iKinder Collaborative Cross-Age Partnerships
The project activities with iPads in the kindergarten classroom leveraged shared expertise through K-6 Collaborative Cross Age Partnerships. We used Inquiry Based Learning to support the student interactions. While the older students helped with reading and writing, the kindergartners taught them how to use the iPads. This method proved to be a powerful way to develop 21st Century skills in all of our students.
iKindergarten Home Resources Standards & Rubrics Inspiration About the Author
Lessons Guides Recommended Reading
Lessons Guides Recommended Reading
The K-6 Team Story
Kindergartners at our school had iPads and the 6th graders didn't. Our 6th grade buddies had been helping us read our library books once a month so a loose partnership was established. We were making stories on our iPads and we needed help with our writing. We decided to teach our 6th grade Buddies (many whom had never touched an iPad), how to use the iPads, and take pictures with the iPad Camera. In exchange we asked our 6th grade buddies to help us organize our stories and write our words. Thus the K-6iTeam was born. We meet weekly for 30-40 action packed collaborative minutes of project based learning!
A Day in the Life of Kindergarten
When preschool students were coming to visit our kindergarten we wanted to show them what we do all day.
We used the camera and the Strip Designer app to create comic strip posters with our 6th grade buddies. We learned how to sequence and create our story with images, graphics, writing in different kinds of text boxes, and we also presented our posters to the visiting preschoolers. We practiced 21st century skills in Collaboration, Creativity, and Communication and learned how to use rubrics. K-6 iTeam Study of the Napa River Habitat
Here is link to a sample River Habitat Lesson Guide in Google Forms
and a Reflection Form for River Habitat Study for 6th grade buddies. |
Digital Citizenship, Cyber-Bullying and Internet Safety and Ethics
One of our challenges this year is for our 6th graders to teach kindergartners about Digital Citizenship, Safety and Ethics. This theme underlies all of our activities and projects. Here is an introductory multimedia lesson on YouTube: K-6 iTeam Digital Citizenship Lesson The 6th graders began this project by teaching kindergartners about playground etiquette and safety during the first week of school. We revisit the concepts every time we meet with our buddies. The 6th grade students have assumed a high level of responsibility for keeping their buddies safe on the playground, on the street and on the internet. The 6th grade students are learning a lot about their own safety, behavior and risks too. Cross-Age Collaboration Example
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