Students in 7th Grade developed a personal geography by reflecting on where they came from, who they were at that moment, and what they desired for their future.

Inspired by the classic story of A Christmas Carol and Scrooge’s ghostly observance of the ‘past, present, and future,’ students completed several creative components that culminated in a storytelling setting similar to the oral traditions of different cultural groups discussed in social studies class.

The project enabled and encouraged students to connect with their family’s ancestry, discover and develop their present, personal “superpowers,” and identify and instill values each would like to possess for her future self. Through writing narratives, poems, and letters, each student designed and created a personal quilt in the innovationLab, which visually illustrated her unique personal geography. Students were inspired by renowned artists and learned sewing skills to produce colorful, meaningful textile art.

In social studies class, each student designed and created both a personal coat of arms and compass as a way to define what was important to her as she grew into a courageous, confident individual. Each student articulated her “metaphorical north” that guided her in her daily life. They may have discovered it was a relative, a moral value, or a dream… it was their personal discovery.

Connecting students’ learning in ELA, social studies, and innovation Lab, this project was a developmentally appropriate endeavor that gave students the opportunity to identify the type of person she aspired to become in the future. Each student was celebrated after she presented her entire project to the class and guests in a storytelling environment similar to the oral traditions of the past.