Past projects 2
Supplies Needed for Hands-on History Classroom
Funded Jun 1, 2018Thank you again for funding my classroom. As you probably know, students learn best when they're engaged in hands-on projects. Your generous donation has allowed my students to engage in many such learning activities.
I'd like to share a few with you.
During our study of ancient Greece, students completed a four-points foldable in which they explained and visually portrayed how the geography of Greece affected the way of life in that country both in the past and the present. One of the most impactful elements of the projects was when students learned how deforestation of ancient Greece led to erosion and a lack of fertile farmland. Students brought that forward into the modern world by examining how deforestation leads to erosion, agricultural issues, and a rise in carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. History is most important when we can apply the lessons of the past to the modern world and allow us to make more informed decisions about our environment and the planet.
Our study of ancient India included a detailed look at the Gupta and Mauryan Empires. Students created a lap book exhibiting the achievements and discoveries of the people of those empires and how we see them in the modern world. Each part of the lap book was a separate, interactive element that explained the achievements or discoveries with both text and pictures. For example, students created a wheel that showed Gupta contributions in the areas of art, culture, and music. In each part of the wheel, students wrote and drew pictures about the achievement and how we see it in the world today. Other parts of the lap book portrayed included cards in a pocket describing Gupta mathematical and scientific discoveries, a pop up about how Mauryan rulers helped to spread Buddhism to the countries in which the religion is practiced today, a T-book summarizing Gupta literature, and much more. Projects like the lap book allow students to see how the past has made contributions to the present and why they are so important.
One other project that students were very excited about completing was creating a Jewish home or synagogue. During our study of ancient Israel, students learned about the ideas and beliefs of the Jewish faith. As a final product to demonstrate what they had learned, students chose to created either a paper version of a Jewish home or a synagogue. Each room in the home or each part of synagogue had to contain items that are important to the lives of practitioners of Judaism. Students not only had to draw the items and place them in the home in appropriate places but also to explain the significance of these items to Jewish people. The students were extremely proud of the final products and proudly displayed them to their peers. The study of world religions is so important because it fosters the understanding and appreciation of the beliefs of others, which students will carry with them through their entire lives.
Without your most generous contributions to allow me to purchase the necessary classroom supplies, students would not have been able to engage in these (and other) meaningful projects. On their behalf, I thank you for your kindness.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Patton (formerly Giabbai)
Glue Sticks For Projects
Funded Nov 27, 2013I am writing to thank you once again for your generous donation of glue sticks to our ancient history classroom. Students recently made use of the glue sticks during our ancient India Unit. We have been studying the civilizations of ancient India and the religions of Hinduism and Buddhism.
As a culminating project for our study of Hinduism, students worked together in groups to create life-sized poster people. Each part of the poster person's body symbolized one of the four Hindu castes. Students were also required to include a visual representing the Dalits, or outcastes, who are often referred to as "untouchables". Finally, they had to write captions to describe each caste and its symbolism in relation to the visuals that they used. Upon assigning the project, I was amazed as students, on their own initiative in each class, took the large "butcher-block" paper, set it out on the floor, asked a group member to lay down on the floor, and began tracing around the individual! In developing the project, I never even thought of that possibility. Watching and guiding middle school students through a project is such a joy because such learning activities allow students to utilize their exceptional creativity and apply their learning, often in ways that I would never imagine. Throughout this project, students were thoroughly engaged in their work and were so excited to see their finished products displayed from floor to ceiling all along the corridor of the seventh grade wing. I have attached photos of the students working on the project and and a photo of one of the finished projects.
Students also used the glue sticks to create a foldable that summarized their learning about two ancient Indian empires: the Gupta Empire and the Mauryan Empire. In the foldable, each student summarized the inventions and discoveries that were made during the empire and that are still used today and described ways in which the empires' rulers improved the lives of their citizens. Rather than just reading about, discussing, and taking a test on the information, your generous donation allowed students to demonstrate what they have learned and allowed me to assess their learning in a more interesting and engaging way. I have attached a photo of one of the finished products.
Thank you once again for supporting our classroom.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Patton (formerly Giabbai)