The 8th Grade Project
If you ask me, the time-honored Waldorf tradition of the 8th grade project is one of
the best things that we do. A remarkable amount of growth and transformation
occurs over the course of the yearlong undertaking. My own children look back on
their 8th grade projects with feelings of tremendous accomplishment and
enthusiasm.
Most Waldorf schools have a practice of supporting 8th graders with a culminating
project of one sort or another. At some schools the students’ topic choices must
focus around an act of service. At other schools the emphasis is placed on the
mentor relationship. Other schools allow aspects of both service and mentorship to
be a part of the project.
My eighth graders were free to choose any topic they desired, but as part of the
project they had to include the following components.
• A mentor relationship
• A research paper
• A presentation display
• A speech
Some projects also included a physical component, while other projects didn’t lend
themselves in this direction.
I was so impressed with the diversity of the topics my students chose – I feel like the
list gives a little glance into the variety of personalities and interests that exist in my
class. I’ve included the list below to provide some inspiration.
• Girls’ Education in Developing • Overcoming Adversity
Countries • Building a Bookshelf
• How to Make a Go-Kart • Gymnastics and Autism
• Earthquake Preparedness • Making a Sail
• Making and African Djembe • The Art and Practice of Karate
• The Art of Photography • Training an Autism Service Dog
• Becoming a Scuba Diver • Writing a Comic Book
• The Art and History of Sushi • Climate Change
• Authentic Prop-Making • A Study of Colorblindness
• Fashion Design • Homelessness in Portland
• The Art of Making Ice Cream • Building a Computer
• Making a Knife
To understand how these topics developed and evolved to create a complete 8th
grade project, I’ll go through a couple of them and explain what the students did.
Earthquake Preparedness
This student really wanted to make sure her project was all about helping people.
Shortly before the students were presented with their project assignment, she had
read an article about the earthquake that is expected to hit the Pacific Northwest at
some point in the future. She started learning about how to prepare for an
earthquake and realized that there were probably lots of other people out there who
didn’t know how to prepare themselves for such a thing. So she got to work.
Mentor – She found that the American Red Cross regularly led workshops on the
topic so she attended one, made a connection with the instructor and asked her to
be her mentor.
Research Paper – She researched and wrote a Guide to Earthquake Preparedness.
She made copies of this paper available to attendees of the 8th grade project
presentations.
Physical Project / Service – She organized a Saturday earthquake preparedness
workshop held at the school. She advertised the workshop to the school community
and managed sign-ups, setting up the space, snacks, etc. At the workshop she sold
earthquake preparedness toolkits. The proceeds helped to fund her 8th grade trip.
Presentation Display – She made a display board that explained some of the key
elements of what to do in an earthquake, as well as how to prepare for it.
Speech – At the end of the project, at our evening speech presentations, she spoke
about the experience of doing her project, providing attendees with a few tips about
preparing for an earthquake.
How to Make a Go-Kart
After considering many different projects, this student ultimately narrowed it down
to two options – a go-kart or photography. He realized that the go-kart was the more
ambitious of the two, but he had a couple of willing and excited family members (not
to mention his own enthusiasm for the topic) so he decided.
Mentor – One of the requirements is that the student’s mentor not be an immediate
family member. We actually prefer that the students seek out a mentor from the
wider community, but in this case, the student had two relatives who had recently
moved closer and he was wanting to develop more of a relationship with them. They
were both really excited about his project and had the expertise he was looking for,
so we made an exception.
Research Paper – For his research paper this student studied the life of Henry Ford
and wrote his biography.
Physical Project – He built a go-kart! In addition to the go-kart itself, he attached a
device that could report important statistics like fuel level, oil temperature, speed
and latitude and longitude right to his smart phone!
Service – Though he couldn’t think of a service opportunity that tied into his topic
(he jokingly suggested giving neighborhood kids for rides) he ended up doing some
service-based work at a local food kitchen.
Presentation Display – The student made a presentation board with photos of the
process. He had his go-kart in the room next to him and he let students sit in it as
they came through and saw the displays.
Speech – At the evening speech presentations he told the audience about the
experience of completing his project and how it felt to finally take it for a ride.
The Timeline
Preparing and supporting students through a project of this scope takes a lot of
planning and intention. Even with a lot of forethought, I ended up wishing we had
done more 8th grade project check-ins throughout the yearlong project.
