Grade 8 Project Guide

The 8th Grade Project is one of my favorite Waldorf traditions. Where else do students get to study a topic of their own choosing for an entire year? My students chose such a wide range of topics, and each one of them was able to tailor the project to his or her own interest and skill level.

Here is a list of the topics my students chose. So inspiring!

• Girls’ Education in Developing Countries

• How to Make a Go-Kart

• Earthquake Preparedness

• Making and African Djembe

• The Art of Photography

• Becoming a Scuba Diver

• The Art and History of Sushi

• Authentic Prop-Making

• Fashion Design

• The Art of Making Ice Cream

• Making a Knife

• Overcoming Adversity

• Building a Bookshelf

• Gymnastics and Autism

• Making a Sail

• The Art and Practice of Karate

• Training an Autism Service Dog

• Writing a Comic Book

• Climate Change

• A Study of Colorblindness

• Homelessness in Portland

• Building a Computer

(Want to read more about my students’ projects? Check out this blog post.)

Getting ready to lead your students through a culminating 8th grade project experience? This guide has everything you need to lead them through the process from start to finish.

When I set about leading the students through a project, the best way I could think to do it was to complete one of my own, so I would have an example to show them. I strongly encourage you to consider completing your own 8th grade project. It’ll give you an excuse to take up a new hobby, sign up for a half-marathon or plant that garden you’ve always wanted to plant.

The Guide

This guide will give you all of the handouts and sample documents I created in the process. All of the documents are gathered together in a compressed file to allow for a quick and easy download.

• 8th Grade Project Overview

• 8th Grade Project Guidelines (handed out Spring of 7th grade)

• 8th Grade Project Approval Form

• 8th Grade Project Self-Reflection

• Sample Topic Research Assignment

• Sample Project Description Assignment

• Sample Research Paper

When the projects are complete, I’m sure you and your students will look back on your 8th grade projects with tremendous satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment!