, completing projects for peer review.
Duration : materials are available for 5-10 hours a week of afterschool activities; can be used on a drop-in user-selected subject matter basis; ideal program is an average of 3-4 hours a week September - June following the program calendar in order to meet online with other participants and the Trail Guide experts at their appointed times.
Objectives : students will be able to -
develop new technology competencies
understand the prehistoric and historic biological and geological history of the target region
examine the future of the region under differing scenarios and levels of environmental protection
discover actions they can personally take to work towards a positive future scenario.
Method : students can work individually or in teams; in a single computer setting, teams optimize program absorption by taking turns on the computer or on hands-on learning activities; in a computer lab setting students will have individual computers, but can work as a team to complete assignments; all students will complete assignments pertaining to a selected study unit - the work may be online, at the library, or require hands-on activities in the class or school yard.
Goals : students can complete up to eight inter-related study units; students and program leaders will interact with guest Camp Trail Guides who are professional scientists, historians or authors, expert in specific fields related to the posted learning assignments; students will interact with students in remote classrooms; students will invite parent involvement through a home, library or school computer; students will have the option to participate in a year-end Science and History Fair; students, program leaders and parent chaperones will be invited to aprticipate in live expedition broadcasts to your site directly from the remote Channel Islands, or will have the option to attend a culminating live science, technology and history expedition to a Channel Island if able to visit California.
Materials Provided: the basic classroom subscription includes a workbook for the program leader - the 'Expedition Leader', Camp Internet 'Passports' are provided for up to 30 students, and educational materials from participating Trail Guide agencies; deluxe afterschool program subscription also includes CD ROM, print materials, science, history, social studies, and art hands-on activity kits, weather station, and Challenge incentive stickers and rewards.
Equipment and Materials Required : 386 or higher computer with Internet connection; web browsing software; video and audio plug-in software; world map; paper, pencils; postage for mail-in activities; mobile still or video camera suggested for occasional use; television with VCR for occasional use; online C U See Me video camera and audio recommended; transportation to and from field trip sites if participating; telnet software suggested.
Parent Involvement : a Parent Night is recommended in the Fall to introduce Parents to the program and invite them to participate from their work, home, school or library computer; a second Parent Night can be scheduled in conjunction with the Spring Science and History Fair to share the results of the program with families and the general community. Parents have a $50 year optional online subscriber option.
Procedure: Each week the Expedition Leader will examine the upcoming week's assignments and reading materials, and will receive email from the Leader's Listserv for any updates, reminders or news. When the next week begins, students will be introduced to the online resources verbally by the Leader, then walked through that day's specific online activities. Students, working in their pre-assigned teams, will study the materials online, refer to print versions when ever available, and will undertake the assigned project Challenges as they arise. Each study unit has a concluding Challenge exercise that puts the individual students, or teams, to work answering question, solving problems, or completing hands-on science, history or social studies kits. In this way, the students, singly or in teams, rotate between the computer and the hands on activities. Mail-in activities can be sent to the Camp and then posted online, web-based activities will take place right in the classroom. Some exercises are outdoor group activities. Trail Guides - live experts available online, in chat rooms, by email, or through live video conferencing - will be pre-announced for specific dates and special virtual events.
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