I recently returned from an anniversary trip to Hawaii. What an amazing state, and an amazing group of islands. I can’t even begin to list all of the authentic project ideas I had while visiting the islands.
An authentic project about Hawaii could start with the driving question, “What would you like to learn about Hawaii?” Simple, straightforward, individualized…authentic.
Before you ask this question, begin with some background knowledge for your learners. Books on Hawaii available on all classroom reading levels. Videos. Guest Speakers – Native Hawaiians or past Hawaiian tourists. Then ask the question and let the students follow their interests – while the teacher incorporates school curriculum. (For more on this read some of my past posts under “Authentic Teaching.”)
I learned so many amazing things, that furthered my desire to learn more about Hawaii. The islands are not all the same age. The older islands have a distinct eroded look (photo above), while the younger islands are more gently sloped (photo below). All of the islands were/are formed by volcanism. We were incredibly fortunate to be on the Big Island of Hawaii while it was erupting (next post on this)!
We learned about the Hawaiian economy including agriculture – I personally consumed enough pineapple and Kona coffee to increase the Hawaiian GDP. We learned theories about where the original natives came from. My husband hiked to a hieroglyphic site and learned more theories about early Hawaiians.
After your students select areas of interest – how will they present their work? We attended a luau on the island of Oahu that included many displays and demonstrations before we entered the actual dining area. This included a palm tree climbing demonstration that I would NOT suggest including in a classroom luau if your students decide to go this route!
Reading, Writing, Math, Science, Social Studies, Music, Art… All of these could be including in a classroom luau, or tourism presentation, or a student written/directed/produced video…
Culture, Geography, Clothing, Agriculture, Tourism, Language, Sports, Dancing… Student areas of possible interest are endless.
Aloha!