• March of 7th grade – handout guideline document
• April of 7th grade – topic research assignment due (preliminary
brainstorming for at least 3 ideas – see included sample.)
• May of 7th grade – Decide on topic and submit approval form. (This is just a
basic form with approval from parent, student and teacher.)
• June of 7th grade – Submit written project description. (See guidelines
document and included sample.)
• Conduct monthly check-ins throughout 8th grade. These can take different
forms. Make sure you have at least one or two in class check-ins so students
can hear about each other’s projects. This can sometimes light a fire under
procrastinating students.
• February of 8th grade – collect and correct first draft of research paper
• March of 8th grade – distribute display boards, give guidelines for speech
• Late March of 8th grade – practice speeches in class
• Project week – Present displays to visiting classes while standing in front
answering questions and giving a brief explanation
• Presentation evening – invite the community to listen to student speeches
about their projects.
The Presentation Evening
It can be really intimidating to present a project that you’ve put your heart and soul
into to a large audience. Often students are nervous and worried, so this part of the
project requires a little bit of extra care and set-up by the teacher. Here are some
tips I have for setting them up for success.
• Keep the speeches short – no more than five minutes per student.
• Keep the speeches about the experience of completing the project, not the
project itself. Students can share a couple of the highlights of what they
learned, but they are not presenting the information that makes up their
project.
• Discourage the use of multi-media. A slideshow presentation can be a crutch
that doesn’t really contribute much to the presentation.
• Teach students that giving a speech is basically telling a story. (It is handy if
you’ve taught your short story block already.) Give them the step-by-step arc
of a story and they can fit their 8th grade project experience into that
framework.
• Make a program with all of the students’ names and their project titles. We
made a creative cover with block letters filled in by each student according to
the theme of their project. It was clever and cute.
• Have all of the students sit at the front of the presentation hall facing the
audience. It is often when students catch eyes with each other that the
nervousness really sets in and they get a bit giggly. It also gives the audience
a good chance to see the class as a whole.
Student Feedback
After completing the project, I gave the students a self-reflection form so their
feedback could help future 8th grade project students and teachers. Here are some of
the things they said.
• Work on finding a solid mentor very early in the process. Most students
wished that their mentor had been a bigger part of their completed project.
• Aim to complete most of the project over the summer, or at least 2 months
before it is due. This way you can use the last couple of months for finishing
touches.
• Dream big. Don’t be afraid to choose a big, exciting project. It could change
your life.
History of Scuba Diving
Humans have been diving since they relied on food from the sea. Ancient
swimmers used hollow reeds to breathe air while they searched for food. These were the
first snorkels used to enhance our abilities underwater. Around 1300 AD, Parisian divers
were creating eye goggles made of thinly sliced and polished tortoise shell. By the 16th
century divers could travel underwater using more than a breath or air. They used
wooden barrels as diving bells to allow for a few breaths underwater. Since the 16th
century, scuba diving has greatly evolved into the fascinating, well known sport that it is
today. In this paper, I will give a brief timeline of important scuba inventions and scuba
diving exploration from the late 17th century to the late 19th century.
Scuba Inventions
Many revolutionary scuba inventions followed the 16th century. In 1771, a British
engineer named John Smeaton invented the air pump. A hose connected the air pump and
the dive barrel, allowing air to be pumped directly to the diver. In 1772, Frenchman,
Sieur Freminet invented a rebreathing device that recycled the exhaled air inside. This
was the first self-contained air device. Unfortunately the inventor died from lack of
oxygen after being underwater with his own device for 20 minutes. In 1825, English
inventor, William James designed another self–contained breather, an iron belt, attached
to a copper helmet. It had enough psi (pounds per square inch) for a seven–minute dive.
Although a seven minute dive may seem short, at the time it was a huge step in the
invention of the modern day regulator.
After William James’ invention, many other inventors struggled to find other
ways to scuba dive. In 1876, Englishman, Henry Fleuss invented a 30 foot, closed circuit
oxygen rebreather. The rebreather was originally invented to be used in ship chambers.
Fleuss decided to use it for a thirty foot dive underwater. He later died from the pure
oxygen (oxygen is toxic to humans under high amounts of pressure). His experience
influenced others to continue to find a safer was for deep sea diving.
