Do you agree this is a ridiculous assignment for 3rd grade?

We were informed yesterday that we have one month to help Jackson make a 3-D model of Richard Nixon's head. (see here for more info)

How can a third grader be expected to do this with any degree of success when his parents are not artists and are clueless where to even begin?

This teacher makes me nuts!

 

We were informed yesterday that we have one month to help Jackson make a 3-D model of Richard Nixon's head. (see here for more info)

How can a third grader be expected to do this with any degree of success when his parents are not artists and are clueless where to even begin?

This teacher makes me nuts!

 

I agree that it is a stupid project.

However, we had a similar one when Teddy and Kenny were in third grade..only they did not have to do Richard Nixon, they had to do Teddy Roosevelt and Albert Einstein. Also, we were supposed to use pumpkins to start with. Incredibly, the projects actually did come out as fair likenesses of the two subjects! I must see if I can find a picture for you.

But what I hated was that this was definitely not something a third grader could do on his own.

 

That does seem like a pretty difficult project. I like the idea of interjecting art into subjects they're studying, but why make it so complicated and obviuosly something a parent will have to really help with. Here in California, most fourth graders have to do a mission project, building one of the missions in California. I did this in school and we made them out of sugar cubes. Now you can buy kits at Michaels with all kinds of accessories and often kids will bring in missions that have electric lights! Like there was even electricity back then and obviously that's not something the kid did. The teacher the girls have now and who Logan also had does a scaled down thing IN THE CLASSROOM, so that she is sure the kids are doing the work. They have to do some research at home, but they do the bulk of the work in the class. I really like that about this teacher. It sure takes the burden off of me.

That being said, I know they have quite a selection of modeling clay and the craft stores around here. You could also use paper mache with chicken wire as a base form or maybe a balloon with the old fashioned newspaper strips and starch as a base and then build onto that.

 

I agree with Jennifer's ideas....or try to find a rutabaga or other round thing (cantaloupe?) which you could use for a head. Then pick out a significant feature or two...that ski slope nose; those jowly cheeks? and use the modelling clay or similar to make those....add the bushy eyebrows and the hair and you will be surprised at how good the likleness will be.

Of course, as I said, it's not something Jackson will be able to do on his won...but you might have fun together getting it done! Good luck!

 

How about buying a Mr. Potato Head and using that .

I really, totally, entirely, DESPISE projects!!! Not sure why, maybe it's just the inconvenience of it all (it takes a lot of parent time even though the kids should be doing most of it, we still have to supervise, etc.), the cost (cuz it always costs $$$ even when they say "use whatever you have around the house" ) or most probably because as a conscientious parent trying to raise self-sufficient kids I have my child do MOST of it when more than half the class turns in projects that look like professional artists and architects put them together! Very frustrating .

Good luck, Amy. Post a pic, if you can, of the finished product.

 

Well, you've gotten some great suggestions on how to help Jackson accomplish this. We've had many difficult projects over the years and I have to say I hate it for the very same reasons as Katheryn. And it's even worse with the twins, having to do two of these projects!! Third grade, especially, I thought I'd never survive between classroom projects and TAG projects for both boys (why is 3rd grade always project year?). Yikes! Good luck!!

 

Yikes!!! Is this what I have to look forward to??? UGH!! I think I'd probably go with the paper mache over the balloon idea and then just add onto it for the features. Def take a pic once it's done so we can see the finished project. Good luck!!!

 

That is rediculous, and I hate those projects too! We are getting those in Kindergarten!

2 projects stand out in my mind so far this year with their rediculousness.

One, the kids had to make a model of a building in the town. I wrapped 2 shoe boxes in white paper, gave the kids the ad section of the newspaper and had them cut and paste store logos and things on the boxes. Then they drew in people and parking lots and such. The kids took them to school the next day and came home crying, because other kid's (parents) had made SCALE models, with working windows and such. Come on, your KINDERGARTENER did that? The teacher told my kids they needed to work harder next time. Huh!?!?

