Saving Our Seas Together

Step 1: Engage (Goal: Spark curiosity and establish relevance)

• Introduce the project objectives to the students, ensuring they understand the goals and purpose.
• Start with an icebreaker activity that allows students to introduce themselves to their international peers, using the platform’s board section.
• Participating classes watch selected short documentaries (e.g., A Plastic Ocean) that highlight the pollution affecting the world’s oceans. Afterwards, they share their emotional reactions on the project board.
• Each student is encouraged to upload an image or a phrase in response to the question: Why do oceans matter to us? These responses can also be shared on the project board.

Step 2: Explore (Goal: Encourage inquiry and cultural comparison)

• Students are organized into small mixed groups, combining members from both classes, to research the main marine threats (such as plastic pollution, overfishing, and ocean acidification) in their own country and in their international partners’ country.
• They then share their ideas and findings through the student group section of the project platform.

Step 3: Explain (Goal: Deepen understanding and formalize learning)

• Based on the findings shared by the student groups, students are guided to compare regional marine issues and reflect on how local actions can have global impacts.
• Teachers support this process with guiding questions such as: “What similarities and differences do you find between the different communities?” Students are encouraged to share their responses on the project board.

Step 4: Elaborate (Goal: Apply learning in creative ways)

• In mixed teams, students co-design a “Marine Protection Charter”, proposing concrete and feasible commitments based on their research, with the aim of fostering international cooperation (e.g., beach clean-ups, awareness campaigns, reducing plastic use).
• To promote their proposal, students create a digital poster advocating for ocean protection or produce a short video campaign to share their charter and raise awareness within the school community.

Step 5: Evaluate (Goal: Reflect on learning and impact)

• Organize a live session where both classes can connect and discuss their experiences and insights gained from the project.
• Facilitate a discussion in which students share the following:

1. What did I learn about marine protection and the threats to our oceans?
2. What did I learn from my partner class about marine conservation in their country?
3. How did working together help me understand the global impact of local actions on ocean health?

• Encourage students to reflect on how this experience has broadened their perspective on international cooperation and how they now see their role in the global effort to protect the oceans.
• Record the key ideas, perspectives, and reflections shared during the discussion on the project platform. This will serve as a space for continued conversation, allowing students to review and reflect on the content after the session, and for future reference in ongoing projects or collaborations.

Assessment and reflection ✍️

Assessment

• Focus on participation rather than perfection: Value students’ active participation rather than perfection in their responses. The focus should be on their engagement, the ideas they contribute, and their ability to collaborate in the project.
• Observe the development of critical thinking skills: Assess how students deepen their research on marine threats, form relevant questions, reflect on local and global actions, and consider their environmental impact.
• Assess students' understanding of global cooperation: Observe how students understand the importance of international cooperation to address common environmental problems, such as ocean pollution and overfishing.
• Evaluate collaboration and communication: Evaluate students’ ability to work in mixed teams, share ideas with their international peers, and collaborate on creating the "Marine Protection Charter."

Reflection Activities

• “My Favorite Part” Circle Sharing Time:
• After completing the project, students participate in a group circle where they share what part of the project had the most impact on them or they found most interesting, whether it was working with the international class, researching marine threats, or creating the "Marine Protection Charter."

• Simple Feedback Forms (for younger students):
•  Use simple feedback forms with icons or straightforward questions for younger students to reflect on their experience. Example questions could be: “What did you learn about the ocean?” or “Did you enjoy working with students from another country?”

Teacher tips 💡

• Foster a safe and inclusive learning environment that values diverse perspectives and experiences.
• Provide clear guidelines and expectations for respectful communication and collaboration. We suggest you review the coexistence policies of Class2Class.org.
• Facilitate the formation of diverse international teams, ensuring a mix of skills, backgrounds, and perspectives.
• Provide scaffolding and support throughout the research and action planning process, offering guidance and resources as needed.
• Encourage student agency and ownership of their learning, allowing them to drive the direction of their projects.
• Celebrate student achievements and facilitate meaningful reflection on their growth and the impact of their actions.

Through this Class2Class project, you’ll empower students to develop into active global citizens, merging knowledge with empathy and turning dreams for a healthier planet into real, impactful actions.