Now that inventors had found a way to dive, it was time for the invention of
diving suits. Benoît Rouquayrol and Auguste Denayrouze invented the rigid diving suit in
1873. The suit was said to have a safer air supply, however it weighed 200 pounds. In
1921 the famous magician and escape artist Harry Houdini invented a dive suit. The dive
suit let divers (in case of danger) quickly escape from the suit and reach the surface of the
water safely. Houdini's suit was safer in case of emergency, but it didn't go on to be used
around the world like some other scuba inventions.
Shortly after the Houdini suit was invented, so was the scuba regulator. In 1942,
Emile Gagnan and Jacques Cousteau designed a scuba regulator that would automatically
deliver fresh air when a diver breathed. A year later the Aqua-Lung was being sold. The
Aqua-Lung was a fundamental improvement on air supply for divers. The Aqua-Lung
later went on to become successful in many places around the world, including France,
Canada and the USA.
As well as inventing the Aqua-Lung, Jacques Cousteau was a French naval
officer, filmmaker, photographer and science who studied the sea and all forms of life in
water. He was a hard worker who inspired many people. One of his most famous quotes
is, “If we were logical, the future would be bleak, indeed. But we are more than logical.
We are humans beings, and we have faith, and we hope, and we can work.” Jacques
Cousteau is one of the most well-known and respected divers in history.
Scuba Exploration
In the 1950’s diving gradually changed from breath-holding to mainly scuba
diving. At this time dive stores were open all around the US. Swiss botanist August
Picard and his son Jacques invented the bathyscaphe (deep boat). The bathyscaphe is
completely self – contained and is designed to go deeper than any bathysphere. On
February 15, 1954, off the coast of French West Africa, a bathyscaphe reached a depth of
13,287 feet, exceeding the previous record set by Otis Barton in 1948. On January 23,
1960, Jacques Picard and Navy lieutenant, Don Walsh descended to 35,820 feet. They
were in an August Picard-designed, US Navy-owned bathyscaphe. This dive took place
in the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Trench. The bathyscaphe went on to inspire many other
explorers to invent deep sea vessels.
The invention of the bathyscaphe lead to many other deep sea ventures. On
October 14, 1968, John J. Gruener and R. Neal Watson dove 437 feet underwater,
breathing compressed air, off the coast of Grand Bahama Island. This record was not
broken till the late 90’s . In the 1970’s there were many important advancements relating
to scuba safety. Many of these advancements began in the 1960’s and continued to
develop into the 1970’s. These advancements included; adoption of certification cards
which indicate level of training, requirements for tank refills and rental of scuba gear, a
change from J-valve reserve systems to non-reserve K valves, the adoption of
submersible pressure gauges, the adoption of buoyancy compensators and a single hose
regulator, which is now an essential piece of diving equipment. The advancement of
scuba diving equipment made diving safer and more enjoyable.
The breakthrough of basic dive equipment inspired inventors to challenge each
other to invent better and more complex equipment. In 1983 the first commercial dive
computer called The Orca Edge was introduced. Many manufacturers later advertised
dive computers and they became a regular piece of equipment among recreational divers.
The computer is now one of the most elaborate pieces of personal diving equipment.
One of the most exciting parts of scuba diving is when shipwrecks are found. In
1985 a US- French team found the wreck or the Titanic. Researcher, Robert Ballard
discovered it using a remote control camera attached to a mothership. The Titanic was
found split into two sections 12,500 feet underwater, 400 miles northeast of New York.
Since this discovery they have recovered many artifacts from the shipwreck.
Further improvements and developments took place in 1990. The use of full face
masks, mixed gasses, like Oxygen and Helium, underwater voice communication and
computers became more common. In 1994, Bret Gilliam and Mitch Skaggs formed
Technical Diving International (TDI). TDI became very successful and is still used today.
Shortly after in 1998, Scuba Diving International (SDI) was created. Both TDI and SDI
are heavily used today to certify divers around the world.
TDI and SDI made it possible for lots of people to experience diving. The deepest
oceanic dive ever was completed in 1999 by Chuck Driver and John Bennett. The two
men dove to a depth of 200 meters. At the time 200 meters seemed like the farthest
anyone could go. Later that year Barte Vestor broke that record, a challenging 225-meter
mark. In 2001 John Bennett broke his own record diving in the Philippines at a surprising
depth of 308 meters. After this amazing dive, John Bennett was highly praised and
considered a world champion in deep diving.
