Eight Bulletin Board Projects for the School Year (K-12)

Objective:

1. Students: To engage every student in the class in reading and writing in a fun environment in a manner that will showcase each student. Students will especially feel motivated to read the writing of their fellow classmates and know that others will read their writing. To demonstrate that reading and writing are important in every facet of life. To make books about their projects that they can read throughout the year.
2. Teachers: To give the teacher an easy framework for reading and writing about multiple subjects that could cover the curriculum for a school year. To give teachers documentation of successes in the classroom.

Materials:

1. Bulletin Board: Designate one large bulletin board for one or all of these projects. If possible, have one in the school hall so the class feels they are really showcasing their efforts, but a classroom bulletin board is fine, too. Decorate the background so students can post their work.
2. White and colored paper appropriate for writing on, as backgrounds, and as decoration
3. Writing and drawing materials
4. Computer (if available)
5. Printer (if available)
6. Digital camera (if available)
7. 3-ring binders and clear, plastic document protectors to store the projects after taken down
8. Materials for each project as indicated

Getting to Know You Bulletin Board

The class learns about each other’s unique attributes and abilities so they can value each other.

Additional Materials: None

Instructions: Students come dressed appropriate for their favorite activity. Photographs are taken of each student in a stance as if they were engaged in their favorite activity. Photographs are printed. Each student writes a sentence or paragraphs about what they like to do. Photographs and descriptions are posted on the bulletin board. Leave the bulletin board up for a few weeks. When the bulletin board is taken down, store the photographs and descriptions in document protectors in a 3-ring binder for future viewing. The teacher may want to take a photograph of the completed bulletin board to put into the binder to document the project.

Science Bulletin Board—Writing Across the Curriculum

The class documents the growth of seeds or a caterpillar on a daily basis for as many days as there are students.

Materials: Seeds, dirt, and a container to plant them in; a cocoon kit

Instructions: On the bulletin board, dates (one date for each day) are posted to cover the entire project. After planting the seeds or setting up the cocoon, the students take turns either photographing or drawing a picture of the state of the seeds or cocoon. Then the students write a sentence or paragraph (depending on the age of the students) about what happened that day, even if nothing happened. The picture and written description are posted under the appropriate date. At the end of the project the students will have a history of what happened. Success and failure are both interesting scientifically. Leave the bulletin board up for a while so everyone can enjoy it. When the bulletin board is cleared for the next project, put the pictures and descriptions in document protectors in a 3-ring binder for future viewing. The teacher may want to take a photograph of the completed bulletin board to put into the binder to document the project.

Class Story Bulletin Board—Creative Writing, Language Arts

The class writes a story together and illustrates it with each student writing one or two sentences and drawing an illustration (or finding an appropriate picture online and printing it) for that part of the story.

Additional materials: None

Instructions: Together the class decides on characters, plot (something that leads up to something happening), and setting. One student starts by writing the opening sentence. Each student picks up where the previous student left off and continues the story with one or two sentences. Students write their sentences and draw pictures to illustrate their part (or find an appropriate picture online). When the story is done, sentences and illustrations are posted on the bulletin board. Leave the bulletin board up for a while so everyone can enjoy it. When the bulletin board is cleared for the next project, put the pictures and descriptions in document protectors in a 3-ring binder for future viewing. The teacher may want to take a photograph of the completed bulletin board to put into the binder to document the project.

Geography Bulletin Board—Writing Across the Curriculum

The class chooses a country to study and write about.

Additional materials: Access to information about the country in books or online.

Instructions: Assign each student one aspect about the country being studied. The student writes a sentence or paragraph about that topic. The student then either draws a picture or finds an appropriate picture online to illustrate the sentence or paragraph. Post the descriptions and pictures on the bulletin board. In the seminar, enough topics will be given out so there is one for each student, such as location, size, geographic features (mountains, islands, rivers, plains, deltas, etc.), population, national products, and major cities. Leave the bulletin board up for a while so everyone can enjoy it. When the bulletin board is cleared for the next project, put the pictures and descriptions in document protectors in a 3-ring binder for future viewing. The teacher may want to take a photograph of the completed bulletin board to put into the binder to document the project.

History Bulletin Board—Writing Across the Curriculum

The class studies and writes about a person or event from history.

Additional materials: Access to information and pictures about the person or event.

Instructions: Assign each student one aspect about the person or event to write about and illustrate. For the person such topics as place of birth, nationality, accomplishments, and what that person did at various stages of life would be appropriate. For the historical event such topics as location, events leading up to it, people involved, and nations involved would be appropriate. At the seminar enough questions so there is one for each student will be provided. Post the descriptions and illustrations on the bulletin board. Leave the bulletin board up for a while so everyone can enjoy it. When the bulletin board is cleared for the next project, put the pictures and descriptions in document protectors in a 3-ring binder for future viewing. The teacher may want to take a photograph of the completed bulletin board to put into the binder to document the project.

Astronomy Bulletin Board—Writing Across the Curriculum, Science

Students write about the night sky above them and the changes that take place throughout the year.

Additional materials: Access to the NASA web site and other web sites or books on astronomy

Instructions: Choose sets of weeks for a year according to how many students are in a class. Assign each student one set of weeks. Using information from the NASA web site or books, have students either download and print pictures of the night sky above their location for their time frame, or draw the constellations visible during their time frame. Students write a sentence or paragraph about their segment of the night sky. Post the illustrations and descriptions in chronological order on the bulletin board so students can see the changes. . Leave the bulletin board up for a while so everyone can enjoy it. When the bulletin board is cleared for the next project, put the pictures and descriptions in document protectors in a 3-ring binder for future viewing. The teacher may want to take a photograph of the completed bulletin board to put into the binder to document the project.

Literature Bulletin Board—Language Arts

The teacher reads a fiction book aloud to the students that either fits into the curriculum or is just for fun.

Additional materials: None

Instructions: Have the students write about what they like or dislike about the book. Have the students draw an illustration of part of the book, or several as the story progresses. Post the responses and illustrations on the bulletin board. Allow them to change their minds and post new responses. Continuity: Read another book. Post responses and illustrations next to the first book’s. Discuss and compare. Leave the bulletin board up for a while so everyone can enjoy it. When the bulletin board is cleared for the next project, put the pictures and descriptions in document protectors in a 3-ring binder for future viewing. The teacher may want to take a photograph of the completed bulletin board to put into the binder to document the project.

Current Events Bulletin Board—Writing Across the Curriculum, Social Studies

Each student writes about an event each day for as many days as there are students to make a mini-history.

Additional materials: Access to current news

Instructions: On the bulletin board put up the dates for the next several days (one per student).

Assign each student one day for the next several days, as many as there are students in the classroom. Each student writes about an event of his or her own choosing from the news of the day and either draws a picture or downloads and prints a picture of the event. Post descriptions and illustrations. When the project is complete the class will have a mini-history of the past several days. Discussions could be held about the significance of each event. Leave the bulletin board up for a while so everyone can enjoy it. When the bulletin board is cleared for the next project, put the pictures and descriptions in document protectors in a 3-ring binder for future viewing. The teacher may want to take a photograph of the completed bulletin board to put into the binder to document the project.