Zarafa’s suitcase
https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/1144028
Some first thoughts for activities
Phase 1:
2 month period since end of the year
- Meet Zarafa: We will send you a letter or video from Greece with Zarafa’s story. (Zarafa was a female Nubian giraffe who lived in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris for 18 years. A gift from Muhammad Ali of Egypt to King Charles X of France, she was one of three giraffes Muhammad Ali sent to European rulers in 1827. These were the first giraffes to be seen in Europe for over three centuries.) So after 18 years in Paris, now Zarafa decided to travel through Europe with her small suitcase and gather souvenirs from your schools. She wants something to eat, some photos from school, town and country, a drawing of the famous monument of the country and an old traditional fairytale. She also asks from the students to sing in their language, the only poem that wakes her up, as she is sleepy all the time.
- Students Draw Zarafa. We upload them in Twinspace and make a digital photo album.
- They give life to Zarafa using Blabberize. Students record their voice and speak as Zarafa. We upload a video.
- You translate in your own language the greek poem we use to Wake up Zarafa. You just have to use the same idea of the clock ringing, and the rhythm we use, so it sounds familiar for all students. (The poem says “When the clock rings, its time for school and Zarafa wakes up. It rings right now, it rings right now, Diiiiiiiiiiing”). Children record the poem and upload it so all students can hear it. We notice that the word Diiiiiiing (the sound of alarm clock) is the same in all languages. So, let’s search more common words like banana, taxi… They search with their parents. With TAGXEDO we upload a design with these common words.
2. Research
- Students bring their favorite photos from school, country, town. They vote for their favorite. We make a photo album or video.
- We organize a cooking contest. Students bring a dessert and the recipe. Other students give their records like judges, and the best wins. We upload all the recipes in Twinspace.
- We invite grandmothers in the class, to share with us old fairytales. We vote for our favorites and make an e-book using storybird.
I think these activities could be done in a period of two months, since the end of this year.
Phase 2 - Meeting each other – Exchanging knowledge
2 month period since 1st of March
- Using Google Earth we see the other countries Zarafa went.
- 1st Conference: We introduce ourselves and sing Zarafa’s poem (this will be our common point through this project). We ask our questions and at the end we take an assignment to learn another country’s poem.
- We dedicate a week to examine other countries’ suitcase, their flags, history, monuments, school buildings. We try to learn Zarafa’s poem in another language.
- We upload a poll for the most favorite dessert. Students choose the other country’s dessert they want to taste, and vote it online. We cook the winning dessert and taste it at last!!!
- 2nd Conference: We prepare a singing contest. All schools try to sing in another language Zarafa’s poem. The other students are the judges who give 1-10 points for the effort.
Phase 3: Evaluation
1 month period until end of April
We design a website (each partner undertakes one subject), or an online game where students can test their knowledge and watch Zarafa’s journey.
Worksheets: Match the flag with the monument, dessert, fairytale,
Crosswords
Treasure hunt
We have a demonstration where we present Zaraffa’s suitcase to our community.
During the project we keep Zarafa’s Diary in Twinspace, where we write our activities.
Hope you like it…
Feel free to add something and share your ideas…
Mail me at zmarina79@yahoo.gr