Washington First Graders Collaborate with Rochester Class

Washington Primary School students practiced their reading, writing, speaking and researching skills during an interactive videoconference project facilitated by members of the New York State Distance Learning Consortium.

The first graders were able to follow the directions to a “T” and loved every minute of the experience. Washington teacher Lauren Whitney and the others involved in the video conference had their students read “The Mitten” by Jan Brett during the run-up to the project.

“Mrs. Whitney’s first grade class collaborated with another first grade class in Rochester, New York,” Washington Principal Michelle Richards said. “Each class had students introduce the class and their favorite part of the book. The students took turns sharing their adjectives about one of the animals and have the other class guess the animal from the book. The students and teachers had so much fun and want to continue the communication between our two classes.”

The youngsters had fun interacting with their faraway counterparts and each other. “This an opportunity for students to meet their peers across New York State to share their experiences reading a classic children’s book,” Mr. Whitney said. “As we continue to foster a love for learning, we encourage our students to engage in discussions about literature.”