Scuba diving has evolved from people holding their breath and going underwater
to using tanks that can last for an hour of underwater adventuring. Since the invention of
the Aqua-Lung in 1942 scuba diving has developed into the fascinating, breathtaking and
exhilarating sport that it is today. Divers are now able to safely experience the wonders of
the underwater world.
Bibliography
Bellis, Mary. “History of Scuba Diving - Jacques Cousteau.” History of Scuba Diving -
Jacques Cousteau, theinventors.org/library/inventors/blscuba.htm. Accessed 14
Mar. 2017.
“History of Scuba Diving Timeline.” Scuba Dive Destinations Equipment Information,
www.destination-scuba.com/History-of-Scuba-diving-timeline.html. Accessed 14
Mar. 2017.
8th Grade Mentorship Project Guidelines
It is time for the class to begin working towards their 8th Grade Mentorship Projects! This Waldorf
tradition gives our graduating students a chance to fully immerse themselves in a topic of their
choosing, while they cultivate skills that will be valuable in high school and beyond.
Skills Cultivated While Working on the 8th Grade Project
• Working with a mentor (at least 6 mentor meetings required)
• Working on a long-term project
• Setting and following timelines
• Gathering and organizing materials
• Practicing research skills and research paper writing
• Learning something entirely new, or developing an existing skill or interest to a new level of
expertise or depth
• Building public speaking skills
• Giving back to the community with volunteerism
The completed project will consist of:
1. The physical project itself
2. A research paper
3. A display board
4. An oral presentation to be given to the community
5. Monthly check-ins throughout 8th grade
Due April 4, 2016
These are steps for students and parents to complete together:
• Make a list of 3 possible choices
• Note goals or aims for each
• Identify where help will be needed for each project
• Identify costs of each project and create a plan to fund it
• Identify possible mentor choices for each project
• Identify possible volunteer locations or organizations that are linked to your idea
• Indicate your favorite choice with a star.
• Note: If you have already chosen your project, there is no need to research 3 different
topics. Instead, complete the approval process as described below by April 1.
Due May 2, 2016 – Project Approval Form
• Approval form will be returned by May 6.
Due June 1, 2016 – Written Project Description
1. Description of Project Choice, (approximately 200 words)
2. List of goals
3. Name and contact information of chosen mentor
4. Materials required, and estimated project budget
5. A detailed timeline of steps you will follow to complete your project
6. Estimated mentor meeting schedule
7. Volunteer plan, and contact information for volunteer organization/person.
~PROJECTS ARE DUE IN FEBRUARY OF OUR 8TH GRADE YEAR~
8th Grade Project Self-Reflection
Name:
Project Title:
1. Which aspect of your 8th grade project was most significant for you? Rank the
items below – 1 is most significant, 6 is least.
_________ Working with a mentor.
_________ Creating a physical project.
_________ Completing a research paper.
_________ Doing service.
_________ Giving a speech.
_________ Creating a display board.
2. Of the above items, which do you wish had been a more significant part of
your project? Why?
3. Which aspect of your completed project are you most proud of? Why?
4. Now that your project is completed, do you think you’ll continue to learn
about your chosen topic? How?
5. If you could go back and do it again, what would you do differently? Explain.
6. What advice do you have for future 8th graders about their project?
7. What advice do you have for future 8th grade teachers supporting their
students with projects?
8th Grade Project Approval Form
Name:
Project Topic:
Mentor Name and Contact Information:
o I have already contacted my mentor and verified his or her willingness to
help.
Research Component:
Service Component:
Student approval: __________________________________________________________________________
Parent approval: __________________________________________________________________________
Teacher approval: __________________________________________________________________________
Sample Student
June 1, 2016
Urban Homesteading in Portland
For my 8th grade project, I will be pursuing the topic of urban homesteading. I
decided to pursue this topic for a couple of reasons. First, my family recently moved
into a new house where we have more property than we have had in the past. I’m
excited about the idea of growing our own food and learning how to make the most
of the land we live on. Second, I’ve always been interested in making and growing
things myself. Urban homesteading can be a great hobby to satisfy my do-it-yourself
interests.
First, my family’s new home gives us new opportunities for growing food. My family
has always tried to eat organic, local food. Unfortunately, living in the city, this has
been difficult and expensive to achieve. We try to shop at organic grocery stores, but
we can’t always afford to do so. I think that growing our own food on our own land
could be a good way to make nutritious, organic, locally grown food available to our
family.
