Throughout third grade, students study countries from various parts of the world. The software Many Places Friendly Faces enables students to find information on about ten countries in a pictorial database. They can create slide shows to present their knowledge. Integrated with classroom and library resources, students learn to record and report information accurately and in an interesting format.

Students can find the flag from the countries and hear the national anthem. The symbols and the relevance of the flag colors are explained.

Students work cooperatively in pairs. Activity sheets may provide direction such as assigning specific roles to the partners.

Third graders learn to record relevant information from the computer screen accurately.

Some students are involved in working on the computer to find specific information requested from the Many Places Friendly Faces software or the web. Others are working with me to learn more about a festival or game in Ghana.

These children are playing Mancala, an African game of strategy. After they try the game, we discuss successful and unsuccessful strategies as a class. Throughout the year we try to play games from other cultures.

Comparing quality of life statistics and the economy of the different countries is one aspect of the curriculum. This group is working with 100 unifix cubes to represent the economic sectors of Ghana as given in percents on Maps101.com. A similar model is made of the United States and students are requested to compare the models and make inferences.

Children interact with each other independently and under teacher direction in small group and whole class activities.

Students read, record and discuss their findings from the computer. Children are actively engaged in the information on the screen. They read the directions on the worksheet and find the information in the Many Places Friendly Faces program by creating searches or super searches.

Students use a variety of print materials from the kit and the library to find the specific information needed.

Away from the computer students independently proofread their work. They answer additional questions regarding their findings. Given all the information they found, they are asked to make generalizations about the people in the country.