Projects for Secondary Cycle 1

Ad Dissection 101

Students actively participate to learn about the persuasive affects of advertising techniques. A final project involves the application of knowledge to create an ad of their own designed to reveal advertising manipulation.

Character Diary Project  - This project was developed by teachers Allison MacKenzie and Trista Hollweck for Secondary Cycle 1 students. In guiding students through their work to meet competency requirements of the Québec Education Program they focussed on the response process, connecting strongly to communication and the writing process. Read about how these teachers organized a project in which all students at Symmes Middle School participated.

CINEMA How are Hollywood films made?

Explore this creative process, from the screenwriter's words to the editor's final cut. Write your own dialogue for a scene or put yourself in a producer's shoes by managing the production of a film.

Myth and Legend Project - To place an emphasis on reading, writing and talk at the Secondary Cycle 1 level, teachers Allison Mackenzie, Trista Hollweck and Sylvia Bretzloff developed this project in which they carefully scaffolded the learning process. Students immersed themselves in the genre of myths and legends. The project involved working coopertively with the Art department. In the explanation of their work Allison, Trista and Sylvia share their ideas with us.

Pop Culture Project  - This project was developed by teachers Nancy Gale and Scott Cavers to help Secondry Cycle 1 students become aware of the influence of the media on their own values. Read about the process they followed and their reflections, and view sample documents for ideas about how to help your own students become smart consumers.

Writers in Electronic Residence

WIER is an electronic writing project that connects students across Canada with writers, teachers and one another. A community of writers is developed as well-known Canadian authors read and consider the students' work, offer reactions and ideas, and guide discussions between the students. This has been a popular and highly acclaimed project for many years.