From Virginia to Mexico: A Journey of Environmental Discovery and Collaboration with LUV's Global Scientists
Pembroke Meadows Elementary School, USA and Colegio Champal, Mexico
Summary
As an Instructional Technology Specialist, Lauren Pate sought ways to expand
her students’ experiences beyond the confines of the traditional classroom
setting. Her goal was to equip them with essential skills for the future, foster a
global perspective, and cultivate empathy. Six years ago, she discovered Level
Up Village (LUV) and has since facilitated connections between 1-2 classrooms
each year. The impact of LUV courses on both teachers and students has been
profound, reshaping their worldview.
In the spring of 2024, one of the courses Lauren implemented was “Global
Scientists,” focusing on vital water-related topics like pollution, scarcity, and
solutions. Through hands-on experiments, students designed aquifers and
water filters, empowering them to tackle real-world challenges. Two
fourth-grade classes from Pembroke Meadows Elementary, where Lauren
teaches, collaborated with their peers at Colegio Champal in Mexico. They
exchanged video messages after each lesson, fostering cultural exchange and
understanding. Initially, the focus was on sharing aspects of their respective
cultures and gaining insights into daily student life. As the academic lessons and
experiments progressed, the video messages evolved to include brainstorming
and analysis. At the end of the project, the two schools arranged a live chat
session to further enhance cultural understanding and conclude this
enriching educational experience.
“Engaging in the LUV Program was an amazing learning experience, fostering creativity and problem- solving skills in
our young learners. Connecting with kids from another country enriched the experience by promoting cultural
understanding and collaboration. This project not only cultivated a passion for STEM but also instilled valuable global perspectives, preparing students to thrive in an interconnected world. We can’ t wait to do it again next year!”
Charlene Widel, Gifted Resource Teacher
Goals
Pembroke Meadows was looking to equip students with the following VBCPS Future Ready skills: Cross-Culturally Competent, Socially Responsible, Problem Solvers and Value Creators, and Communicators and Collaborators.
Implementation
Pembroke Meadows adopted the Level Up Village virtual exchange platform, connected with a school in rural Mexico, exchanged videos about a project over 4 weeks, investigated human effects on the environment, specifically, access to clean water, and designed experiments on three different water filtration systems as solutions (aquifer, charcoal filter, desalination filter).
Results
Pembroke Meadows students successfully designed three water filtration systems, gained a deeper understanding of how humans affect their environment and issues with access to clean water facing communications around the world, improved communication, collaboration, and digital literacy skills, and enhanced their understanding and appreciation of other cultures.
“The enthusiasm was transparent among
the students. The engaging nature of the
project catered to students of diverse
abilities and interests. They eagerly
participated in weekly activities, often
stopping me in the hall to inquire about
upcoming lessons or share newfound
facts about aquifers from their water
bottle labels during lunch.”
Lauren Pate
Conclusion
This inquiry-based learning approach
seamlessly integrates real-world skills
with cross-curricular connections.
From literacy components tied to
research, to geographical knowledge
acquired about another country, and
the interactive experience of product
design and building, the students
engaged in a multifaceted learning
journey. By the project’s conclusion,
they demonstrated increased cultural
awareness and content knowledge,
transitioning from novice to
proficient learners
