OUR+CONNECTING+CLASSROOMS+PROJECT

= = = To achieve our Connecting Classrooms aims and objectives for year one, we (Hackney and Algeria) have planned jointly some activities during UK contact seminar =

= For the first year, emphasis is placed on projects that help the Hackney and Algeria clusters to build friendships, understanding and appreciation for each other’s culture, language, history and of the arts (i.e. dance). Pupils will undertake projects that help them to develop their acquisition of French or English such as ‘100 words’, and the ‘Fitness DVD’. The schools will also build on their shared love of the creative arts such as drama and dance by undertaking projects such as the ‘Big Dance’, ‘100 words’, and the ‘Fitness DVD’. Both clusters expressed a wish to develop written English literacy and therefore the correspondence and ‘School boxes’ were viewed as meeting this joint aim. = = By the end of the first year, teachers and pupils alike, will have a solid foundation of the similarities and differences, likes and dislikes and some basic words in their partnered country’s language. =

= 1. Algerian Teachers Visited UK - (5th November 2010) = = Algerian cluster coordinators teachers and British Council representative visited UK for a week and met their partners for workshops and school visits. The group has created websites, videos, powerpoints, CDs/DVDs to share what they experienced with school coordinators in clusters and schools. = = 2. 100 Words - is a drama and digital video project: = = 100 Words is a project for young people that opens their imagination, taps into their creativity and creates global connections. 100 Words aims to capture the essence of a language and culture in thousands of short plays, films or operas -each written using just a hundred words. Words and worlds are shared through live performance and digital technology, with an online environment created to give young people instant access to each other. = = 3. Posting School Boxes (January - March) / School Life: = = The second activity will be the collation and posting of a “School Box” containing items and artefacts that depict each school, the students lives and the context in which they live. Each school will make a box. = = = = 4. Snail and Cheetah Mail Correspondence: = = Pupils will send letters or emails to their partner schools. Pupils will explore writing in the present, past and future tense, how to construct an informal/formal letter/email, how to end correspondence and how to set out a letter. = = 5. Five Minute Fitness Video: = = UK pupils will make a short fitness video in French whilst Algerian pupils will make a video in Englis. The video will be used as a morning or afternoon energiser for pu^pils to conduct some simple exercises for five minutes. = = 6. UK Teachers Vsit Algeria - (7th May2011): = = A group of teachers and the UK Co-ordinator will undertake a visit of our partner schools in Algeria for one week. The group will either create a blog, keep a diary or film parts of the visit so that they can share what they experience with their schools. = = 7. Big Dance 2011 - 20th May 2011, 1pm: = = UK and Algerian Schools will sign up to the Big Dance Pledge. Pupils will learn the choreographed routine for the Big Dance and perform it together in the playground at the same time in the UK and Algeria. The dance will be filmed and placed on elanguages to share with our partner schools. = = 8. Environment and Pollution: = = As starting activities, students will swap powerpoint presentations,videos, posters, quizzes about global warming, animals in danger of extinction, recycling, renewable energies... = = For next year project, more activties will be set for this theme. =

= 100 WORDS PLAY 2010 = = = = =
 * = 100 words is a project for young people that opens their imagination, taps into their creativity and creates global connections. =
 * = It aims to capture the essence of a language and culture in thousands of short plays and films – each written using just a hundred words. =

= Comment of British Council UK in youtube =
 * = In February 2010, the British Council held a competition asking schoolchildren taking part in their Connecting Classrooms programme to make a play using 100 words of a language different to their own. Entries were received from around the world and the winners got the opportunity to come to London and work together on plays using three different languages. =
 * = These photos (in the wallwisher) are of the winners from Bangladesh, Algeria and Cornwall and Sunderland in the UK workign together to create a theatre performance at contemporary dance centre Laban in London, in just two days. =
 * = For more information about Connecting Classrooms, see: Connecting Classrooms =
 * = For more information about 100 Words, see: CC.British Council 100 words or 100 words play =

= CLICK HERE FOR 100 WORDS TIPS =

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= = = Suggest themes for the 100 words play =

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= 5 MINUTES FITNESS A DAY =





= = = Click here for more info =
 * =** Five minute video exercise routines perfect for getting the school day off to a great start. Each routine is fully demonstrated on screen and packed with high energy, low impact movements. 5-a-day fitness is easy to fit into curriculum time and there's no additional teacher preparation or training required. Children simply watch, join in, have fun and get fit! **=



= BIG DANCE =

= = = = = Click here for more info =
 * = Big Dance and The British Council Connecting Classrooms programme have teamed up with 5-a-day Fitness for the Schools Pledge 2011. 5-a-day Fitness has created music and choreography for a 5 minute dance routine which can be copied as a mirror image on a screen or whiteboard. There are continuous verbal instructions to help you learn the moves. =
 * = We would like schools all over the country and around the world to dance the routine on their school sites at 1pm on 20th May 2011 as part of a cultural celebration and a warm up for a world record attempt in 2012. =