What does it mean to be human?
In the Autumn term of 2017, the year 8 (C23) expedition was Being Human.
The learning targets were :
- I can develop informed personal response on a character and a theme, using quotations to support interpretations
- I can use the second order history concept of cause and effect to discuss racial prejudice and the consequences it has
- I can comment on and analyse how writers achieve effects, using relevant subject terminology
- I can communicate clearly selecting tone, style and register to write an effective article
- I can explain the internal structure of a human and describe how the main systems work
- I can design and create a sculpture that represents my answer to the GQ
- I can analyse data using statistical averages
- I can use different charts to display statistical analysis
- I can explain the hierarchy of cells which make an organism
Students worked on four main case studies looking at how science, history and literature convey what makes a human. This involved a study of the human skeleton as well as investigating the history of segregation and the civil rights movement.
The text Wonder written by R.J Palacio underpinned the learning, highlighting that what is on the outside does not reflect what is in the inside, that we are more than the sum total of our looks, that what makes us human is our understanding and acceptance of others for HOW they are, not HOW they look.
Fieldwork was carried out at Doncaster Knights Rugby Football Club where students looked at how statistics are used to help the players become more successful.
They worked with experts such as a sculptor, a journalist, a paralympian and a rugby coach.
As a result of this research, students each wrote articles and produced sculptures to represent their response to the guiding question.
The expedition culminated where students presented extracts from their articles in front of their parents and members of the community demonstrating what they believe it means to be a human. These ideas were also visually represented through the presentation of the sculptures they created.
All resources relating to this expedition can be found below:
Final Product – Sculptures
(These will appear here shortly)
Final Product – Articles
(These will appear here shortly)
In 2016/17 the same expedition was completed by C22 with their sculptures being displayed in Doncaster’s local theatre, Cast, from the beginning of November until the 4th December 2017 for the public to see.
Final product – Sculptures representing what it means to be human
