4/16/2014
Nicholas Gibson
10447 Dryhill Road
Confluence, KY 41749
Jody B. Campbell
625 Big Willard Rd.
Busy, KY 41723
Dear Mr. Campbell:
I am writing you this letter to express my opinion about the use of projects in the middle school curriculum. I for one am a staunch supporter of project-based assignments at the middle school level, and for that matter, in all grades.
I feel strongly about this issue because it is of my belief that projects are very beneficial to student learning. I think completing projects allows students to show their creativity and be more ‘hands-on’, it promotes the use of technology and research skills, projects often times lead to increased family and community involvement, they provide opportunities to incorporate more real-world learning, and they instill a sense of ownership and pride in the student once the project is completed.
I recently was assigned a bridge building project, where I had to design a bridge and figure cost of materials. This definitely tapped into my creativity and hands-on learning, family involvement, and real-world situations. I made my design and asked advice and received help from my dad when I hit stumbling blocks, and the project definitely enlightened me on the huge expense and time involved in building a bridge.
I have also been assigned long-term projects where I have been asked to create power point presentations on ‘Native Americans’ and ‘The Roaring Twenties’. A lot of technology and research was required of these projects. I now know the ends and outs of creating a slide show presentation and feel confident that I can research any topic for information.
The most important thing I have gained from my project based learning is a sense of pride and self-confidence in my work. I am proud of the products I create and enjoy sharing them with others, and isn’t that what learning should be about, having fun while acquiring new knowledge and skills?
As you can conclude Mr. Campbell, I...