Anyone Else Spend their Weekend Doing a School Special Project?

[suzannen]

We spent ours helping 10 year old DD do a 3 page paper describing and comparing the forms of government: "Communism, Democracy and Republic."

Okay, not too unreasonable. BUT, then she had to make a hanging mobile from the information in her paper. Something my DH and I thought was a little silly, totally not necessary, and took way too much time.

Anyone else get stuck on a special project this past weekend or have one coming up soon?

 

[Beauty]

Nope, last weekend!

This was for 7th grade Mississippi History. The teacher gave each student a county and they had to "sell" it to him. The problem with that is that no one in their right mind would WANT to move to Mississippi (at least most parts). We had to do a complete presentation with pictures, information on population, education, cost of living......all of which SUCKED......anyway he made 100 on it.

 

[suzannen]

Beauty,
That sounds like a lot of work. Well, at least he received a 100 for it. The jury's still out on our project.

Anyone else?

 

[Christine]

I will doing it this weekend. My son is in parochial school and we have to a "saint" project. He has to learn all about his saint, prepare an oral report to read to the class and then we have to make a costume that he can wear so that he resembles his saint. Egads! It's tough because we are non-Catholics. But this is what I signed up for. At the same time, I will be helping DD (13) with her science project.

 

[suzannen]

Christine,
You'll have to let us know how you end up doing his costume. Hopefully, you can sew better than I can! That would be a very difficult task for me.

 

[OhMari]

My parent projects are done. Me and my sisters were laughing about how we didn't have to do "Parent Projects".

The only advice I can give is let your kids do as much as possible, they do surprise you.

 

[eeyore kelly]

I had a native american diarama last weekend, and we have a big explorer project coming up. I know because I ran off the papers today for the teacher. This project will include purpose statement, thesis, note cards, outline, rough draft, final copy, and a visual presentation. Hopefully, the visual can be a power point. DS, who has to do the project is in 5th. It sounds like my senior term paper.

 

[suzannen]

Originally posted by eeyore kelly
It sounds like my senior term paper.

I know what you mean! DD's current projects and papers in 5th grade are equivalent to what I did in 9th and 10th grades.

What did you do for your native american diarama? That at least sounds more interesting than our project.

 

[Beauty]

Our kids did do a really interesting project last year in 6th grade. They choose a country and then they did a presentation on the country but the fun part was that they dressed from that country and they had to cook a dish from that country. We had Israel and we did oooo darn it the fried potatos with powdered sugar. They were really good.

It was really interesting though to see what all the kids made.

 

[JetMom]

We have the Saint project in progress for my DS in 1st Grade.

My 7th Grade DS had to cook something over the weekend for his Social Studies unit on Colonial America. He made peanut butter bread on Saturday afternoon. Sunday morning while he was out with DH at a Scout fundraiser and I was in the shower.....the dog ate his homework!!!!!! For Real!!!!!

He wound up making a second loaf of peanut butter bread on Sunday.

 

[suzannen]

JetMom - LOL - That's funny that the dog actually did eat the homework. Sorry he had to make another one. Does Peanut Butter Bread taste anything like Peanut Butter Cookies?

Beauty, my DD did the country and dress up 2 years ago and everyone in the class loved that project. The kids had fun, tried new foods and they learned in the process. She got Ireland and we made Irish Soda Bread.

 

[eeyore kelly]

What did you do for your native American diarama?

We had the Mayans, and we set up a pyramid, kiln, pottery, and housing. DS really did like the Mayans, he was in awe of them practicing human sacrifices. He did get a A+ on it though.

 

[suzannen]

eeyore kelly,
Your diarama sounds great. DD is just starting to study the Mayans and the Incans in Social Studies this week. I'll keep your idea in mind if she's assigned a diarama!

 

[eeyore kelly]

Your diarama sounds great. DD is just starting to study the Mayans and the Incans in Social Studies this week. I'll keep your idea in mind if she's assigned a diarama!

If she is assigned a diarama, let me know, and I'll take some pictures of DS's project and email them to you.

 

[buzzlady]

DS in 7th grade had to make a teepee and write about which Indian used it, how they were made and what they were used for.

 

[Barb D]

I helped DS build a rat maze out of coroplast (the corrugated plastic stuff signs are made out of) and duct tape. He tried it with the adult rats (who aren't being used in the experiment), and they weren't even interested. He couldn't find a food that would motivate them to go through the maze. Guess they weren't hungry enough. He has 8 "baby" rats (born in August and September) who will be used in the actual experiment.

 

[suzannen]

Barb,
Can I ask where these baby rats are living until they are ready for the experiment? Are they all in your house? If so, you're a really good mom!

 

[PrincessaC]

DS who is in 2nd grade brought home a small pumpkin. They were to decorate the pumpkin, find a carrying basket, small blanket, and care for it as a baby. The pumpkin has a birth certificate w/ all the specs (name, weight, gender, ect. ). They have to fill out a questionaire everyday for a week w/ questions like...

What time did you put the baby to sleep?
What did you feed baby?
Who helped you take care of baby?
How many times did baby cry?


So far my DS is enjoying his new baby "Spike" (thats what he named him. My younger DS is jealous and now I think I'll go out and get him a small pumpkin too.

 

[JESW]

That will be DS9 this weekend. He has his first book report due on the 29th but I'm "suggesting" that he gets it done this weekend. After that he'll be back to the extra homework from the week.

This book report is a biography and he picked Walt Disney (gee, what a surprise! ) They have to make a poster saying why this person would make (or would have made) a good president. There is a guideline and they have to include certain information. DS has already been scoping out the internet for a picture for the middle.

Jill

 

[suzannen]

Ahhh, PrincessaC - love the little pumpkin project, that is so cute!

And, JESW, lucky you - I would love the day I could get to help with a project on Walt Disney. That would be one I'd want to get involved with!