Expand the walls of your classroom and show your students the world. Take them on adventures and introduce them to new customs, cultures and students. If you are a teacher who aspires to take their students' learning to a new level, the SMARTer Kids Foundation invites you to participate in ImagiNations.

ImagiNations is an international collaborative learning program for elementary/primary school students. The program promotes cross-cultural experiences through the travels of a toy ambassador who collects information and memorabilia to share with students at each stop of his journey.

Where in the world is your traveling bear? Check out the latest adventures of the 2007–2008 ImagiNations teddy bears here!

Background
Rocky was the first traveling teddy bear for the SMARTer Kids Foundation. The idea for Rocky evolved out of a Connections 2001-2002 teacher's desire to introduce her students to other students in the program. Having Rocky travel to the various connections schools was a fun and interactive way for students to learn about each other. After witnessing Rocky's success, the Foundation launched the ImagiNations program for students and teachers on a more global level.

About the Program
ImagiNations provides students and teachers with the opportunity to connect with others through a traveling teddy bear. A teddy bear and journal arrives at the participating school along with any other items collected on his prior stops. Students use the journal to document his adventures in their community. Students are encouraged to interact with the teddy bear outside of school and record the details of his time with them in the journal. In doing so, the Foundation hopes to encourage children to write, and promote a motivating learning environment in which students are exposed to various viewpoints from peers of different backgrounds.

The ImagiNations program is a cross-cultural experience that aims to promote collaborative learning and awareness of cultural differences. Learning is an active process, and by involving students around the world in ImagiNations, doors are opened for learners to actively engage with their peers, examine similarities and differences, and become more knowledgeable, empathetic and respectful of others. Becoming involved in ImagiNations ensures that curriculum objectives come alive as students around the world communicate with each other.