By now you've had a week or so to begin working on the Europe research project! This is one of the most fun and most difficult tasks your child will be expected to complete this year. It is so much fun because students get to learn about other countries and cultures- some that even have personal relevance. It is so difficult because the work is spread over many weeks and takes a great deal of personal responsibility. Even so, most students do very well, and it is very exciting to see them present in class.
Here are some examples of past Europe project tri-fold poster boards from last year. Your child's poster doesn't need to look just like these, but I wanted to give you an example of what some good ones have looked like.
Personally, I prefer the Czech Republic board because it doesn't look quite as cluttered. Larger images are better so students will be able to see from their seats during the presentation. However, both of these received top grades.
Below are some explanations about what the project should include.
Three-Paragraph Essay: The three paragraph essay is due on Tuesday of week five (November 12). The essay should be three paragraphs long and should be on the topics your child researched. It isn't meant to be exhaustive. It should just be about what your child found important or interesting. This should not be glued to the poster or read aloud by your child during the presentation. This essay should be typed.
Reflection Essay: This one-paragraph essay should be about your child's experience with the project. It is due on Tuesday, November 12. He or she should write about what they liked, didn't like, would do again, wouldn't do again, expected, or didn't expect. The real purpose of this short essay is to help them think about the process of the project itself so they are better prepared for future projects. This essay should be typed.
Project Research Packet: The project research packet is due on Tuesday, November 12. This is the packet your child should have mostly filled out with the information they have found in books or on the web. Not every blank needs to be completed, but it should be mostly completed. It should also be legible.
Tri-fold Poster- Students should bring their poster to school on the day of their presentation. The schedule will be emailed out the week before.
Visual (Architecture, Dress, or Food): Students should bring their visual aid on the day their presentation is due. If it is food, please provide a complete list of every ingredient and the appropriate dishware.
Presentation: In the past, most students have done well on the essays and poster boards. Where may students fail to perform well is on the presentation. Students should not read their essay or be turned around looking at the board the whole time. The students are expected to give a speech, mostly from memory, for 3-5 minutes. This should be something they practiced a few times before they come to class. I recommend index cards to give them hints or for specific information that would be hard to memorize (the population, names of different people groups or major religions, etc)
Disclaimer: One important thing I want to discuss is the role the parent must play in this project. Parents will need to help students locate resources, provides students with the appropriate materials, and provide additional help if the child is cooking something for the class. However, beyond that, your involvement is at your discretion. Every year, there are students who come in with masterpiece architectural models of castles or lighthouses that parents have helped create. Some of the projects, food, architecture, or boards are really impressive. At the same time, many students come in with work almost completely done by the student themselves. Usually, the work is done by the student alone is not as impressive as the work completed with the support of an adult. However, they both receive the same grade. As your child begins work on this project, I want to empower you to do as much or as little as you find best. You may see this as an opportunity for quality time to work with your child, or as an opportunity for your child to develop responsibility and for your child to be proud of the work they've done on their own. Ultimately, your child should be able to do this independently. Thus, the effort you put into this project is up to you.
Lastly, I'd like to go over the suggested timeline. These are not due dates, rather a guide to help students plan and pace themselves with the work to be done. Please note that this project is not due until the week of November 12. Each student will be assigned a specific day to present, which will be emailed to families the week before. Parents are welcome in our class during presentations. If you would like to request a specific day, email me and I will do my best to accommodate you.
No comments:
Post a Comment