This document welcomes students and parents to Ms. Ouellet's third grade class. It outlines two new initiatives for the year: 1) Each student will have a pen pal in Spain that they can communicate with weekly through technology. This will help students learn about another culture while using technology. 2) Students will have virtual pen pals through donated classroom computers with webcams, allowing them to communicate face-to-face with another student their age. A website will also keep parents and students updated on weekly class activities.

1. February 4th, 2010 Sara Ouellet Volume 1 Issue 1
“The best teachers teach from the heart, not from the book”
WELCOME Translation tools
Each student will get to have a pen
pal with another student his or her age in
H i my name is Ms. Ouellet I want to Spain. Throughout the year they will get to
welcome my students and their communicate with their pen pals once a week.
parents to my third grade class. I Through this experience they will not only get
can’t wait to get to know all of hands on experience with the technology but
you and hope this year is going to also a diverse view of how life is like for
be full of fun learning, exciting another child their age. At the close of the year
relationships and an array of each student will write a reflection about his or
activities incorporating new type her experience.
of learning.
Every week the website will be updated with
Digital what the students are
Pen Pal doing each week.
Parents and students
can go on the site to
This year I am trying to do see not only what we
something different. I partnered worked on during the
with MAC Computers and they were willing to week but also what
donate computers with web cameras for the we will be doing the
classroom. Your students will now get the next week. Look forward to a great year
opportunity to have a virtual pen pal. With the use with you and your children.
of:
Computers
Web Camera’s
Internet access