Wrapping up a unit about engineering in Ancient Rome, Grade 7 students completed a research and presentation project. Having spent some time–and an essay–dissecting how the Romans improved society through massive building projects such as roads, aqueducts, and baths, the students turned their attention to the contemporary world.
Each student chose one “modern marvel”. These ranged from dams (Hoover in America, Gariep in South Africa) to bridges (Lake Pontchartrain, Pearl Bridge) to the Japanese bullet train. Students then had to describe this marvel and, more crucially, explain to us how this example of infrastructure improves the lives of citizens.
Students created visuals, such as posters and Keynotes, to aid their presentation. Kudos to Angelique, who made what is undoubtedly one of heaviest student projects I’ll ever encounter, a model made of cement.
Overall this project was a great success, not just for the content but also for the students’ abilities at time management and presentation skills.
