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US Collaborating SchoolsSession 5

Skype Session

Sharing Cultures

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General InformationClass Period (Time) – Recommended once weekly.35 minutes (minimum) Elementary School (ES)40 minutes (minimum) Middle School (MS)

Session 1 (04NOV-08NOV)Introduction Week – How to Use the ePals website.Session 2 (11NOV-15NOV)Session 3 (18NOV-22NOV)Module 1 – Sharing CulturesSession 4 (25NOV-29NOV)Special Session – Thanksgiving (Chinese classes only)Session 5 (02DEC-06DEC) Skype Session 1 Session 6 (09DEC-13DEC) Session 7 (16DEC-20DEC)Module 2 – Culture CuisineSession 8 (23DEC-27DEC)Special Session – Holiday Celebration (Chinese classes only)

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Required equipment for all classes1. Computer and Projector – for course curriculum PPT delivery.2. Laptops or computer lab (one per student or group

designated) for email and PPT.3. Internet access for questionnaires.

Materials4. Lesson Plans (PPT in workspace)5. PPT decks – ePals Information, Sharing Culture,

Culture Cuisine, Skype.

All materials will be available in the Workspace.

Post all emails and PPTs to the workspace.

5By Anthony Montemurro (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

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SESSION 5 (02DEC-06DEC)Skype Session – Face-to-Face Communication.Session 5 – Overview

Skype Session

Highlights:Skype Session

Check List:•Prepare students for Skype Session.•Confirm with partner teacher.

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SESSION 5 (02DEC-06DEC)Skype Session – Face-to-Face Communication.

The Skype sessions are very exciting. Teacher has pre-arranged a time for the face-to-face communication. California is 15 hours behind; New York is 12 hours behind China’s one time zone.

Skype (Session 5)•Prepare students in advance for questions to ask their ePals partner.

•Questions can be read from note cards.

•Students can talk about the topics they have studied together asking questions and giving answers.

•Students then may ask questions that interest them.

•The Skype session ends with the students teaching each other simple greetings and daily use words.

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SESSION 5 (02DEC-06DEC)Skype Session – Face-to-Face Communication.

Tips for a Successful Skype Chat:1. ePals will provide you with your partner teacher’s contact information.2. Please communicate directly with your partner teacher to arrange a time when the students are available to chat. 3. Make these arrangements very early, we recommend within the first week, by email and be sure to confirm.4. Exchange Skype names with your partner teacher as soon as possible.5. Make sure that your partner teacher is in your Skype contact list.6. Test your video and sound before your scheduled start date.7. Determine where/how your students will sit so that they can all see and hear (project on screen).8. Decide which teacher will initiate the call. 9. Accept the call as a video call.10. Remind students to speak clearly and loudly so that their questions and comment can be heard (their ePals China partners are English language learners).

Sharing CulturesNeuPals