On Friday I launched an over-arching challenge to all of my students. It was a two-hour delay day (due to the first serious Michigan snow fall) and I blasted them with a few things. First, "How are we going to kick-start Michigan's economy in the 21st Century?" They were to select the topics that most interested them and work in groups to answer the question. They would, however, not be forming their own groups nor would I assign them one either.
In thirty five minutes they were going to fill out a "job" application and create a resume for interviews on Monday. They would apply and interview for their position on an economic innovation team. My Social Studies students were going to form teams with leaders and with me as, no longer the teacher, but the "Project Manager".
The light in their eyes I had seen days before when I declared textbooks off limits was back! They sat up straight and hustled to fill out their extra curricular activities, GPAs, & references on their applications & resumes. They were asking questions like "How do you know if someone is a good reference?" and "Should I exaggerate on my resume?" All things that are valuable real-life issues. Suddenly they were no longer 9th grade Social Studies students, but economic innovators charged with mending our state's broken economy. Even the most dis-interested student was engaged and penciling in their "Other skills & experience".
As of tomorrow, through an interview and conference process, they will form teams that will research and present on such topics as:
Alternative Energy options
Mass transit & infrastructure
Reviving the Auto Industry
Health Care initiatives
Small business start-ups
Not only will they be studying economics, but they will be economics...Over the next two weeks they will research, idea-storm, and submit a proposal to a panel of judges in a multi-media format of their choosing. The outcomes for each team are limitless; the only barrier is their own imaginations.
They will become the change they want to see in this world.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
A great project! How did it turn out? Were students able to create rubrics to determine the reliability of a source? It's always refreshing to hear success stories with projects. I'm curious to find out how the final project finished.
Julie Simonsen
Post a Comment