Back to the Chalkface.

Well the October week is over and the pressure is on to get the Mid term marks in.

I have been chasing up work all day and have set a warning that Wednesday is the final cut off day. I have a feeling I still wont see all the marks in by then, but we'll see.

Aside from chasing marks I briefed the classes of grade 8 students on the next project the scale model of the school with some form of electronic highlighting of the different departments. The idea behind this is that it's something they already know and are aware of, but have never really thought about before.

I have set out very specific areas for the kids to look at and the marking guide is nailed down .. Ie if they give me "a" they get a 1 but if they give me "a" and "b" they get a 2 etc... It ensures that they know exactly what they have to do to achieve the best possible marks. and I don't get the "but Sir its really worth a 7 when in truth its scraping a little bit more than 3!"

We also did some lessons on 1 point perspective and 2 point perspective as a precursor to the design stage of the next project.

The time scale for this project is somewhere around End of March. Just before the easter break. The kids seem shocked its such a long time scale but then I have given them 4 milestones they will need to hit on the way.

I'm looking forward to this project as it ticks so many of the MYP boxes for technology and cross curricular interaction BUT at the same time I am asking a lot of the kids who may not yet be ready to try something this complex.

Each group of 25 pupils will break down into 5 groups of 5 each group working on one part of the school and hopefully all the parts fitting together at the end to give a full "to scale" model of the school, manufactured in 3d, using whatever materials we have available.

Fully drawn in orthographic, 1 point & 2 point perspectives and created in 3d on Google Sketchup.

A 5 minute Powerpoint presentation is to be created to document the process as well as Individual Research and an Evaluation.

The idea will be for the kids to learn as they go (Completely true self teaching) and my lessons will only be what is needed at the time it is needed, in other words I will support and encourage, drop hints and advice, but not stand and teach.

The idea is interesting and seeing how it works will be as big a learning experience for me as it will be for the kids. It should I hope encourage critical thinking and it will develop problem solving skills. It should be team work based and develop interactions both in the group and the class.

Finally because it is a competitive project with each of the 5 classes completing against the other 4 classes it should hopefully drive them to try harder.

Although I will grade according to the rubric, work and effort carried out there will be a final award carried out by a panel of judges which I hope will include the Head Master, Head of Administration, a local Architect and a member of the Board - this will help the kids see that their work is appreciated by outside agencies and I would expect the Panel to be generous in their support and final decision on the best of the 5 final school models.

I will update as the project progresses, so far it seems it should be ok, but I expect I might have to be as light on my feet adjusting and monitoring as the kids will be in doing the work. (Though I do expect the first Milestone to be passed without too many realizing the time scale for that stage is up)That'll be my cue to give a short sharp kick up the a$$ and get people back on task and schedule.

Grade 6 don't yet realize how easy their projects will be.