While I was happy to work, I kind of was dreading the day.
Friday. Eighth grade science.
Science is my jam, but eighth graders... My tag for days with the eighth graders (8RE) is code for "eighth graders are evil". Because they can be.
And then...
They went and surprised me.
The day's assignment was an animal adaptations project. They picked an animal. Then they were to find three adaptations that help the critter survive...
Student: Can I pick a unicorn?
Me: No mythical creatures, please.
They were to draw a picture. Write about three of the critter's adaptations. Illustrate the critter's closest relative. And they had the whole period to do this.
And you know what? They actually did the work.
(Well, mostly. I had a couple kiddos who played more than they worked. But that happens everyday. It would have been weird if I didn't have a couple of those kiddos.)
There was a good selection of animals picked. They went from axolotls to sharks to sloths to horses. Orson had a meltdown until I calmed him by mentioning different animals he could pick. And most of them finished or nearly finished the project in class.
Now, can all my days with the eighth graders be like that? Please?
If you could do a project on a mythical creature, which one would you pick? I think I'd go with a dragon.
Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...
Eighth graders can be trying. But, part of the reason I enjoyed teaching middle school is that, occasionally, the light came on and you could see you're making a difference. Sometimes, for example, when you're talking seniors in high school, their mental cement has already set.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you,, the dragon is pretty awesome.
ReplyDeleteDragons would be awesome. But to be different, how about a centaur or a sphinx.
ReplyDeleteOooh, those would be good, too.
DeleteIt's a rough age to be, I'm glad it was a good day.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is.
DeleteMermaids would be interesting to work with, especially comparing them to manatees and sirens. How are these three "animals" related?
ReplyDeleteOh, yes. And how are they different in different stories?
DeleteI would have flunked that assignment. Not the part about picking an animal but not understanding what an adaptation means. Good thing it's not bedtime or I'd be up all night trying to figure it out.
ReplyDeleteIt was explained in class for them. (I didn't spend a lot of time on it here as that would get too tedious.) That's why the project, so they could spend some time delving into what they were learning.
DeleteI’m going with the talking snake 😉
ReplyDeleteAn old myth about snakes shedding their skin and becoming human.
ReplyDeleteI had not heard that one. That would be a fun project.
DeleteAwww how lovely, I like dragons as well but a big fan of a certain three headed hell hound.
ReplyDeleteDragons and unicorns are my favorite mythical animals.
ReplyDeleteThey are pretty great.
DeleteIt sounds like a very fun assignment. Sounds like the students agreed to be so agreeable. Mythological? Probably Chupacabra.
ReplyDeleteYeah, sometimes they just take care of business.
DeleteMost kids like animals so it was an interesting assignment for them. And of course a dragon - what else would one pick?
ReplyDeleteWell, there have been some other choices in this thread...
DeleteEighth graders must be of the variety where you love them or hate them. My sister taught school for years, and that was her favorite grade.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fun project! If I were doing an imaginary animal though, I'd go for a griffin!
ReplyDeleteFor mythical animals, I love ❤️ the unicorn 🦄
ReplyDeleteThe unicorn is definitely getting some love.
DeleteMy granddaughters are into axolotls
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your class put the work in, it does sound like a really engaging project, expecially since they were allowed to pick animals they wanted.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm glad Ms. M didn't make me limit them on this. Of course, that would have been hard to do with a sub. I suppose she usually lets them pick their own, though.
DeleteI'd love a unicorn.
ReplyDeleteI would pick a Dragon. I loved your post. It was full of compassion, made me think of my 8th grade science teacher.
ReplyDeleteHi Liz - glad that went so well ... I think I'd chose Mermaid ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteI went to The Dragon school in Oxford - which makes me an Old Dragon...
ReplyDeleteI'm a dragon fan. Even wrote a few books with dragon shape-shifters. 😏
ReplyDelete