Another one, on the day before Halloween, she sent home a notice that the kids were to come in costume the day after Halloween dressed as a saint. Kaitlyn had Elizabeth Ann Seton, so she had to wear a "Little House on the Prairie" type outfit. I don't know about the teacher's house, but in my house 5 year olds do not touch the sewing machine! I had 2 days to put that costume together!

What is wrong with these teachers?!?!?!

 

Sandy, this has been one of my pet peeves with school ever since my oldest started! Come on teachers! I ALREADY PASSED (Insert number here) grade!!!

And when we try to give our children some starers and let them actually do the project themselves in age appropirate ways (like you did...I've done that, too, with similar reaction ), our children are penalised!

What exactly is the point of this?

Even those pumpkin things the boys did of Einsteina nd Roosevelt...I didn't do any of it, but they certainly relied heavily on Jessie for some artistic assistance!

YOu said it best, Amy. It's just ridiculous!

 

quote:
The kids took them to school the next day and came home crying, because other kid's (parents) had made SCALE models, with working windows and such. Come on, your KINDERGARTENER did that? The teacher told my kids they needed to work harder next time. Huh!?!?


Aw, that makes me sad.

 

That makes me sad, too, Sandy. I thought your shoe box models sounded adorable! Very creative. Isn't that what it's supposed to be like?

(big sigh) I don't know what these teachers are thinking either. Are they childless? Do they really not understand the capabilities of elementary age kids? Do they not understand the TIME involvement of other family members to get these things done? We didn't do nearly as many projects way back when I was in school and those that we did, a lot of it was done IN SCHOOL!!!

Like you, Renee, my older two help out quite a bit with my younger one's on projects, posters, etc. Thank goodness, too. My creative juices are running dry!

 

quote:
We didn't do nearly as many projects way back when I was in school and those that we did, a lot of it was done IN SCHOOL!!!


When I told her about this project, my mom said, "Well, I'm sure glad they weren't asking you kids to do all those things. We never could have afforded all the supplies!" And that was the truth.

 

Yeah! See???

 

And that's another excellent point, Amy. The cost of some of these projects can get really high...how is that fair in a diverse classroom with kids coming from homes with widely disparate incomes? Some of us may grumble about it because it is stupid, but at least we can pay for hte materials to help our kids pull off some sort of cool looking project (even if we doubt the value of it)...but what about the children whose parents cannot afford to be spending grocery money on art supplies and lettering stencils? It isn't right.

 

Exactly, Renee. Jackson's school is about 30% free/reduced lunch. District wide, it's 70+ %. Most parents can't afford this stuff. The other thing is, what if the parents work or if there is only one parent in the household? Who has time for it? Let me tell you, if DH weren't here to help, that wigwam project from last month would have been a disaster!

 

I have to say every teacher is different on this too as far as what is exceptable and so forth. Craig had a great 3rd grade teacher. One boy in his class (a student on free lunch) made a model of the solar system for one of his projects using different size pieces of crumpled up paper that he had colored with markers, etc., and he attached them with wire coat hangers to a cardboard box. It was obvious he had done it all on his own, and that his family did not have money. I remember seeing it and being so happy when he told me she had given him an A. He worked very hard on it. It wasn't "beautiful" but he had the information correct. She was just great that way.

 

Hi there!

3rd grade teacher here and I'm shocked that so many of your children have such involved projects. I rarely do anything like what you are all talking about for homework. I have enough trouble getting some kids just to turn in their regular homework. I have assigned reports before on subjects that we are studying in class, but the results are a mixed bag. If the students (or parents) don't speak English well, then it either doesn't come in at all or it isn't done according to the directions. I always let kids do "extra credit" projects, reports to share with the class, but I'd never assign a bust. That is pretty ambitious. Plus I feel anything huge like that would have to be done in class first, so the kids have a model to use.

I always thought that the CA 4th grade mission projects were cool, but many teachers complained that the parents did all the work and that wasn't the point, though they would obviously need help. Plus so many kids started using "professional" kits and I do think that is not fair to the lower socio-economic students. I think most of those huge projects are rarely done nowadays in my school anyway. Besides they're more fun to do at school and show-off at Open House.
GL

Just my two cents,