Tag Archives: global project

Our World, Our Numbers Concludes

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This is a cross post from the Our World, Our Numbers blog.

Since 25th February, the seven classes participating in Our World, Our Numbers have enjoyed:

  • learning about different areas of mathematics from their friends in other countries
  • making comparisons and contrasts between their lives and the lives of their blogging buddies
  • sharing mathematical knowledge and skills
  • using a range of tools to create posts
  • engaging in rich conversations through commenting

It is now time to finish up the Our World, Our Numbers project. To conclude this wonderful learning experience, all of the classes have been working collaboratively on a collection of mathematical poems.

Watch the Sliderocket below to see the classes perform:

  • The Skip Counting Song (B4, New Zealand)
  • Aussie Doubling Ditty (4KM and 4KJ, Australia)
  • What is a Million? (Room with a View, England)
  • Triangle Trouble (Mr Avery’s Class, Massachusetts, USA)
  • Smart (Mrs Yollis’ Class, California, USA)
  • Shapes, Shapes, Shapes (Mrs Watson’s Class, Canada)

Head over to the Our World, Our Numbers blog to leave a comment.

Which was your favourite mathematical poem? Why?

What did you enjoy about the Our World, Our Numbers project?

What did you learn from this global project?

“Our World, Our Numbers” Global Project Update

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Everyone in 4KM and 4KJ is enjoying the collaborative global blogging project, Our World, Our Numbers. You can read more about this exciting project here.

We have already learnt so much from our blogging buddies. The topics covered so far have been currency, landmarks and recipes. Head over to the Our World, Our Numbers blog to be a part of the learning!

We have published the post below about food on the Our World, Our Numbers blog. Leave a blog comment here on our class blog, or join in the commenting action on Our World, Our Numbers!

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Recently, when Miss Jordan was doing her grocery shopping at the local supermarket, she investigated the cost of a variety of typical Australian foods. Supermarket prices often change, as each new week brings about a new catalogue with different sales and savings. The presentation below shows the prices she collected last weekend.

Were you surprised by any of the prices of these grocery items?

Do you eat any of these foods?

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In Maths, we have been learning about rounding. Rounding numbers means to change numbers to make them easier and more convenient to work with. We round numbers when we use money all the time.

As you may remember from our currency post, Australia’s smallest value of money is the five cent coin. We often need to round prices up or down to the nearest 5c when we’re out shopping. The table below shows some examples.

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Which grocery items in our presentation above need to be rounded?

When have you rounded money or other numbers before?

If you had $30 to spend, which typical Australian foods would you buy?

Our World, Our Numbers Global Project

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In 4KM and 4KJ, we love to connect and learn with our friends around the world.

Today we are launching a new global project called Our World, Our Numbers.

We have a blog http://ourworldournumbers.edublogs.org where we’ll meet up with our blogging buddies to learn together for the next five weeks.

In late 2011, many of us worked on an award winning global project called Our World, Our Stories. This latest project is based on a similar format with a mathematical focus.

Classes involved

The students are all from primary (elementary) classes and are from three different continents and five countries.

Mr Avery’s sixth grade class from Massachusetts, USA

Mrs Monaghan’s 3/4 class, Room with a View, from England

Mrs Morris and Miss Jordan’s grade four class, 4KM and 4KJ, from Victoria, Australia

Mrs McKenzie’s 2/3 class, B4, from New Zealand

Mrs Yollis’ 2/3 class from California, USA

Mr Salsich’s third grade class from Connecticut, USA

Mrs Watson’s K/1/2/3 class from Canada


View Our World, Our Numbers in a larger map

How will it work?

Students from all classes will connect and collaborate by sharing their mathematical lives. This will happen through the blog and involve a variety of media.

A different class will “lead” a mathematical topic every four days or so, publishing posts and replying to comments.  The other classes will read the posts, possibly publish their own posts, and leave blog comments.

We will share topics such as currency, seasons, time zones, population data etc.

The learning

Through blog posts, the students will teach each other about different aspects of mathematics based on aspects of their own culture.

The learning will continue in the commenting section where students, teachers and parents will engage in conversations to explore mathematical and cultural topics further.

Students will gain an understanding of mathematics through the eyes of children in different countries and cultures. They will make comparisons and contrasts between their lives and other students’ lives.

If you want to keep up to date with how the fun and learning unfolds, there is a “subscribe via email” box on the right hand side of the Our World, Our Numbers blog.

Get Involved

We encourage all members of the 4KM and 4KJ community to get involved!

4KM and 4KJ are leading the first topic by sharing our currency.

Head over to the Our World, Our Numbers blog now to check out our post and leave a comment.

What do you think about our new global project?

A – Z of Technology Tips

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The 4KM and 4KJ students have improved their technology skills so much this year! They have learnt a lot about troubleshooting while researching, creating and collaborating online. Importantly, they have also improved their understanding of internet safety and etiquette.

We have loved blogging with Mrs Yollis’ class in Los Angeles, USA, this year. In fact, 2012 is the fourth year that Mrs Morris and Miss Jordan’s students have worked together with Mrs Yollis’ class.

We decided to come together with Mrs Yollis’ class for a final end of year project to demonstrate our technological understandings and teach others.

We hope you enjoy our A-Z of Technology Tips: A collaborative project by 4KM, 4KJ and Mrs Yollis’ class.

Did you learn something new?

How have your technology skills improved this year?

