Blog 15 - ‘Project week’ event at school



Unique to our school, we had an event called the ‘Project week’. This event was for primary school one year and middle school the next, so depending on which class one was in, we would get to participate in the project every alternate year.

During this week, each subject (department) would be allotted a classroom in the ground floor. So, there would be classrooms marked: Mathematics, English, Science, Hindi, Social studies, Tamil and so on. Every year, we would have a theme. I remember once it was ‘Malice against none’.

Every student could pick one or more subjects to participate in, collaborate with other students and discuss ideas with the respective teachers and then, adhering to the theme given for the year, had to make different ways of using the subject and display the concepts to the public.

This was a public event, where the entire school would be open to parents, grandparents, siblings, students of other nearby schools and other interested people from Korattur and surrounding areas (Ambattur, Pattravakkam, Perambur etc.)

As students, we had to make 3D or working models (using plastic, cardboard, wood, thermocol, clay, plaster of Paris etc.) and charts for our topic. We could work individually or in groups. We had to learn about our topic, explain the working or the elements of the model. If we had interesting pictures, we would color-print them (color prints were a big deal back then) and stick them neatly on charts (pink, blue, black, yellow, white etc.), write headings in block letters using markers, sketch pens and such. Usually, the kids with the best handwriting (yes, we also had regular handwriting competitions) would be bribed to write the chart headings!

The weeks leading up to the project would be the most exciting, hours were spent first deciding who goes to which subject/department and then some of the bright kids would be shared (after much argument) among different subject teachers. The ones who were artistic took over the painting, drawing and decorating duties. Afterall, there were prizes to be won! There were prizes given for best display overall, best model, best chart, best student (who explained stuff well) etc.

Next would be endless discussions of what we could present, given the theme of the year, who would present (a talkative kid would be paired with a shy kid and by the end of the project, the shy kid with some encouragement and competition from the talkative kid, would learn to interact with people in general).

Whatever our role was, we could take help from our parents and wisdom from experienced elder siblings :P 

I remember for the ‘Malice against none’ theme, my mother and I first got a giant wooden box with top open, made by a carpenter. I think it was around 1meter by 0.5 meter. Next, we added mud, soil and manure to it and grew sprouts, dhania and pudina plants (over few days) in one section of the box, to make a mini-forest. We then used a wide clay pot and carefully covered it up with mud and added water to it, so it looked like a small pond next to the forest. We also used rocks and stones to make a small hillock and basically created a small scenic bonsai-forest (if I can call it that). Next, we put many plastic animals inside different parts of the ‘forest’: lion lazing by the pond, deer far away from the lion, monkey on a “tree” and so on. (yes, my mother was very enthusiastic about these things!)

The next task was to carry the forest to the school. What we did not realize was the weight of the entire unit! The box by itself was quite heavy and adding to it, the soil and the rest made it crazy heavy.
Thankfully, our regular autorickshaw fellow was amazed by it and offered to carry it and put it in the auto. The next challenge was that the box was jutting out of the auto and we did not have place to keep our legs. I remember sitting cross-legged in the auto, with our forest box at our feet. My mother was holding the end of the box with one hand throughout the journey to make sure it did not crash into another vehicle. So much excitement I tell you!
Once we reached the school, we had help carrying it to the classroom for display. I can never forget the thrill and wonder on people’s faces when they came to see my ‘model’ and of course, the endless appreciation that came our way (my mother was totally deserving of all of it).
By the way, in case you are wondering how it adhered to the theme of ‘malice against none’, my point was let the animals be in their natural habitat! Let us not show malice even to animals! That week, I think my 5th standard self was convinced that I had done my part to save all the animals of the world!

My memory fails me now, but I know that we used math concepts, poems, literature, scientific facts etc. to convey the theme every year, one way or the other.

Most importantly, the project week was not just all study and no play. We also had culturals! We had different competitions for students, dance performances, music, games and much more. Kids who did not want to stand in the classroom and explain models and charts could participate in culturals and vice-versa. The best part of our school was nothing was forced on us. We could pick and do what we were good at, what we were comfortable with and what we would enjoy the most.

Some kids even made items like samosa, vada, sandwiches etc. with their parents at home and set up stalls in the school during project hours, to sell to the visiting public! Since we did not have regular classes during the project, kids were also free to go and play in the ground.
The entire school atmosphere would be charged, with a lot of hustle and bustle. It was like a massive picnic with a lot of chatter, running around, meeting people and having fun while learning a thing or two 😊
Today, when I look back, I realize what a massive effort it must have been for the parents and the teachers to make such an event happen. Kudos and thank you to all of them for making our school days the most exciting and fun days of our lives.

#childhoodmemories
#90snostalgia
#schooldays
#projectweek
#models
#charts
#fun
#excitement
#amazingschool
#wonderfulteachers
#greatparents

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