Second, I have always been interested in learning how to do things for myself. I like
to cook, make clothes by hand and work in the garden. I’m excited to learn to do
things I haven’t done before to support my family’s day-to-day life.
Project Goals
• Raise chickens.
• Build chicken coop.
• Grow tomatoes, lettuce, peas, kale, basil and other crops.
• Collect recipes that use the above ingredients.
• Learn how to make cheese.
• Can berries, applesauce and tomato sauce.
• Research issues around making healthy, organic food available to everyone.
• Volunteer at a community garden.
Mentor
Renee ________________
Email: renee@*****
Materials Required and Budget
Chicken Coop
Wood, hardware, tools : $200
Chickens: $28
Chicken feed: $20 X 9 months = $180
Garden
Plants and seeds:
Tomatoes starts: $16
Sample Student
June 1, 2016
Pea starts: $8
Broccoli starts: $8
Squash starts: $16
Lettuce starts: $8
Kale starts: $4
Potato seeds: $2
Corn starts: $4
Basil starts: $4
Various seeds: $15
Cheesemaking
Cheesemaking class at homestead supply store: $50
Canning
Canning supplies: $20
Timeline
June –
• Continue tending garden
• Harvest peas
• Set up community garden volunteerism
July –
• Cheesemaking class
• Volunteer at community garden
• Collect recipes
August –
• Harvest
• Can pesto
• Can strawberries
• Volunteer at community garden
September –
• Harvest
• Can tomatoes
• Chickens start laying – sell extra eggs
• Meet with Renee. Discuss fall garden chores.
October –
• Fall garden chores
November –
• Begin research project
December –
• Research project
January –
• Prepare presentation board
• Collect recipes in book
• Write reflection piece
Sample Student
June 1, 2016
• Write speech
Mentor Meeting Schedule
I plan to meet with my mentor three times over the course of my project. We
already met once in April and we’ll meet again in October and January. Though my
students will meet with their mentors more frequently, this modified schedule is to
accommodate my working schedule and acceptable because I already have some
knowledge about the topic.
Volunteer Plan
There are various shifts available throughout the year with the Oregon Food Bank.
I plan to volunteer at the Eastside Learning Garden beginning on a Saturday in July,
continuing once each month until October.
Sample Student
April 4, 2016
8th Grade Project Topic Research
Topic #1 – Urban Homesteading
Goals
• Further develop gardening skills
• Design and plan land use
• Further develop preserving/canning skills
• Build simple chicken coop and run
• Raise chickens
• Learn how to make cheese
• Further develop breadmaking skills
• Learn about herbal remedies to decide what to grow
• Other ideas – candlemaking, soapmaking, kombucha, lotions, salves, beer or
wine making
Help Needed
• Finding plans and extra hands to build chicken coop
• Land use planning advice –
• Various classes in candlemaking, soapmaking, kombucha, lotions, salves,
beermaking, raising chickens, making cheese offered at homestead supply
store
Costs
• Chicken coop and supplies -- $400
• Chickens and feed -- $50
• Cheese-making class -- $50
• Herbal remedies class -- $40
• Soap-making class -- $40
• Chicken raising class -- $25
• Land use consultant -- $100
Mentor Choices
• Chicken raising teacher: Michelle ***, owner of *** Farms email:
xxxxxx@gmail.com; phone number: 503-XXX-XXXX
• Herbal remedies teacher: Name, email, phone number
Volunteer Locations
• Urban Gleaners’ – packaging food or picking up and delivering donated food
• Urban Farm Collective – many possibilities
Sample Student
April 4, 2016
Topic #2 – Hand-Lettering
Goals
• Learn brush script lettering
• Learn how to use a grid to create letters
• Learn about design topics like kerning, line height, different types of writing,
how to combine typefaces
• Learn about the different kinds of tools to use
• Create 3 artistic hand-lettered pieces per month
Help Needed
• Feedback on artistic work
• Class with someone about design topics
• Support with dedicating some time each week to working on project
Costs
• $200 for paper, ink, brushes, pens and other supplies
• $50-$200 for classes
Mentor Choices
• Cora ***, calligrapher and hand-lettering artist, email: *** phone: ***
• Mary Ellen Hartman, calligrapher, email: shootingstar723@juno.com
Volunteer Possibilities
• Volunteer to create nametags for other classes
• Support Cedarwood with flyers and signs for events
