|
Hug a Cactus: Parent a Teen Project
Purpose:
to create a booklet of do’s and don’ts for parents, one that you think
your own
parents (or guardians) might find helpful and one that might help you as a
parent
someday.
Tasks:
1.
Cover: Design and make a fancy cover for your handbook. Include a title and your name as author.
2.
Dedication Page: Write
a dedication page for your handbook. Include
a quotation about children or young people, parenting, growing up, or living
happily. Document the source of the
quotation (give author’s name and the title of the work from which the
quotation is taken)
3.
Do’s for Parents: Make
a list of all things you would try to do as a parent
yourself.
4.
Don’ts for Parents: Make
a list of all the things you would try NOT to do as a
parent.
5.
Sketch of the “ideal parent”:
draw a picture of the ideal parent. Your drawing may
be serious or humorous. Add an
explanatory caption.
6.
Sketch or photo of your REAL parent/guardian: draw
or add a humorous or
serious picture
of your real parent or guardian as they look NOW.
Add
an
explanatory caption.
7.
Description of a childhood memory: write a one page paper
about an important
experience from your childhood.
8.
Request a letter from your parent or guardian: This letter is
VERY special. It is
a letter your
mom, dad, or guardian writes to you in which they explain what kind
of a parent
they hope YOU will be in the future. This
letter should be sent to me,
Mrs. Adams, at school.
I will add it to your
project after you turn it in. When you
get your project back (with a grade), it will
contain this very special item written
with you in mind.
9.
Description of your fictional child or children: Imagine
yourself in the future as a
parent.
Write
a one page paper describing the appearance, behavior, and
temperament of your
child or children. You
might want
to include references to
traits inherited from both parents (you and your
future spouse) and to include
details about how growing up will be different for your
child or
children in the future than it was for you.
 
10. Parent Metaphors: on 2 separate sheets, make a graphic
presentation (text
and pertinent graphics) that explains what a "mother is...." For
example, "My
mother is a vise that keeps our family together." Also write a metaphor to
describe your
father. One student wrote, "My dad is a
machete who clears a way
of life for us through the jungle of city."
11. Parent Poem: Find a picture of one of your parents when he/she
was close to
your age or a picture of your parent before he/she became a parent. Write a
poem about the young
person you see in that picture. Try to write at least
three stanzas or 12 lines about your
parent in the "before kids" stage of life.
What were your parent's hopes? dreams?
struggles? In the last stanza or last
4 lines, Connect yourself to
you parent in the poem. Click here for
some
sample "parent poems" my students have written in past school
years.
12.
Where I’m From Poem:
Using George Ella Lyons’ poem for a
model, write a poem describing the memories of your childhood and family .
Click here for
some sample “Where I’m From” poems that students have written in past
school years.
Writing
Lab: We’ll schedule time
in the computer labs for typing up all your rough draft materials.
Bring a new floppy for your use in the computer lab.
You might want to bring some change for the computer lab so you can print
off hard copies of your writing-in-progress, JUST IN CASE you would lose or
break your floppy. Computer lab
copies are 15 cents each. We’ll
use Microsoft Word and Microsoft Publisher for this project.
Evaluation:
The class will actually design the rubric used to grade these projects
one day in class near the beginning of the unit. The project will be worth 180 points.
Materials:
Grab one of those large 10” x 13” envelopes I asked you to
purchase before school started. Put
your name NEATLY in the upper right hand corner of the envelope.
You can store all writing-in-progress, hard copy drafts, and floppy in
the envelope.
Due Date: ____________________
October 25, 2001
2235 Lime Rock Rd.
Vestavia Hills, AL 35216
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Mrs. Adams’ sophomore English classes are beginning a
project entitled Parent Handbook of Do’s and Don’ts.
The students have a handout describing this project that you need to
sign, acknowledging you have read about the project which will be done entirely
at school with the aid of the school’s computer lab.
Please consider contributing to this project in the next
month. The students will be busy
researching best practices for parents, thinking about favorite childhood
memories, describing future children, and sketching the “ideal parent.”
They will probably ask you for a photo of yourself to include in the
handbook under the “real parent” section.
Please expect and allow for some humor in this project.
On a more serious note, I am asking each parent/guardian
(or set
of parents) to write a letter in
which you capture your hopes and dreams for your child as a parent one day in the future.
You know and care for your children like no one else ever can.
This is an opportunity for you to show your children the power of writing
and words because these letters from you will complete your student’s handbook
with a living model of parent support and love.
To make your letters even more special, I have a plan!
If you will send your letters to me, Mrs. Cindy Adams, at Vestavia Hills
High School, I will carefully store them until AFTER your student turns in the
project. The students will prepare special page space for these
letters. Then, after checking the
projects for a grade, I will add in your eagerly anticipated letters to the
projects. The students will
anxiously wait for the returned projects,
just to be able to read your letters to them.
I am asking that parents send their letters to me before
Thanksgiving in November. The week
after Thanksgiving, the students will put the final polish on their handbooks.
For discussion, Post on the Forum!
|