Curriculum Title Reviewed: Intergenerational community Pen Pals

	Reviewer 1	Reviewer 2	Reviewer 3
How used in a classrm?	It can be collaborated with community history and various language arts lessons including letter writing, interviewing, poetry.		Use when discussing parts of a letter, developing poetry, etc.
Which grades?	2nd – 5th	3-6	2-4
Subjects?	Language Arts	English, SS	ELA
Appropriateness, possibility to strengthen: Learning Goals/Academic subjects	The academic goal of writing letters on a monthly basis needs to be more specific, i.e.: students will write letters using proper friendly format …	Add Art. Create books, add photographs	Appropriate. Would have students use different ways of expressing information, not just letters. Maybe include poetry, short story, etc to express info.
Community needs	Yes.	They are relevant. RSVP, Americorps, lunch programs, hospital social worker	They are relevant. Good partners. May want to partner with Office for the Aging, county food nutrition agencies (i.e. Meals on Wheels, Nutrifare).
Character virtue prominence	Virtues of respect and caring are evident in this curriculum.	Fine	Due to length of the project, and if students keep same partner throughout project, then the character virtues would work and are prominent.
SL activities	Good detail.	Fine. Add actual history as background. Study social history 1920-1950. Politics, technological transformation, roles to create context.	Yes and no. Need more detail on how you would get students to write to seniors, what they would say, how they would partner up with seniors, how they would learn about the community need, etc.
Reflection activities	(n/a)	Do pre/post assessment of feelings, attitudes, beliefs re seniors (could include drawing). Or, springboard for discussion: obnoxious “over the hill” birthday cards.	Appropriate and will allow appropriate reflection.
Costs	Unsure.	n/a	Transportation, stamps (mailing to partners), paper, envelopes, journals.
Time needed	Yearlong.	n/a	Entire school year. Hopefully, young children will not become bored due to length of the project.
Teacher preparation required	(n/a)	n/a	Contact community agencies, familiarize self with area agencies and needs of elderly, organize times to write and respond.
Possible improvements	(n/a)	What will the kids give the seniors? Gardening at the senior center? Concert? Play? Go to their turf too.	Needs to be more specific in activities, think the responsibilities of the children are not realistic (arrange transportation, contact paper, etc.) at a k-2 grade level.
Assessment items	This lesson plan seems overwhelming for K–1st graders, as 2nd graders are just starting to learn letter format.	For K-2? Weak. Use with older kids.	Relevant. I think the age group selected might be a bit young. Would look at gr 2-4. Seems more appropriate.
Experience needed in CE	Little or no experience.	Little or nor experience	Little or no experience
Experience needed in SL	Little or no experience.	Little or no experience	Moderately experienced
Rate the project in the following areas:
Doability	(n/a)	Strong	Average
Addressing the character virtues	(n/a)	Average-Strong	Average
Relevance to actual academic content	(n/a)	Average-Strong	Average
Reflection activities	(n/a)	Average-Strong	Average
How strongly are each of the character virtues addressed by this project….
Caring	Strongly.	Very strong	Strongly
Citizenship	Somewhat.	Not at all	Not at all
Fairness	Somewhat.	Not at all	Not at all
Giving	Somewhat.	Not at all	Not at all
Respect	Strongly.	Very strong	Somewhat
Responsibility	Somewhat.	Not at all	Somewhat
Trustworthy	Somewhat.	Not at all	Not at all

Curriculum Title Reviewed: It’s a Small World After All

	Reviewer 1	Reviewer 2	Reviewer 3
How used in a classrm?	I have seen a similar project carried out with recent immigrants who had literacy deficits. This needs a strong, focused teacher with administrative support.	n/a	As a way for non-native English speakers to practice speaking and writing skills. Could also be used in heavily multi-ethnic areas.
Which grades?	6 – 12	6-8	Could be extended to work at all levels k-12. Very adaptable.
Subjects?	ELA, Art, and ESL	ESL, ELA	English (writing), SS
Appropriateness, possibility to strengthen: Learning Goals/Academic subjects	The writer has identified learning goals that emphasize ESL. The assumption is that the grand pals will all speak English, and not be immigrants themselves.	Also SS 5 and Career 2+3a, PE 1	Very appropriate, but standards listed are vague (for example, what is the MST connection within the project?)
Community needs	“Meals on Wheels” might be another partner. They could identify seniors who might come to the school. It will be difficult for ESL students to work with Alzheimer patients at assisted living centers.	Good activity	Very relevant and well articulated. Should also include something about the seniors. Additional partners: local Office for the Aging, senior centers, senior programs.
Character virtue prominence	Both caring and civic virtue are prominent.	Front and center	Seem very well integrated, though CV&C needs a bit more work (will students continue after the projects end? How can they encourage that?)
SL activities	Students may benefit from role-playing with peers before meeting their grand pals. Students may also want to practice using tape recorders to record interviews. A student editorial board could help organize the cookbook.	Good activities	Yes-very well done and explicit.
Reflection activities	(n/a)	They’re good; appropriate	Yes-very appropriate. Love the example questions in #1.
Costs	Transportation of students to and from the assisted living center; transportation of seniors to school, printing costs (paper, toner, binding), mailing costs, and food.	Transportation, cookbook materials	Transportation costs may prove tricky, also printing if done professionally.
Time needed	All year.	Several months	Year-long very appropriate-will give students time to make a true and genuine connection.
Teacher preparation required	(n/a)	Access software, learn layout skills in order to teach students	Familiarity with methods of producing cookbook. Searching for CBOs to partner with-very minimal.
Possible improvements	(n/a)	Many of the ESL students’ parents/guardians may work swing shift. Be careful to find time(s) for buffet when adults can attend.	Minimal suggestions-1. In planning, have someone visit classroom and do a workshop on working with the elderly (conduct simulations on arthritis, cataracts, etc)2. revise civic virtue & citizenship goal to include how students will take experience past classroom experience. 3. Service activity #2-include pictures of the residents and students in the cookbook-students could take pictures themselves.
Assessment items	Question 4 could be put in a more specific context.	They’re good.	Some multiple choice questions seem random. (#2, 3) Also, some not academically based (#6, 10). Essay-great rubrics, esp. in academic section.
Experience needed in CE	Moderately experienced.	Little or no experience.	Moderately experienced
Experience needed in SL	Very experienced.	Little or no experience	Little or no experience
Rate the project in the following areas:
Doability	(n/a)	Average-Strong	Strong
Addressing the character virtues	(n/a)	Strong	Average-Strong
Relevance to actual academic content	(n/a)	Strong	Average
Reflection activities	(n/a)	Strong	Average-Strong
How strongly are each of the character virtues addressed by this project….
Caring	Very strong.	Strongly	Very strong
Citizenship	Strongly.	Strongly	Somewhat
Fairness	Not at all.	(na)	Not at all
Giving	Very strong.	Strongly	Somewhat
Respect	Very strong.	Very Strong	Strongly
Responsibility	Strongly.	Somewhat	Somewhat
Trustworthy	Not at all.	Somewhat	Not at all