Let’s say that you come up with a cool project for class.
Say: Design and build (using computer drafting programs or 3d craft and found materials) a monument to be placed in the Mall in Washington DC for something that has affected American society during your lifetime.
Let’s say you teach all the concepts of brainstorming and bouncing ideas around – planning, building, revising – getting feedback. The whole shebang.
Now what? You grade it with a rubric?
Sure. You can do that.
I have a better idea:
Have students link to their projects on a shared class document – either to a photo, a screenshot, or to whatever online link brings a visitor to the students’ work – along with a document providing a “tour” of their project, an explanation.
Next, assign an essay that requires students to explore a topic, where a component of the analysis requires them to review their classmates projects and, choosing 2-3:
A. Compare / contrast / critique various projects’ details, approach, and / or themes, statements
B. Riff off ideas begun by various projects
C. Suggest changes the artist could (hypothetically?) make to make a more effective piece – using the phrase: “If this was my project,” I would ______.
Additional Notes:
-
Students may analyze their own buildings; include a slightly adjusted set of prompts for this.
-
This allows even students who bomb the project to recover and learn from the unit.
-
Knowing that others students will see their work is an incentive to create a polished piece of work!