Indian Creek
Project Safety Quest
Five 8th grade teachers, representing science, social studies, language
arts, sspecial needs, and industrial technology are currently in the
process of developing a thematic problem-based project for their students
that includes the use of technology. The project is called Safety
Quest and is being designed for students each year to explore a safety
or health related issue in the community that affects children. The
students and teachers will identify a health and safety issue that affects
children and community members. They will apply skills learned in the
different disciplines to identify, investigate, and propose solutions to
the issue. They will use technology to find information pertinent to the
issue, to communicate with people who can support them, to process
information and statistics, and to produce products that show what they
have learned.
We are excited about the development of this eighth grade project for
several reasons. It provides an opportunity for us to develop a project
in which students can explore an issue that affects their lives. The
project will allow us to work toward better integrating the use of
technology into the curriculum. It also provides an opportunity for the
students who participated in Frog Quest as seventh graders to experience
another project-based, problem solving project.
Specific Project - 1999/2000
This project for this year will revolve around the busy State Highway 135
separates the school from services and businesses across the road.
Students must cross a ditch on either side of the highway, as well as the
road surface itself to get to these places. Both the faculty and students
feel that it is dangerous for students to cross the highway and that it is
only a matter of time before a serious accident will occur. There is no
safe crossing point or structure that is available for pedestrians to make
the crossing.
Students will explore the issue from within each of the disciplines and
apply technology in a variety of ways. Students in Physical
Science will investigate the highway site, and measure the speed and
acceleration of cars as they pass in front of the school complex. They
will study speed and acceleration in the classroom using electronic
measuring devices hooked to room computers. They will use video cameras,
digital cameras, and radar guns to measure and record the volume of
traffic and speeds of cars on the highway. They will also explore and
investigate the "damage" to people and property that can be caused by cars
traveling at varying speeds. In Social StudiesProject Citizen that is sponsored by the
National Conference of State Legislatures. Students will use these
materials, the internet, and e-mail to explore how local and state
government agencies can act on community issues. Opportunities will be
provided for them to communicate with their state representatives and
persuasive products and writing in support of their proposals and
recommended solutions. They will use word processing and PowerPoint to
present the information, images and conclusions they have gathered. These
products will be sent or presented to people and agencies who can support
building a safer road crossing in front of the school. In Industrial
Technology, the students will create designs and drawings that support
the physical changes they would like to make to the road crossing. It is
anticipated that these designs could be for culvert bridges, better signs
to warn motorists, cross walks with blinking or stop lights, or a
pedestrian bridge across the road. Students will use CAD software to
design and create their presentations.
