Fifth grade teacher Diane Randolph had her students research the Arctic region and culture. They met with photojournalist Doug Clevenger, who took them on virtual field trips to the Arctic. Students blogged about their adventures and discoveries. They used technology like video editing and spreadsheets to demonstrate their learning about geography, climate, and Inuit culture. This multidisciplinary project improved student engagement and helped students feel connected to a global community.

1. learningconnections
Multidisciplinary 26, 28 • Science 30 • Computer Science 32 • Geography 34 • Mathematics 36 • Tips and Tricks 36
The Adventures of the 109’ers
By Diane Randolph
W
ireless computer labs, the
Internet, and blogging allow
students to connect with the
world, help foster curiosity, and create
real-time learning. Students are em-
powered to look beyond the familiar,
ask questions, and discover. This past
school year, my fifth grade students,
the 109’ers, were able to do just that.
We used technology to enrich their
study of geology, culture, language
arts, and mathematics.
My students first researched the
Arctic region and spent a month
studying its geography, climate,
traditional cultures, and animals.
We then met and discussed
our findings with a friend of mine,
Doug Clevenger, a.k.a. “Arctic Doug.”
Clevenger is a documentary photo-
journalist, and he helped us discover
how geography, language arts, sci-
ence, and mathematics connect to
the community far outside our door. learning through the use of ULead
We bombarded him with questions video-editing software, Excel graph-
and developed a classroom blog ing, Internet researching, and exposi-
we affectionately named Top of the tory writing. We used technology as
World (http://arcticdougand109. a means for expression and as an il-
blogspot.com). lustration of concept mastery. As the
He took us along on his assignments, project developed, we became acutely
and we had many cyberadventures. We aware that we live in a global commu-
met interesting people, played hockey, nity where people, cultures, and life
and went ice fishing. We witnessed a experiences are both alike and differ-
solar halo—known as a sun dog—and ent from ours.
saw huge mounds of earth-covered ice The ULead software allowed us to
called pingos. We learned the tradi- create multimedia presentations to
tions and norms of the Inuit people, illustrate what we were learning. We
compared climate, and met other fifth mastered animation, created mov-
graders from a school in the village of ies, and added narrative voice-overs. Students learned the traditions and norms of the
Tuktoyaktuk. These presentations were taken on Inuit people, compared climate, and met other fifth
graders from a school in the village of Tuktoyaktuk.
We blogged two times a week as tour and presented to our community
a whole class and documented our at a board of education meeting.
Copyright © 2009, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777 (Int’l), iste@iste.org, www.iste.org. All rights reserved.
26 Learning & Leading with Technology | August 2009

2. LeArning connecTions |
Multidisciplinary
Doug Clevenger, a.k.a. “Arctic Doug,” is a
documentary photojournalist. He helped
students discover how geography, language
arts, science, and mathematics connect to
the community far outside their door.
As we compared climate, we
were able to collect data and create
spreadsheets and graphs. This use of
technology, in conjunction with blog-
ging, demonstrated multiple modes
He took the class along on his as- of intelligence. Students of all abilities
signments, and together they had
many cyberadventures. Students
and language levels actively partici-
met interesting people, played pated in our unit of study.
hockey, and went ice fishing. This project improved my teach-
ing and continues to do so today. I
am using more primary sources for
content material, and I’m consistently
integrating multiple disciplines. The
success of this project has served as
a model for other classrooms in my
Here are a few inuvialuktun words: school and has led to the creation of
ookpik (snowy owl) a grade-level blog. Our school is now
quanani (thank you) providing more authentic learning
tuktu (caribou)
experiences that honor and respect
tuk (place where the caribou cross)
student choice.
The implementation of technology
in the classroom is essential. Students
are able to easily access up-to-date
information and apply it to their stud-
ies. They have become empowered
to communicate understanding in a
differentiated manner using varying
modes of intelligence. This is exciting
and directly affects student engage-
ment and, consequently, achievement.
They are able to learn from the world
outside their classroom and actively
participate in a global community of
learners, which is the essence of all
learning.
Diane Randolph is a fifth grade
teacher at Washington School
in Schiller Park, Illinois.
During the past 10 years, she
has used technology to engage
students and help bring learn-
ing alive.
Copyright © 2009, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777 (Int’l), iste@iste.org, www.iste.org. All rights reserved.
August 2009 | Learning & Leading with Technology 27