Kelley School third graders in long-term substitute Morgan D’Eredita’s class enjoyed talking with a fourth grade class in Romania via Skype December 11th.
Aaron Sweet, Newark Central School District’s Integration Technology Coach facilitated the Skype call by hooking a webcam up to a projector so D’Eredita’s class could see on their smart board the fourth grade class in Romania.
It was Sweet who made teachers in the school district aware weeks ago of the opportunity to exchange Christmas cards and Skype with students in other parts of the world.
D’Eredita said her students really enjoyed the hour-long Skype conversation they had with the Romanian students, who because of the 7 hour time difference came back to school at 4PM to engage with the Kelley School students at 9AM.
“I had shown them on a map where Romania is and we learned about the time difference and that you would have to take about a 19 hour flight to get there,’’ she said.
A week before the Skype session, D’Eredita’s students made Christmas cards that were sent to the Romania class.
“The Skype session was an awesome experience!” she said. “My students took turn asking questions, as did the Romanian students. We learned quite a few things from them. We asked them what their favorite game was and it happened to be “Fortnite” which is several of my students’ favorite as well.
“We asked them how they celebrate Christmas,” D’Eredita continued. “They do so by caroling and decorating the Christmas tree, just like us. They have Sarmale or Romanian stuffed cabbage rolls for Christmas. We also learned they have to wear uniforms to school and they do not get snow!”
The two classes also jointly sang “Jingle Bells _ watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMYrm1meHCI&feature=youtu.be and then the Romanian class sang a Christmas carol to the Kelley School children _ watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHzkRRw6EpE&feature=youtu.be
Sweet said the Skype reception was decent.
And despite a slight time delay in Skype, he said both classes seemed to really enjoy singing “Jingle Bells” together.
“It was pretty cool. The kids loved it,” he said.
Sweet will also facilitate a Skype call for Jessica McNabb’s second grade class at Perkins School December 19th with a combined second and third grade class in East Yorkshire, England.
