Welcome to Collaborating Classrooms!
If you are already signed up as a Collaborating Classroom - Fantastic! We look forward to collaborating with you this year.

If you are not a Collaborating Classroom yet, we encourage you to look this information over and then become a Collaborating Classroom today!

To download our Collaborating Classrooms brochure click here.

Collaborating Classrooms are K-12 classrooms that are connected to scientists and other experts at Michigan State University throughout the school year. These classrooms are located all across Michigan and throughout the entire US.

Collaborating Classrooms will:

• Create a new Learning Community that includes K-12 students, teachers and MSU scientists.
• Support K-12 classroom learning through authentic experiments coupled with direct connections among students, teachers and scientists.
• Elegantly integrate technology through the Wonder Wall, photo and video sharing, student publication via our E-News, Wikis that students maintain and lots more.
• Make a difference as students:
• Get a new view of science and how it relates to their lives.
• Have opportunities to contribute their knowledge to our online resources.
• Are connected to scientists at MSU.

Immediate benefits:

• Each classroom will receive a Cooperating Classroom certificate to display.
• Each classroom will receive the Collaborating Classrooms E-News in September, November, January, March and May.
• Students will have access to the Wonder Wall.
• Students and teachers will have access to 4-H Children's Gardens expertise and resources.
• Each classroom will recieve Cool Kid Plants to grow and evaluate.
• Students will have opportunities to have their writings, photos and videos published in the Collaborating Classrooms E-News.

Longer-term benefits:

• Each school will be eligible to be part of our Garden Certification program.
• Each classroom will have access to a gardening webinar and other online resources.
• Access to special in-service teacher training.
• Students will have a greater interest in science.
• Student will have a greater understanding of science.
• Students will be aware of careers in science.

Creating a new learning community with the level of contact and interaction of Collaborating Classrooms doesn't come free. It requires a committment from both classrooms and the 4-H Children's Gardens.

Classroom "costs" are:

• Your classroom agrees to use a garden space as part of the classroom learning.
• Your classroom agrees to report on your gardening activities and learning.
• Your students agree to share some of their writings, photos, videos and other work so that it can be included in our E-News.
• Your classroom agrees to use the Wonder Wall where appropriate.
• Your Classroom grows and/or evaluates Cool Kid Plants.

The Annual Fee to be a Collaborating Classroom is:

• $50 per classroom
• Or $500 per school building
• Or contact us to discuss fees.

If you are someone that loves working with children and are passionate about plants, consider signing up to volunteer for our Collaborating Classrooms program.

There are volunteer opportunities at your local school and at the 4-H Children's Garden.