The document outlines a lesson plan for students to communicate with international pen pals, research aspects of their partner's society, and create a presentation comparing customs. Students will be paired with pen pals abroad to ask and answer questions about each other's governments. They will then research their partner's country's food, traditions, school, family life or sports using an online encyclopedia. Finally, students will make a PowerPoint on their partner's government structure or similarities and differences in customs, citing sources and potentially sharing on a class blog.

1. NETS-S Standards
Lisa Gilbertson
EDUC422

2. 2. Communication and
Collaboration
 My students will be matched
with a pen pal from a school in
another English-speaking
country
 Students will ask and answer
questions about the basic
structure of the pen pal’s
national government
 Both classes will then submit
reports on the fundamental
qualities of the foreign
governmental structure

3. 3. Research and
Information Fluency
Students will identify three aspecst
of the foreign country’s society:
• Food
• Traditions
• School
• Family Life
• Sports, etc.
They will use the World page of
FactMonster.com to research the
topic. Using this information, they
will complete a Venn Diagram of the
similarities and differences between
their customs and our own.

4. 4. Critical Thinking, Problem
Solving, and Decision Making
Students will need to create a PowerPoint
presentation on either:
• The foreign country’s governmental structure, or
• The similarities and differences between the foreign
country’s customs and our own
They will need to include three main topic
slides with three pieces of evidence per slide.
The challenge here is to consolidate or expand
their information effectively so that the
presentation meets the criteria of the rubric.

5. 5. Digital Citizenship
Students will complete two of
the following citizenship
technology practices:
 Link their PowerPoint to the
class blog
 Cite their research sources
using the Kids Citation
Machine
 Write a follow-up thank you
message to their pen pals