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CIESE sponsors and designs interdisciplinary projects that teachers throughout the world can use to enhance their curriculum through compelling use of the Internet. We focus on projects that utilize real time data available from the Internet, and collaborative projects that utilize the Internet's potential to reach peers and experts around the world. Below is a catalog of projects that are currently being or have been sponsored by CIESE . The mission of the Center for Improved Engineering and Science Education (CIESE) is to help teachers use the Internet, math software, CD-ROMs, computer-based laboratory systems (CBLS), and other tools to create dynamic, inquiry-oriented classrooms that promote achievement of content standards in science and math. To this end, they offer a number of interdisciplinary projects grouped into four categories: collaborative projects, partner projects, real-time data projects, and projects using primary sources and archived collections.

20 Ideas for Engaging Projects via @edutopia http://t.co/YXTP9kdk

"The mission of ePALS Classroom Exchange is to offer safe, innovative ways for learners to make contact with other cultures. They currently connect over 4.5 million users from 191 countries, speaking 136 languages, by providing built-in Webmail language translation and safety features such as monitored e-mail and profanity filters. All of the tools and resources on the site are free to anyone with a computer, anywhere in the world. The site also offers collaborative projects that students can join, as well as tools for creating projects and contacting students in remote locations."

ePals is the social network optimized for K-12 learning. Over half a million classrooms in 200 countries and territories have joined the ePals Global Community to connect, collaborate and exchange ideas. ePals now translates in 35 languages! The benefits of the site are that the students can connect with other students and classrooms around the globe. You connect with them by the projects that you are working on in the classroom. This gives the common ground to talk about back and forth. The possible pitfalls are if you get a classroom that is not as involved as yours. It could be a let down and you may have to find another classroom that you could connect with.

This site is free and connects you with other educators seeking to connect classrooms for global projects. It has great safety features and has a variety of projects for all content areas and grade levels. You can form e-mail pen pal connections with classrooms around the world. Very cool!

"Please see the (link) New York Says Thank You and The 9/12 Generation Project Hurricane Sandy School Penny Drive! WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOUR SCHOOL PARTICIPATE! We are looking for a huge push through the next 30 days as a second round of storms are on the way this week!!    We will have updates on NY and NJ schools latter this week at www.912generationproject.org and on our Facebook page! Over the next 30-60 days we will also have a more detailed needs assessment completed with projects that meet specific needs but at this time the 912GP Hurricane Sandy Penny Drive is the quickest way to provide fuel, lumber, cleaning supplies, and meals, etc. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. We look forward to working with you and your youth! Remember to send us your stories and your goals and we will keep you updated on the recovery!!    Best,  Lori   Lori Sullivan The 9/12 Generation Project*Project Manager/ Educator New York Says Thank You Foundation lori@newyorksaysthankyou.org"

Awesome on authentic learning.

The topics are standards-based and of global interest. Each project is designed to be used as is or customized to your classroom's needs. An easy way to find a classroom with which to partner is to check the "Connect with Classrooms" forum on the project index page for posts by interested classrooms. Topics include holidays and festivals, digital storytelling, spanish, global warming, habitats, weather, and natural disasters.

List of projects that make use of global connections to study various topics for late elementary to middle school aged students. I love how the project calendar lays out a specific timeline for when to introduce concepts and exchange emails. The website provides a forum to find cooperating classrooms. The possible pitfall could be not finding a class to exchange ideas.

Project FeederWatch is a winter-long survey of birds that visit feeders at backyards, nature centers, schools, community areas, and other locales in North America. FeederWatchers periodically count the birds they see at their feeders from November through early April and send their counts to Project FeederWatch. FeederWatch data help scientists track broadscale movements of winter bird populations and long-term trends in bird distribution and abundance. This project gives an authentic reason to learn how to record data using graphs and charts, research, and writing. All of this can be done using technology. Since areas all around North America are involved, it ties into the global community. Teachers within a school or district could work together to promote collaboration. The biggest pitfall would be finding a location that would be appropriate to place the feeder.

The Global Classroom Project wiki is a collection of resources for teachers who want to collaborate globally. There are several big ongoing projects for all grade levels, as well as a huge directory of teachers you can contact on your own if you want to find a collaborator for a project.

This global collaborative project at http://ciese.org/curriculum/squareproj/ -- Registration closes SEPT 30 Driving questions: Why HERE and not THERE? Presents students with a world map and two animals/insects from different areas (EG Monarch butterfly and Australian stick insect specimens). Pose a challenging question: Why here and not there? Why there and not here? How can we find out? Register class on Square of Life, an Internet-based collaborative project that has students investigate their local environment and share information with students from around the world. Students examine a square yard of local ground and organize what they find into categories they define themselves: living and nonliving, plants and animals. Through close examination, they organize small creatures into groups by shared characteristics, and learn to discriminate between classes of animals, including insects and isopods. Theorize about the role of habitat and niche in insect distribution. Share their findings with Australian students (or students from around the glove) and report their conclusions about Why here and not there? Why there and not here?

