The second reason is that I am constantly looking for ways to build connections to a broader worldview for our students. While we don’t have a Global Awareness curriculum per se I do believe that we all need to be developing global connectedness and understanding of other cultures. For many years our 3rd graders have studied another country as part of their progression through the social studies curriculum. For most classes this is a research project using encylopedias and print resources to find information about traditional foods, dress, etc. with a few photos and resources found online. This year I would like to add a web 2.0 component using Google Earth to explore terrain and landforms, finding some classroom blogs that emanate from other countries and connecting with teachers who can help with language and time zone issues so we can communicate with students firsthand. Even without having someone travel to another country/culture I think we have can find ways to have electronic access to explore, ask questions and learn about the world.