For this exciting project, you will:

• Work in a reasonably sized group of about 3-5 people. 
• Must have a theme and genre from the list below
• Must be at least 5-7 pages, including dialogue, setting description, and stage directions.
• Must contain at least 3 separate scenes.
• Must incorporate the elements of drama (stage directions, at least 1 monologue, narrator, scenes, etc.)
• Must have at least 3-5 characters, one character/puppet for each person in the group.
• Each person will make their own hand puppet using sewing (no glue) after the story is mostly written
• If there is a narrator to the story, the narrator must also be a puppet.
• Each member of the group must have a fairly equal number of lines.
• Must be appropriate for school (no violence, no weapons, no racism, etc.) PUPPETS DON’T FIGHT!

Themes to choose from are:

• Coming-of-age
• Loyalty
• Betrayal
• Life and Death
• Justice
• Family
• Good vs. evil
• Identity
• Human vs Nature/environment
• Loneliness

Genres to choose from are:

• Romance
• Mystery
• Adventure
• Comedy
• Tragedy
• Drama
• Horror
• Fiction
• Fantasy
• Fairy Tale
• Non-fiction

We will make the puppets together in class using hand sewing similar to how the puppet in the video below is made. We’ll not use glue for this project.

We will learn a few sewing techniques and embroidery stitches together.  Please click the links above to see the videos.

Assigned: Tuesday March 4, 2025

Due: Thursday May 15, 2025

We re learning a new technique to enlarge a photograph using a grid.  We have practiced using simple line drawings in class, and have now graduated to the next step. This is a bit of a challenging project, but I know you can do it!

• Select a small photograph of a human face.  It’s easier if it’s in black and white. About 2 or 3 inches is a good size. Four inches is getting a bit big.
• Bring the image to school.
• Draw a 1 cm grid on the human face you have selected
• Use large paper (11×17) which is provided at school.
• Lightly draw a larger grid on the large paper.  It should be at least 3 cm x 3  cm or 4 cm x 4 cm. You will need to determine which will fit on the page (this is where your math multiplication skills and ruler use come into play)
• Go square by square to copy what is on the small grid onto the larger grid.
• Use shading to fill in the details.
• Remember that the human face doesn’t have a lot of sharp lines…softer is better. You are sketching softly rather than pushing firmly on the pencil.
• Use only pencil, if you have a sketching pencil that would be amazingly helpful, but it’s not necessary.
• Have fun and try your best.
• Hand in the two pieces together (big and small) so that I can compare them.

Samples of Work by Students

Assigned:  Thursday February 20, 2025

Due:  Friday April 11, 2025

The main purpose of this project is to demonstrate an understanding of how humans impact the natural environment.  This project has a written component as well as a presentation component.  You may choose any relevant topic that you like.  You may choose to focus on one aspect of the environment, but you are also expected to clearly show/describe links to the global environment. 

You must include a section about your personal ecological footprint as calculated in class.  Think about an activity that you enjoy and go from there.

This is an individual project.  You will probably need to visit the public library to find resources.  Make sure you have your resources in the classroom so you can complete your research during class time. You may use some internet resources, but not all internet resources.

Timeline:    

Already Done: Watch The Story of Stuff and think about how humans use our Earth’s resources.

Already Done: Calculate ecological footprint.  You can also try https://www.footprintcalculator.org if you want to do an online version of the footprint calculator.

Wednesday February 5, 2025: Assigned

Thursday February 20, 2025: 

Hand in the following information in a neatly organized document:

• your topic (draft title),
• a detailed brainstorm, and
• your research notes in your own words
• rough draft of a bibliography

Friday March 7, 2025:  Hand in finished project

Monday March 10-Friday March 14: Presentations

Demonstrating Learning:

You may choose to present your information to the class in a variety of ways.  The following is a list of suggestions about how to share what you know.  You need to hand in your written speech at the end of your presentation.

• Create a poster with lots of detail and pictures/illustrations and present to the class.
• Make a video (using your own equipment) and present it to the class. Make sure the science is the focus of your video.
• Create a labelled model and present it to the class, using lots of science to explain your model.
• Write and give a speech, with visuals.
• Slideshow

If you have another idea about how to present your ideas, please speak to me about it.  Remember to remain focused on the goal of sharing information.  Whatever form your project takes, you need to hand in a complete written component (a copy of your speech, for example). 

Criteria:

You will be marked on the following criteria.

• Your brainstorm of main points.
• Incorporating your ecological footprint into your project in an effective and relevant way.
• Having a clear message about how humans have impacted the environment and contributed to climate change (a clear introduction and conclusion will help).
• Use of research and details to support your ideas.  Content.
• Use of language appropriate to the message being relayed.  I expect you to use some of the scientific vocabulary we have focused on this year.
• The accuracy of the information you are sharing.  Remember this is a mainly a science project.
• Performance quality (clear voice, eye contact, etc.).
• An accurate bibliography of your information, even if you only use books from our classroom.
• Neatness and quality of your written work. Effort.
• Your overall work ethic during class time.

Now that we’ve practiced by talking about the skills that people in particular professions have, it’s time to think about the skills that each of us has learned from the activities that we’ve done in our lives.  These skills are very valuable because they can be transferable to other parts of our lives.

For example, if you play an organized sport like basketball, you may have developed skills such as:

• learning to work as a part of a team
• getting along with others
• listening to your coach
• hand-eye coordination
• perseverance
• determination
• memorizing plays

You may also have learned some skills from having a pet.  These might include:

• empathy
• taking care of another creature’s needs such as feeding or walking
• being gentle
• being loving
• responsibility

You have definitely learned a bunch of skills from being in school! What are they?

For this project you will first compile a very long list of skills (between 20 and 40) you have learned from the activities that you do in your life.  After you create your list, you’ll:

• use large paper provided in the classroom
• do a small self portrait or photograph on the page
• include the title, “I’ve Got Skills”
• name and illustrate at least 20 of your personal skills, more is better
• centre the skills around several activities that you do regularly
• make your work colourful and easy to read (legible)
• look at it from a distance to see how you can improve it!”
• think, “Wow, I already know so much even though I’m only __ years old.”
• do your best work, as always!

Assigned: Friday January 17, 2025

Due: Monday February 10, 2025