Find Your Beat
In the Math/Science portion of the Find your Beat project, I learned how stress affects the nervous system. I then made a board game about the stuff I learned. The game plays a lot like candy land, except that on every square you are given a question about a neurological disorder. If you get the question correct nothing happens, but If you get it wrong your character gets that disorder! I drew from my previous knowledge of the brain to come up with the changes to the game each disorders would make. Drawing on previous knowledge... sounds like something an 8th grader would use.
MUN
The UN is a global force which helps strengthen relationships between countries by sending a delegate from each country to discuss important global issues. Model UN is A mock up of the UN, where students take the roles of important figures and discuss global issues. In my MUN group we discussed the rise of Julias Caesar as dictator perpetuo. I took the role of Quints Sertorius, a roman general. During the three day debate we not only killed Julias Caesar, but also the chair, 4 other delegates, and finally Mark Antony, who was killed in an epic arm wrestle to decide the fate to rome. I should point out that I got a "Most respected delegate" award, and this is against high schoolers! If I can be more respectable than a high schooler, I think I would be pretty respected 8th grader.
I Never Saw Another Butterfly
In this project I learned how to turn a picture into sound using audacity. I then used this to make a soundscape honoring the children who died in the holocaust. My picture ended up sounding like wind, and I used that to create a moody atmosphere. I was one of the only people who didn't need reminding we were supposed to put our picture IN the soundscape, so I suppose that means I'm pretty good at remembering things (something really important to an 8th grader).