The students then created a digital book that included their memoir as well as their personal philosophy that they wrote in World History. Ultimately, the project culminated in an exhibition where the students presented their digital books to an audience of family, friends, peers and community members. Each student individually presented his or her book and read an excerpt of the memoir. For many students it was the first time they had such "high stakes" in a project and they simultaneously had to work on elements of public speaking along with the project development.

"Help your kids submit their idea and work to Quest to matter. This is a great way to showcase what your students are doing. It will also open up opportunities for mentoring. If you know a kid who is doing something cool to change the world - SUBMIT IT. The end date is June 7th. Why not have your class create a quest to matter. If you haven't had a chance to do a genius project or some creative teacherpreneurship with passion projects - USE THIS opportunity. My friend Angela Maiers had this idea and many have joined in (like me) to help create a website showcasing and promoting all the great work that students are doing as social entrepreneurs to change the world. There will be a winning project that is showcased and mentored. " Vicki Davis

Square of Life: Studies in Local and Global Environments is an Internet-based collaborative project in which students will investigate their local environment and share that information with other students from around the country and the world. Participants will: Identify living and non-living things in their school yards. Revisit this site in mid-August for information about the Fall 2012 run of the project.

Colleen, I love this project. I would totally do this with my 4th grade students. :) It would be fun to post our findings on our blog and try and get others involved too.

This looks like neat project to do. I would be interested having a "Key Pal" through the project to really engage students and introduce them to who will be their audience.

The International Education and Resource Network (iEARN) is a non-profit global network that enables young people to use the Internet and other new technologies to engage in collaborative educational projects that both enhance learning and make a difference in the world. iEARN has hundreds of projects to join (some with a nominal joining fee). Some have been ongoing for years, and many have received national/international recognition. An example of a new project is "Proverbs and Idioms." Facilitated by students and teachers in Iran, Pakistan, Nigeria, and India, it is a worldwide exchange exploring the commonalities and differences in proverbs throughout history and culture worldwide.

Driving question: How do we describe motion and change in our world scientifically? In the Rube Goldberg Project, students will build a Rube Goldberg Machine (by definition, "of, relating to, or being a contrivance that brings about by complicated means what apparently could have been accomplished simply....") and explain the phyics of motion in that machine. Some examples of rube goldberg devices in the past, in both movies and pop culture, are the device that Pee Wee Herman uses to make breakfast in the movie "Pee Wee's Big Adventure," or the game "Mousetrap." Students will be able to explain and demonstrate the physics of motion (specifically Newtons Three Laws, Velocity, Acceleration, Kinetic and Potential Energy, and Momentum) through running their machine and will be able to calculate the velocity, acceleration, and energy generated by their machines as they run to complete simple tasks. They will have a working knowledge of simple motion equations and how to calculate in real life situations. This project has activities, assessments and resources included Requires a considerable amount of time and materials, but very engaging and student centered

Degree Confluence Project The goal of this volunteer-run project is to post a photograph on this Web site of each of the 13,584 latitude and longitude degree intersections in the world (whole-number values only!). Confluences in the oceans and some near the poles have been excluded. There is a confluence point within 49 miles of wherever you're standing. You can join the fun with a camera and GPS receiver. Participants must create an account or log a plan Here's my question -- is this just a 21st Century collaborative learning oportunity, or is it pbl? Did I tag it right?

The goal of It's About Chime is to have the students explore the mathematics & physics behind sound waves and wind chimes. The students will engineer chime machines that ride the wind to produce melodic tunes for enjoyment. This project offers a great way to incorporate a real world audience into teaching the physics and math of sound waves. The pitfalls of this may be the materials and time required, but the project is well laid out and has a great deal of resources.

A great reminder...

Description from the site: "Most of us are aware of the issues of pollution and global warming. But what can we do about it? Participation in this project will not only help you figure out what your contribution has been to these issues, it will also help you figure out what you can do about them and how you can help others figure out what they can do, and so on." I chose this particular project because it relates to a project my J2 kids are doing now. They have chosen issues like global warming or domestic violence and are researching and using media to educate their peers. They are writing editorials and using Facebook and creating Web sites. They are VERY into it. This is a similar thing with a built-in audience. A potential pitfall is that it might be somewhat limited. It's not a very long project and might be better as part of something bigger.

This site looks amazing! It connects with us by indicating the Targeted Audience giving the beginning and end dates. What a fabulous resource.