Project ideas

[Gamom3]

What types of project have you had your dc done?

Where did you come up with your idea?

I am not that creative, so I would love some thoughts on projects!

 

So far dc have worked on two posters--the first one ds did electricity and dd did US symbols and the second poster project is about a famous inventor.

 

I plan on them working on some papers soon, but they really love seeing their posters displayed.

[Gamom3]

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[Trivium Academy]

For me it would really depend on the subject matter and the time we're willing to take to devote to a project. We did a bird poster last year that turned out great, and we really enjoy using paper crafts for history and science. Right now we're using Human Body by Donald Silver and Patricia Wynne and My Body by Teacher Created Resources to create visual aids for our Human Body study with Head to Toe Science.

 

In history, we use things like Interactive 3-D U.S. History maps. We did just make moccasins from The Corps of Re-Discovery as well as using a real quill pen.

 

I don't know if this is what you're looking for. :)

[Once]

Here in my hs group, we do a yearly Geography Fair. It is non-competative and a fairly social expereince. People love it. We have decided to do a Science Fair the same way this spring. It will not be competative either.

 

The kids study a topic (state or country) and present information they have learned. My kids share their topic and do it together. We buy a poster board from Walmart for $4 and go to it. People have included copywork, pictures, maps, food, costumes, puzzles, computer slide shows and whatever the children want. Basically, it is a free for all. They set up a card table in a church in town and share with each other. They play and eat and have a ball. The organizer makes up a passport type of book with stickers for all the flags in the states or countries. They go to each table and collect the stickers and find one interesting thing to write down in their book.

 

We use constrution paper but some people use more artistic papers. My kids are young so they learn about making a title, centering and boiling down information to a manageable amount. Next year, the kids will do the work on the computer.

 

If you had a few families close by you could do the same. Pick a broad topic and get creative. Pick one night and meet and visit. I really think if you make it fun the kids will learn alot. I have been surprised each year when we pull out our boards from previous years. The kids remember a large amount of what we covered.

[Guest]

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[Karen in CO]

I have seen lists like this in other places - 91 ways to respond to Literature.

 

I'm not crafty at all, but my kids are. I am good at doing science experiments. We typically do at least one a week which is why I usually volunteer to teach the co-op science class. My dd helps me teach the co-op preschool class, and she is responsible for crafts for the preschoolers. We made candlesticks for Jack to jump and spiderwebs from spaghetti for the Itsy Bitsy Spider and mittens for some naughty kittens. But you are probably looking for older projects.

 

My dd loves to model things in clay and draw so she is easy. She is also learning to use some graphic programs on the computer is trying to write and illustrate her own story. My ds loves words and art so he was always looking for ways he could get out of real work by turning his assignments into art or writing a poem instead of an essay. My best advice is to leverage their talents and let them express their ideas in a way that appeals the them. I am often surprised at what my kids can accomplish when I get out of their way.