Skypin' it up

We wanted to ease into the concept of mystery skype,

So we set up a skype chat with Ms. G, our former technology guru who has since moved on to a position at Ohio State University.

Our students had previously learned about the Midwest region with our {geography unit} and this was a fun review before we gave our {unit test}.  We prepped them with what is appropriate and what is not appropriate to say, then crammed eighty of them into one classroom.  (Okay, eighty is a bit of an exaggeration.  The actual number is closer to seventy three...but there were three teachers, it's okay!)

Before calling with the students, we did a test run...and boy am I glad!  We didn't have a working webcam, so we:

1) Tried with the iPads, but didn't have the password for the app store.  We could hear her, but she couldn't see us or hear us. She'd ask a question and we'd type a response.

2) Admin didn't have the password for the app store.

3) The person who did wasn't at our school that day, so Ms. G called him to have him email me the password.

4) Facetime didn't work.

After about an hour of problem solving (plus one iPad, one iPhone, one desk top, one Android, four adults, and two administrators...), we got it to work.  

The kids loved it!  She showed them various sites around OSU and we got to virtually meet her coworkers.  They asked thoughtful questions about the differences between Las Vegas and Ohio as well as which Disney princess is her favorite (obviously!)  The whole call took about twenty minutes.

Of course, I rocked a Michigan hoodie out of protest.

We appreciate you Ms. G!

Our next skype call will be to Ms. V after we learn about New York.  We've got a guest speaker for upstate NY (the neighboring kinder teacher), so Ms. V will be representing downstate New York!