Washingborough Academy in UK and the International School St. Pölten in Austria held two live stream sessions with early stage-classes in primary schools. The topic of the first online meeting was growing cress. The pupils in the UK were already experienced in this and explained to the Austrian children how they put the seeds on the soil and watered them carefully and what the seed will need to grow. The pupils in Austria also worked on growing cress and prepared cotton wool as a substrate. In preparing for the event, the pupils painted yoghurt pots, which served as planters, beautifully.
Both classes showed the others their cultivation and agreed to cut and taste together a week later. The teachers prepared the calls together per email, agreeing on how the session should be run and how to prepare and follow up with the pupils of their class, not only to have the adventure to get to know children from another European country, but also to learn about other (food) cultures, countries and languages.
The call was followed up a week later with an Internation TastEd Livestream (see case study) to explore cress through their senses.
What are the benefits/outcomes of a digital approach to this activity?
Pupils have the opportunity of a small cultural exchange with some German and English words and trying each others recommendation on how to plant, taste and eat cress.
Through meeting again after a week, teachers and students get familiar with the setting and the online-tools.
Pupils experience using digital software.
Links to computing and oracy curriculums
Explore a variety of foods using their senses to expand food experience
Top Tips
Arrange a date for the call. Keep in mind, that school holidays, time zones, timing of school lessons might differ.
Prepare and share planned talking points and key questions to discuss with the children prior to the session
Consider the use of foods that can provide understanding of both food cultures – could they be local produce or recipes?
Keep the session short and focused. Determine the length of time depending on the age and prior experience of the pupils. Students who are used to livestreams can also work attentively for longer sessions.
Enable real exchange. Make sure that the pupils can communicate with each other (basic language skills or translation programme).
Follow up with further work on the topic in each group.
Resources
Video calling app, large screen
Contact your partner school and arrange and time for your video call
Prepare items you need to run the growing activity. Perhaps do this before the call starts if it is a complicated process
Have some questions to ask the children in both schools to discuss the activity. Here is the question prompt sheet used by Washingborough Academy in the UK and St Polten International School in Austria to discuss with the children how they planted the cress
