Connect to the World Beyond the Classroom
Spotlight Challenges & Inter-School Activities
Spotlight Challenges are a great way to introduce your students to the world beyond the classroom without having to make a large commitment. They can include short activities, independent investigation and research, and group work. They can be part of a lesson once or spread out over multiple days. They can be directly related to content, help students develop general global citizenship skills, and be linked to SEL. No matter how they are implemented, they always help students gain global perspectives.
Inter-school Activities are another great way to connect students to classrooms beyond their own. Inter-school activities do not have to be with schools on the other side of the globe. Halfway across the city will do fine! These can also be short or long term, synchronous or asynchronous, and just for fun! Be brave and try it out!
An Attitude of Gratitude Interschool Activity
Last fall, my Spanish 1 class met virtually with a Spanish 1 class in New Jersey over the course of a week as a part of lesson on gratitude in Spanish. Students met via Zoom on Day 1 and introduced themselves in Spanish. On Days 2, 3, and 4, students filled out a gratitude journal in Spanish. On Day 5, they visited the Dollar Street website to look at living conditions around the world. Then they answered the prompt on the padlet and responded to answers by students from the other school.
Students were so nervous in the beginning to meet the other class but by the end of it, they were asking when we could meet again!
Don't underestimate the power of classroom connections! They can be truly eye-opening for students (and teachers!)
Spotlight Challenges List
Dollar Street
We used this at the end of our unit on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Students were asked to explore the site and then complete a discussion board post.
Empatico
We used this to learn about and practice empathy at the end of our unit on personality characteristics, identity, and friendship. We spent the first day learning about empathy in Spanish: watching & discussing a video and how it relates to empathy. Then we used the Empatico link to study the Empathy Frameworks and play Empathy True or Dare. We wrapped up by completing identity circles.
Facing History: Head, Heart, Conscience
I used this a warm-up prompt at the beginning of a unit on Universal Children's Rights. Students were asked to respond to each of the questions with their anticipatory thoughts on UCR. We will complete the reflection again at the end of the unit.
These are examples of Spotlight Challenges I implemented in my classes. The feedback from students was generally very positive and engaging. As their teacher, I loved hearing what they learned and what piqued their curiosity to explore further.