Ask each student to write a one-page plan
for a section of the journal that he or she would like your class to sponsor.
The plan should be very specific about the type of writing and/or topic
that would be requested from the other classrooms.
For example, one student might propose a "rap" section
for your Learning Circle project. The project plan would need to provide
enough instruction so that students in other locations would be able
to complete the task. The instructions might include a definition of
a "rap," some general guidelines, and an example. If the raps are to
be about some particular topic, this should be indicated in the project
plan.
The project plans can be turned in with the author's name
on a separate page. Then the "anonymous" plans can be circulated or
posted so that they can be read by the students. Students can vote on
their favorite. This process will provide a rich choice for your students
and will give them a draft for the student planning message. Some of
the suggestions that were not chosen could be sent to the Learning Circle
as ideas for classes that have not yet selected their Learning Circle
project.
