1. The document outlines an activity plan for a Skype in the Classroom lesson about oceans. It provides learning objectives, materials, and step-by-step instructions for preparing for a Skype call with an expert, conducting the call, and reflecting afterwards. 2. Students will research an organization, brainstorm questions, and connect via Skype to learn about oceans. They will summarize their learning by creating forms and sharing feedback in small groups. 3. The plan supports standards for communication, collaboration, and global learning while engaging students through active research, questioning, and reflection.

1. Skype in the Classroom
Activity Plan
Celebrate Oceans
with Skype in the Classroom
Webpage: https://aka.ms/SITCoceans
Subjects: May be adapted to fit all content areas
Skills: Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Citizenship
Learning Objectives
• Students will use speaking and listening skills to communicate with their
peers as well as another class during a Skype call.
• Students will use research skills to prepare in advance prior to the Skype call.
• Students will use geography skills to find a location using a map.
• Students will learn about issues that relates to oceans.
• Students will generate ideas and questions prior to participating in the Skype
call.
• Students will expand their view of how concepts they are learning in school
relates to oceans.
• Students will summarize and reflect about what they learned.
• Students will expand their learning by sharing their ideas with others.
Materials
Map(s) of the world or country as applicable
ISTE Standards for Students
Digital Citizen 2b
Students engage in positive, safe, legal and
ethical behavior when using technology,
including social interactions online or when
using networked devices.
Knowledge Constructor 3a
Students plan and employ effective
research strategies to locate information
and other resources for their intellectual or
creative pursuits.
Creative Communicator 6d
Students publish or present content that
customizes the message and medium for
their intended audiences.
Global Collaborator 7c
Students contribute constructively to
project teams, assuming various roles and
responsibilities to work effectively toward a
common goal.
ISTE Standards for Educators
Citizen 3a
Create experiences for learners to make
positive, socially responsible contributions
and exhibit empathetic behavior online that
build relationships and community.
Collaborator 4c
Use collaborative tools to expand students’
authentic, real-world learning experiences
by engaging virtually with experts, teams
and students, locally and globally.
Designer 5b
Design authentic learning activities that
align with content area standards and use
digital tools and resources to maximize
active, deep learning.
Designer 5c
Explore and apply instructional design
principles to create innovative digital
learning environments that engage and
support learning.
www.skypeintheclassroom.com
@SkypeClassroom

2. 1 Skype in the Classroom | Activity Plan
You might say: Stand up/raise your hand if you have ever visited an ocean.
(Give students time to share where or when they have been to an ocean.) With
a partner, share what you see, hear, and smell at the ocean. If you’ve never
visited an ocean, use your imagination to describe an ocean based of books
you’ve read or movies you’ve seen.
Before the live activity
Step 1: Activate background knowledge
• Call on students to share some of the ways they would describe an ocean.
Point out common themes and interesting observations.
• Next, show a video about oceans to get students thinking about the topic on
a deeper level. If possible, use a video from the website of the
organization you will be connecting with during your Skype call.
Step 2: Research
• After the video, have students search the class map or a digital map to find
the location of the organization or guest speaker you will be connecting.
Next, allow time for students to work independently, with a partner, or as a
class to explore the organization’s website for more information.
• When finished exploring the website, direct students to use Paint 3D to
create something they learned about during the video or by exploring the
website.
Alternate idea: Have students create a collaborative class mural using paper,
crayons, and markers illustrating things they learned about during the video or by
exploring the organization’s website.
You might say: Whether you have visited an ocean before or not, we will all
have an opportunity to learn more about oceans and visit with an
expert/organization from (insert name of guest speaker or organization here)
using Skype. Before we start thinking about questions we want to ask during
our skype call, let’s watch a video from their website that will help us know a
little more about their organization/topic. During the video, be thinking about
ideas you’d like to research and learn more about.

3. 2 Skype in the Classroom | Activity Plan
Step 3: Brainstorm questions
Ideas for Class Activities
Call on students as a whole group and keep track of question ideas in a Word
document, PowerPoint, OneNote notebook, or Sway.
Divide students into groups of 3 and allow each group to submit 1-2 questions. Add
these questions to a Word document, PowerPoint, OneNote notebook, or Sway by
collaborating online or submitting the questions to the teacher. These can also be
printed and given to students assigned to ask the questions during the call.
STEP 4: Prepare for your Skype call!
Preparation for the call is important. In addition to preparing your students, it is a
good idea to communicate in advance with your Skype connection. Share your
goals for the call and any specific topics or learning standards you would like them
to address with students. You can also let the guest speaker know in advance if you
would like them to give your students a special challenge to work on after the call.
The following are helpful resources as you prepare for the Skype call activity.
Top 10 tips for exemplary Skype call etiquette
Students’ roles during the call
Room set up guide
During the live activity
Step 1: Prepare your class
Communicate your expectations for student behavior. Remind students they are
representing your class, school, state, and possibly country. Call on students to
share ideas about how they should/should not act during the call.
Model and have students practice active listening.
If applicable, discuss empathy and ways to show respect for other cultures.
Step 2: Connect
Ensure you are logged in to your Skype account and ready to connect at the
scheduled time. Direct students to smile and wave hello at the beginning of the
connection.
You might say: Now that we know more about (insert name of organization
or topic of Skype call), let’s brainstorm some questions we would like to ask
during the skype call.

4. 3 Skype in the Classroom | Activity Plan
Step 3: Facilitate
Throughout the call, be prepared to help direct the flow of the Skype session and
assist any students who are nervous or need reminders about their role. Be aware
of any students who need reminders about active listening. Be mindful of the length
of the call and be ready to help with the closure of the call. Consider taking pictures
during the call to share with your students’ families and social media using
#Skype2Learn.
After the live activity
Assessment
Step 1: Expand the experience
Speaking activity
Divide students into small groups and prompt them to share what they learned
during the Skype call and what they found most interesting. You can also use
Flipgrid to encourage students to record their learnings. You might also consider a
prompt that ties back to your content standards.
Writing activity
As a way to reflect about what they learned on a deeper level, have students work
with their small group to create a Microsoft Form that relates to the Skype lesson.
You might say: As a way to review and expand on what we learned during the
Skype lesson, you will work with your small group to create a Form with
questions that connect with what you learned. Once your Form is created, we
will share it with the other groups who will complete your Form, and you will
complete the Forms the other groups create. This will be a great way to reflect
about what our class learned and to gather data and feedback.
You might say: That was an amazing lesson! I found it so interesting that
(insert a topic from the call).

5. 4 Skype in the Classroom | Activity Plan
If working with younger students, you may want to design a Form in advance for
the students to complete rather than have them create one. Alternatively, you can
allow each small group to submit a few questions to you and include these in a
Form you create. The following are some ideas to use Forms with younger students:
• Include pictures with the questions
• Use questions that include a rating scale (thumbs up, stars)
• Include questions where students may place items in sequence
Review each group’s Form as they are completed, and once you have approved,
share with the other students in the class to collect data and feedback about what
students learned.
Step 2: Reflect
• Consider planning time in the next day or two to share and discuss the data
and feedback with the class.
• Share highlights from the class feedback and discussion as well as any
pictures taken during the Skype call with your students’ parents using Sway. If
you have permission to share your students’ pictures, consider sharing the
Sway with your guest speaker as well to thank them for their time.