Podcast Script: What We Have Done So Far

The project based learning assignment that we are having the children do is to compare and contrast their food choices to those to those of another area. The children were split into groups to study either China, Mexico, Italy, or Louisiana. They were assigned a pen pal from their area and wrote to them about what food choices they believe are typical of that region. Our fourth graders are now researching what people from their area actually eat and how culture plays a role in their food choices.  To prepare them for this research process the students met with the media specialist and got a lesson on how to use the technology necessary for their project such as how to safely navigate the web, how to use power point, and how to use a hot list to find resources. We are waiting to hear back form our pen pals so that they can provide us with more insight into what foods are actually traditional of their area. During this project we want our students to keep in mind the big picture/idea of the project. We have been discussing with the children how the information they learn applies to the real world and its relevance on their own lives. We discussed how the food that other regions eat impacts us and our food  consumption as seen by the different restaurants in our community. The students are continuing to research their region and its food choices and availability.