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The Through Our Eyes project is designed to develop descriptive writing skills. In this project, students are encouraged to choose a location, visit that site, list specific details to record what they see, and then use those details to compose an essay to share with a global audience. Research shows that students are more motivated to write and are more careful in their composition when they are writing for a real audience. This project involves the students in describing some place near where they live "through their eyes."

The Through Our Eyes project began three years ago as a way to challenge my high school advanced English class. At that time, I saw the project as a one time event. After limited success that first year, I hosted the project a second year, as a project in connection with my graduate school work at Johns Hopkins University. Changes in the project timeline and more frequent exchanges between the moderator and participants added to the project's success during this second year. The many positive comments and requests from teachers to participate have encouraged me to make this an annual event. You can read more about the project in the November, 1997 issue of Leading and Learning with Technology published by ISTE.

I have definitely enjoyed learning about the many places around the globe that are described by the Through Our Eyes participants. Not only are the students polishing their writing skills, but also they are making decisions about who they are, as they select places to describe that have meaning for them. Below is my description of a special place near my home town. I hope that your classes benefit from their participation in the project.

The headwaters of the Pocomoke River in Snow Hill, Maryland provide an exciting place to canoe during the summer months. Cypress trees line the shore, rising high overhead and providing a canopy to the river below. On the banks, cypress knees, outgrowths of the vast root system, grow almost two feet tall and appear sporatically at the base of the trees. The river itself, which moves with great speed as the tide receeds, is dark brown from cypress sap. Various other trees such as maple, oak, and dogwood fill in the background, creating a green backdrop. Wildlife can be spotted occasionally as the canoe floats downstream. The most frequent visitors are eagles, ospey, and turtles. This serene place well represents the beauty of the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

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