Category: Authentic Project Ideas

I have written about wind turbines several times, but the more we travel, the more I see them, and the more ideas I have for authentic projects.  We just finished driving through Kansas, and I have never seen so many wind turbines.  The really neat thing is that we saw them on farms, and the farmers were still farming below the turbines.

To say the we have energy concerns on this planet is an understatement.  I think it is fair to say that we all want the same thing: reliable, safe, clean energy.  The arguments are about how we get there.

How to wind turbines work?  How is the energy produced and transported?  How far can the energy be transported?  Can the energy be stored?

What are the pros and cons of wind turbines?  Do people want them in their backyard?  I happen to think they are attractive, but there are people who do not.  Are they a danger to wildlife?

Design a wind turbine that people might find more attractive. Design a turbine that solves any problems you found in your research.  Make a model of how a turbine works.  Locate a good spot for a turbine where you live.  Make a proposal for a new wind turbine.

And if this project turns into a project about the history of windmills in Holland…that is authentic learning.

I am writing this sitting on a bench at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Kansas.  The gift shop is currently under renovation, which is a shame as they just lost money on my inability to shop.  My husband is out hiking the preserve looking for buffalo, so I figured I would write a blog entry. 

We just spent several days in Kansas.  The view driving through Kansas was wind turbines (another blog) and farm land.  Not until we got to the preserve did we see the native tallgrass that used to cover the prairies of Kansas and the other midwestern states of the United States.  

Why are preserves like this one important?  What purpose do they serve?  Why are the US National Parks important, or national preserved areas in other countries?  What is the history of the National Park system?

Create a brochure or map for a National Park.  Create a model or diorama of a National Park. Write an advertisement for a Park or Preserve.  

Propose a new National Park.  Contact your local or state/territory government about a need for a new park.  Who knows – you might end up creating something new! It doesn’t get anymore authentic than that!  And if you have a gift shop let me know…I’ll be there!

I have always wondered how in the world an elevator took you to the top of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.  I recently had the opportunity to find out!  I usually don’t like heights, but my curiosity won out, and I went to the top.  And for some reason, I wasn’t “weak in the knees” like I have been on other high-rise adventures.  Seattle Space Needle, great – never again.  Toronto CN Tower, ditto – never again…

I have watched videos about how an elevator could go up to the top of the Gateway Arch, and the best way to explain it is elevator meets Ferris Wheel.  Years ago, I had students watch videos about the Arch and then build models of the “tram” as they call it, that takes you to the top.  They also designed other authentic ways to reach the top, some very creative, some involving a great way to burn off a ton of calories (there are actually steps that go all the way to the top of the Arch for repairs, etc).  I am sure there are many other authentic projects that can be inspired by the Gateway Arch.

A discussion of the significance of the Gateway Arch will explore the westward movement of the United States.  So if this project also sends students on an authentic journey through parts of American history, that is authentic learning.

I am just fascinated by the Northern Lights.  I would love to see them some day.  We came close recently in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, but we were a few days late and fifty miles away from a dark enough area.

There are so many authentic projects I can think of about the Northern Lights.  As an adult learner, I need to do a lot more research about what causes them and where is the best place to see them. 

For older students I can imagine authentic projects about the atmosphere, geography, solar phenomenon, magnetic fields, latitude, longitude… and unlimited art projects involving color.

For younger students I can imagine all of the above on a simpler level, depending on the age group and abilities being worked with.

BTW, the above photo was taken by a friend of mine in northern Wisconsin.  I am so jealous!

We recently attended a spring Maple Harvest Festival near our home in Pennsylvania.  It was great fun, especially the part where you eat pancakes with the maple syrup on them!

So how is maple syrup made?  How are trees tapped for the syrup?  Then what happens?

How else can you make maple syrup?  Does the syrup from trees taste better than the artificial type? (No such thing as a dumb question – that was a dumb question.)

What other foods/products do we get from trees?  Create a booklet, a chart, a display… Actually make the product.

And if this project turns into an authentic project about harvesting trees for lumber and the impact on the environment, that is authentic learning.

This is a rock formation in Colorado Springs.  When I first saw it I thought it was an old castle.  There is actually another formation called Castlerock. 
How did this form?  What kind of rock is it?  What will it look like in the future? 
I am actually going to do my own authentic project and research, and make a scrapbook page of all of the rock formations I saw in Colorado. It will be a very big scrapbook!