Rockville Centre school builds a bridge across many cultures

Would you like to be a student in a school in Sweden where a chef prepares lunch? Or a student in Spain where there is a castle right in your city? The children of Watson Elementary School have been immersed in a yearlong study of cultures around the world and are utilizing technology to connect and communicate with international students.

Fifth grade students have been emailing and exchanging digital photos with two fifth grade classes in Spain. They are sharing information about schools, festivals and sports. The children are preparing to video chat via Skype in the near future.

Third grade classes have had the opportunity to reconnect with a former classmate, Hannah Laywer, who currently lives in Sweden. After researching the geography, climate and culture of Sweden, the students prepared questions for Hannah. They discovered what she is studying and how she spends her free time in that Scandinavian country.

Watson students have concluded that the world becomes a smaller place through the use of technology. More importantly, they have learned people around the world are basically the same and that every culture makes valuable contributions to humanity.