Turkey Disguise Collaboration

This project is a great holiday activity with your students! Partner with a school from another state to share unique and fun ideas how to disguise a turkey to make it through the holidays. Students will enhance their learning and stretch their imagination by writing and sharing fiction, analyzing characters, practicing informative writing, and building a knowledge base with interactive technology. Students also love to share about themselves and their community with students in a city/state different than their own!

Directions:

1. Read the story "A Plump and Perky Turkey" by Lisa Bateman* to your class as a whole group. If you cannot locate the book, see below for Youtube videos with the book that might help.

2. Each Student receives a copy of the "Turkey Disguise" outline worksheet (download below). The students disguise or camouflage the turkey during class time or at home with their family. There is also a download to a parent letter. You will need to adjust the teacher name and date to return the finished turkey.

3. Students fill in dialogue bubble. Can provide sentence starter if desired "I am not a turkey".... (this is optional depending on grade level)

4. When partner classes meet for their video conference, students will take turns sharing their turkeys. Older students can write a descriptive paper and the best 4 or 5 can share with the other class.

5. Once Turkey sharing is over, if time allows then students can share where they are from and ask questions about the other class. Think of questions that you would like to ask about the partner school prior to the connection date to get the kids thinking about where they are connecting to. Etiquette Guide for Video - This is a guide to help you know what to expect from participating in a collaboration with other classes.

*For those that might not have a copy of The Plump & Perky Turkey, there is a reading of the book found on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnqW9n2Z2rI or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcdV_BQd4CE. If these links do not work, go to youtube.com and search for Plump and Perky Turkey.

Documents/Downloads:

Download the Naked Turkey Outline Worksheet, Letter Home, and Examples by clicking on the links below.