What other technology tips could you offer?

Monster Global Project

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In 4KM and 4KJ we love working on projects with our blogging buddies. We also enjoy learning about traditions in other countries.

It was recently Halloween and we have just completed a fun monster-themed project with our friends in Mr Avery’s class. Mr Avery’s sixth grade students live in Massachussets, USA.

This is how the project worked:

    1. Students in 4KM and 4KJ were matched up with a partner in Mr Avery’s class.
    2. All students drew a picture of a monster.
    3. Next, the students wrote a detailed description of their own monster.
    4. The two classes switched their writing (but didn’t swap their pictures).
    5. The students had to draw their partner’s monster using the detail in the written description.
    6. We compared the original drawing to the drawing our partner made of the monster!

The results:

The results of the project were so interesting! Here is the writing that 4KM and 4KJ students prepared along with their picture and the picture that their partner in Mr Avery’s class prepared.

We learnt:

  • Writing needs to be very clear and detailed for someone to generate the same mental image that you started with.
  • Writing is an excellent way to help people create a mental image when it is done well.
  • When you leave details out of your writing, people can’t read your mind to imagine what you were thinking.
  • Good readers create mental images when they’re reading.
  • Working together with other classes is fun!

Be sure to check out Mr Avery’s blog post to see the results of his students drawing our monster pictures!

Last year Mr Avery completed the monster project with Mr Salsich’s class. Click here to read about it.

What else did you learn from the project?

After reading our descriptions, did our monsters look the way you imagined?

Have you got any tips for writing good descriptions?

The Tale Trail – Part Six (Conclusion)

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Three weeks ago we launched our latest global project.

The Tale Trail is a collaborative story telling project. We worked with five of our blogging buddy classes to compose a story.

We voted on the topic of the story and the winner was “An underground tunnel is found under the school. It takes you to…”

The story so far

Part one: Mr Salsich’s class blog (Connecticut, USA). Find it here.

Part two: Mrs Yollis’ class blog (Los Angeles, USA). Find it here.

Part three: Mrs McKenzie’s class blog (New Zealand). Find it here.

Part four: Mr Avery’s class blog (Massachusetts, USA). Find it here.

Part five: Mrs Watson class blog (Sointula, Canada). Find it here.

This week it is our turn to conclude the story. This was no small task. The students had so many different and wonderful ideas!

4KM and 4KJ’s conclusion to the story

From a distance, Tiffany watched in despair as the golden cage landed with a thud over her friend. The Two Headed Rattlesnake and the Jolly Giant laughed with glee, thinking they had another victory under their belt. To celebrate, the evil pair grabbed all the blue cotton candy and walked away, bragging about the success of their plan.

Tiffany stared in disbelief as their chance for freedom disappeared in front of her eyes. What would she do without that cotton candy?

With only the evil Benjamin Franklin for company, Tiffany did not know what to do. She needed help from something or someone. Tiffany could hear Max whimpering and knew it was up to her to find a solution.

Feeling helpless, Tiffany wandered away, hoping she would think of some way to rescue her friend and return to school. Her mum was cooking roast chicken for dinner and she did not want to miss out on her favourite meal!

Wanting to steer clear of the frightening Franklin, Tiffany dawdled over to a row of stalls that she hadn’t noticed before.
A sign saying “Sylvestor’s Secondhand Books” caught her eye. Tiffany had always loved reading and despite her current predicament, couldn’t resist exploring the stall.

Hidden amongst some old children’s books, Tiffany noticed a bulky hardback covered in cobwebs. She began to curiously turn the pages and was astounded to realise that the book was a biography about one … Benjamin Franklin.

Suddenly, Tiffany realised this was a sign. This was the key to freedom. She raced back out to the ferris wheel to confront her captor.

Overcome with a new found confidence, Tiffany shouted up to the cackling Franklin, “Listen to me, Benjamin, you need to know what you’re really like. Evil does not suit you!”

Benjamin paused mid-cackle and listened intently to the brave Tiffany. She read out page after page of all Benjamin’s achievements centuries ago from his biography. There were many references to his kindness, such as how he gave his inventions away to help mankind. Benjamin Franklin was a man with many strong virtues.

Shock washed over Benjamin’s face and something changed in his heart. He wanted to assist this girl and her poor friend. Benjamin realised that helping other people is a gift and he felt totally ashamed of his recent behaviour.

“I’m coming for you, Max,” Benjamin announced as he leapt from the ferris wheel.

“Finally, I’m free!” Max exclaimed when Benjamin opened the cage with the key he wore around his neck.

Max and Tiffany hugged with relief. It was finally time to go home.

“Hurry along, we’ve got to get you back to class,” exclaimed Benjamin, “I know the way.”

Making their way back through the tunnel, Tiffany and Max could not stop talking about their adventure. Benjamin Franklin was so happy that these young children had helped him to rediscover his true self. Dr Drakken’s unfortunate mishap with the time machine was reversed. Benjamin looked forward to finding Dr Drakken and making amends after he returned his new friends to class.

“Our teacher is never going to believe where we’ve been,” announced Tiffany. “We’re going to get an A on our next history project,” added Max as he stared in disbelief at the iconic figure from another time. This was a school day like no other.

Thank you to our illustrators Adam, Bronte, Emily and Max.

What did you think of our ending?

How would have you ended the story?

What did you think of The Tale Trail? What was your favourite part?