EPALS

www.epals.com

Epals is the world's largest K12 learning network.  (K12 - Kindergarten to Grade 12).
It is a fantastic, safe way for children to learn about other cultures, countries, people and compare
similarities and differences to their own experiences.
There are many activities and projects children can participate in, from emailing to find out information and communicate, digital storytelling projects, virtual tours and communication relating to famous places such as the Smithsonian.
Some of the projects include 'The Way We Are', 'Holidays and Festivals', Natural Disasters and much, much more.
There are sections for teachers, students and families.

How Does It Work?
Teachers connect their classes through descriptions and projects.  They match up with children the same age.  It offers a very 'real-world' context for writing and provides another audience for the students' writing.
Students are assigned passwords and epals email addresses.  They do not provide their full names as we emphasise Internet safety.
All emails are checked by both teachers involved before they are forwarded on to the students.  This goes both ways, again, to ensure the safety of our students.