WRITING/TEACHER TIPS
Time Capsule

Submitted by: Kari Farnell
From: Federalsburg, MD
Date Submitted: May 7, 2003

A portion of this idea came from an 8th grade History teacher that I once worked with; however, I have modified it and added to it. I am the homeroom teacher for a 9th grade class and while this is a project better done in 8th grade, it works well with 9th grade too.

Towards the end of their 9th grade year, I give each student the guidelines for a letter that they will write to themselves. This letter includes anything they want to remember or be reminded of from the current school year, such as best friends, boy/girl friends, jobs, goals, aspirations, favorite bands, TV shows, etc. They seal the letter and give it to me to be returned to them at their graduation. No one opens it or sees it until then.

Secondly, I have the students make a small time capsule of things that were important to them in that year. Items could be dance tickets, pictures, movie tickets, fad items, etc.

Thirdly, I have the students create a video. One unrelated videographer comes to talk with each student on video. They are asked questions about their year---friends, "gossip" (not harmful), boyfriends/girlfriends, and are given the opportunity to say anything else they want.

These items are all returned and viewed around the time of that class' graduation. It gives them a chance to look back (even though it's only 3-4 years), and see how things have changed ("I can't believe I dated that person" "Look at my hair!")

It provides them with some nice memories of their high school years.