Big Ideas:
Goal:
Read the scenario and inquiry topics below. Choose three inquiry topics to investigate further. Your investigation may involve independent research, self-led learning and creative thinking. To show what you learned you may use any method that suits your topic. Some ideas for how to show learning are below.
Choices for How to Show Your Learning.
Scenario:
Nobody ever said time travel would be easy! You are the inventor of the world’s first time machine but there is a major problem. Upon testing your machine for the first time, a short circuit has fried the place and time selector. You can still travel through time and space but where and when you end up is completely random. For this assignment you will be thinking creatively about the best way to survive in an unfamiliar time and place using the knowledge that you have learned so far in grade six or seven.
Inquiry Topics:
You are in the cretaceous period and danger is everywhere. Think about the dangers that you have encountered and the creative ways that you might thwart them.
You are in the Rift Valley in Africa, 100,000 years ago. A tribe of early humans is nearby but you are not sure if they will be hostile towards you. Writing and modern languages do not yet exist. Think of some ways that you could communicate that they might understand.
You have landed in the middle of an ancient civilization (of your choice) and you wish to make a good impression so that you can be accepted into their society. How can you use your modern knowledge to help this civilization solve an ancient problem?
One reason that humans have survived successfully is our use of tools. Choose a time and place and create a kit to help you survive there. Remember to consider what types of materials would be available to use at this time in history.
Unfortunately, you didn’t tell your family that you would be travelling through time. Create a message for your family to let them know what happened. Think of a creative way that you could ensure that your message will be found in the future.
Friendship has been important throughout human history. Think about the friends that you might make in an ancient place and time. Compare and contrast your ancient friends with your current friends.
Staying healthy is an important part of survival. Choose an ancient time and place and think about what foods might make up a balanced meal and what activities might be available for fun and exercise.
Random time travel can be dangerous! Certain places and times might be more or less challenging for survival. Make a list of places and time periods and think about the survival pros and cons for each. Is there a particular time and place where you might want to stay for good?
The ‘butterfly effect’ theory states that even a small change in the past could have a large impact on the future. Think about a mistake that you might make in the past (eg. sneezing on a t-rex, showing youtube videos to Caesar) that might have a drastic consequences on the future.
Many math and science concepts that we learn about in school had not yet been discovered in ancient times. Think about a new concept that you learned recently and explain it in a way that student in ancient Mesopotamia might understand.
Read the scenario and inquiry topics below. Choose three inquiry topics to investigate further. Your investigation may involve independent research, self-led learning and creative thinking. To show what you learned you may use any method that suits your topic. Some ideas for how to show learning are below.
Choices for How to Show Your Learning.
- Write a story
- Create pieces of art
- Take a series of photos
- Draw a cartoon strip
- Use a presentation tool (eg. powerpoint, prezi, explain everything)
- Make a series of blog posts
- Make a movie or a series of video clips
- Create a series of artifacts
- Create an animation (potentially using puppets, stop motion, claymation or brickfilm)
- Write a diary or journal
- Create a detailed map
- Draw a blueprint or design schematic
- Make a 3D model (digital or physical)
- Make a commercial or movie trailer
- Create a chart or diagram
- Create and narrate a documentary
- Interview yourself or be interviewed by a partner
- Create a TED talk
- Create a mock twitter feed, facebook page or instagram page
- Write a newspaper article
- Create a timeline
Scenario:
Nobody ever said time travel would be easy! You are the inventor of the world’s first time machine but there is a major problem. Upon testing your machine for the first time, a short circuit has fried the place and time selector. You can still travel through time and space but where and when you end up is completely random. For this assignment you will be thinking creatively about the best way to survive in an unfamiliar time and place using the knowledge that you have learned so far in grade six or seven.
Inquiry Topics:
You are in the cretaceous period and danger is everywhere. Think about the dangers that you have encountered and the creative ways that you might thwart them.
You are in the Rift Valley in Africa, 100,000 years ago. A tribe of early humans is nearby but you are not sure if they will be hostile towards you. Writing and modern languages do not yet exist. Think of some ways that you could communicate that they might understand.
You have landed in the middle of an ancient civilization (of your choice) and you wish to make a good impression so that you can be accepted into their society. How can you use your modern knowledge to help this civilization solve an ancient problem?
One reason that humans have survived successfully is our use of tools. Choose a time and place and create a kit to help you survive there. Remember to consider what types of materials would be available to use at this time in history.
Unfortunately, you didn’t tell your family that you would be travelling through time. Create a message for your family to let them know what happened. Think of a creative way that you could ensure that your message will be found in the future.
Friendship has been important throughout human history. Think about the friends that you might make in an ancient place and time. Compare and contrast your ancient friends with your current friends.
Staying healthy is an important part of survival. Choose an ancient time and place and think about what foods might make up a balanced meal and what activities might be available for fun and exercise.
Random time travel can be dangerous! Certain places and times might be more or less challenging for survival. Make a list of places and time periods and think about the survival pros and cons for each. Is there a particular time and place where you might want to stay for good?
The ‘butterfly effect’ theory states that even a small change in the past could have a large impact on the future. Think about a mistake that you might make in the past (eg. sneezing on a t-rex, showing youtube videos to Caesar) that might have a drastic consequences on the future.
Many math and science concepts that we learn about in school had not yet been discovered in ancient times. Think about a new concept that you learned recently and explain it in a way that student in ancient Mesopotamia might understand.