Brief Description

Monster Exchange is designed to encourage the development of reading and writing skills while integrating Internet technology into the classroom curriculum.  Classrooms from a variety of schools worldwide are paired together; the students
in each classroom are split into groups, each of which designs an original picture of a monster. The students must then write a description of the monster. The partnered classes then exchange their descriptions via e-mail and the Internet. These students are then challenged to use reading comprehension skills to read the descriptions and translate them into a monster picture. The true challenge involves creating a redrawn picture as close to the original picture as possible without looking at the original and using only the written description of the monster.

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

4T-F2. Use technology tools for individual and collaborative communication activities to share products with audiences inside and outside the classroom.

W-F1. Use the writing process, including generating topics, drafting, revising ideas
and editing, to complete effectively a variety of writing tasks.

Academic

• Students will pre-write their description of their monster.
• Students will edit their pre-writes.
• Students will type their final copy onto the website.

• Students will type in the location and look at various examples of monsters.
• Students will scan their final monster picture.
• Students will type their final draft of their monster description.

• Students will need to know how to type.
• Students will need to know how to save to the server.
• Students will need to know how to print.

1 box of crayons and 1 pencil per student
2 blank and 1 lined piece of paper per student
folders (two manila folders stapled together to make a cubical wall) for students to place on their desk for privacy
scanner

Accommodations for Special Needs

If the partner class does not pull their end of the project you will need to e-mail to another prospective partner class.  If this doesn’t work, then ask another class at your school to do the project with you.

Procedures

1. Introduce and explain the monster project.
2. Have the students put their folders on their desk and give them a blank piece of paper.
3. Tell them to secretly draw their monster making sure that there is no violent or gang related drawings.
4. Once they are finished have them put it in their folder and to place it in their desk.
5. To help them understand the importance of specific details have them go through the exercise of drawing a monster based on a description.  I printed off two examples.  The first one: masa because the original and the redrawn are extremely different.  The second one: Long John because the original and the redrawn are quite similar.  I gave the directions one at a time and had the students draw the Masa and the Long John.
6. After both drawings are finished students trade with another student and I read the directions slowly again to allow partners see how the details were interpreted.  Then we vote which set of details were the easiest to follow.
7. We discussed the importance of sequence, of specific details, and of correct grammar.  How they all affect the outcome on the redrawing of their original monster.
8. The students were given a lined piece of paper to write their rough draft description.  They brought out their folder once again so that they can place the monster on it and to write their rough draft in privacy.
9. Then they traded descriptions with another classmate.  Both partners worked on their own in drawing out their partner’s monster.
10. Once both partners finished, they got together and compared their drawings.  They discussed together parts that were confusing as well as parts that really were detailed.  They also fixed their misspellings and punctuations.
11. Once they finished with the editing they were to write their final draft of their monster description.
12. The students will type their final copy of the description in Word.
13. Students will scan their monster picture to the server.
14. Hope and pray that your partner class will pull their end of the project!

1. Students’ rough drafts will be collected and graded based on comments and corrections made.  This grade will reflect cooperative work skills.
2. I will draw out each of the final monster description.  I will be keeping a tab on how many times I went “Huh” or “What”.  The grade will be based on how closely was my drawing to their original drawings.