Lesson 5: Communication and Collaboration

1. Project computer desktop onto a SmartBoard or projector screen.
2. Log in to the World of Naaya.
3. Ask students about ways they can communicate with friends (possible responses: speaking, signing, texting, emailing, calling, writing a letter, etc.).
4. Ask students about examples of collaborating with friends (playing on a sports team, working on a project together, making a card for someone’s birthday, helping a neighbor clean up a yard, etc.)
5. Tell students that today they’ll have fun communicating with one another and working together.
6. Demonstrate how to access the Scrapbook from the Heads Up Display.
7. Select a student from My Friends in the Scrapbook.
8. Click Send Gift.
9. Point out the options to write a message using pre-loaded words and phrases or to type freestyle as well as how to choose gifts and greeting cards.
10. Note that students can communicate with one another when they visit each other’s homes or when they are in Town. Show them the chat feature on the Heads Up Display and demonstrate how to send a message using the emoticons and pre-loaded words and phrases.
11. Navigate to the Cliff Bottom to show them where they’ll need to collaborate to create a staircase up the side of the Cliff.
12. Answer any general questions students might have but try not to share too much information.
13. Have your students log in to the World of Naaya while you circulate to answer any additional questions.
14. Give them some goals: during today’s session, they should: 1) place a rock at the Cliff Bottom to help build the staircase 2) send a gift or message to another student.

Give students an opportunity to log in and navigate through the Woodlands. Help any students who are having difficulty sending messages/gifts or finding the Cliff Bottom. Remind students that messages should be school-appropriate and respectful of classmates. Mention that messages which do not follow these guidelines can earn “Don’t Like” ratings.

Have students log out of the game and join you for a class discussion. Ask questions, such as :

1. Were you able to place a rock at the Cliff Bottom to help with the staircase? What happens if only some students work together to build the staircase and not all?
2. How did it feel to send a message (give a gift)? How did it feel to receive a message (or gift)?

Encourage students to explore one another’s Scrapbooks and compare and contrast which baubles, and other things each has collected. Direct them to send a message to each student, commending them for the items they’ve accumulated or encouraging them to keep up the good work.