The Inclusive Atrium

Unlike most other project weeks, the children do not get to choose their own projects.  This time the project has been chosen for them.  We are doing an imaginary island.  Last week we spent several days looking at the Fundamental Needs of Man, the Ages of Man, and the Questions of History.  To this we’ve added research about various cultures in various time periods; most often presenting what was learned verbally to the group.

The first lessons in the imaginary island is presented most often to third year lowers (8 or 9 year-olds) and can be expanded in scope as the child ages to encompass more complex thoughts and understandings of the natural world.

These are the boundaries for this year’s project.

Imaginary Island Project Week

 

FIRSTLY:

Work through the actual worksheets for cartography to review landform possibilities, map making skills, map reading skills, and attention to scale.

 

SECONDLY:

The island is functioning in the physics of the Earth.  By this it is meant that:

1. temperature
2. tides and weather patterns
3. geological make-up and features
4. natural resources
5. flora
6. fauna
7. technological advances
8. migratory patterns
9. human needs and
10. human tendencies (the ways our needs are met and what is valued by a society)

are in line with the understood way our planet functions.

THIRDLY:

What is expected.

1. You must  do due diligence in the area of research on the geology of the island.  This may involve library visits and emails or interviews with people knowledgable in the field.
2. You must create your island in line with the cartographic lessons (ie: it must be on a grid pattern and contain an easily understood key.)
3. You must do due diligence research when looking at the timeline of humans in your area (ie: find a people group in a nearby region and study their culture.)
4. Create your people group.
5. Create a timeline for the Advances of Civilization
6. Create a story line for each of the Advances of Civilization
7. Be sure to answer the Questions of History in each of the Advances of Civilization
8. During the presentation day, you must be prepared to discuss one Spiritual and one Physical Fundamental Need in a detailed vertical manner. (ie: the development of language and the development of art in your culture)
9. A list of resources must be kept

Respect the privacy of other students.  Do not “steal” specific ideas from their projects.