My grade 6 immersion students have started a project a couple of weeks ago. This is a project that they beg me to work on on a daily basis and a project that they truly love to be a part of. Each member of our class is creating their own business, and I'm psyched! Our business projects have given us so many opportunities to just
talk, and have meaningful, engaging conversations about types of businesses, their products, etc.
It all started when a students asked me about my new necklace. My husband bought me this gorgeous necklace when we were in PEI this summer, made by an amazing artist and owner of Happy Glass in Charlottetown, PEI (happyglass.ca). She hand makes all of her glass beads and creates incredible earrings, bracelets and necklaces. One of my students loved my necklace and asked where it came from, which turned into a few minutes of looking through the artist's website. Even the boys were interested in the jewelry, how it's made (it takes 6 hours to make one glass bead), the cost, etc. Then it got me thinking. How can I turn this type of discussion into an authentic and meaningful project for the kids?
BAM! Business projects! We spent a couple of weeks talking about different types of businesses, private businesses like Happy Glass and ginormous businesses like Wal-Mart and Costco. We also discussed how some businesses sell products and others offer services like spas, art galleries or art schools, restaurants, etc. All of these discussions are taking place in French and the students are engaged!
The students then brainstormed what they wanted their own business to be and the name of their business. I have allowed them to have an English name for their business if they want, but that was the ONLY thing that could be in English in this entire project. The students have come up with such clever names and concepts for this business. This is allowing them to work on something and talking about something that they are truly passionate about. My student who loves photography is now developing her own photography business! Another who is passionate about music now has a music school called Music Man! THIS is why I love project-based learning! And, projects don't HAVE to be all written work. So far in the month we've been working on this, the students have written a very short, general description of their business. That is all! We've spent loads of time talking, designing logos (integrating the arts, yay!), making a plan of all of the products and/or services available, and looking at numerous websites (FRENCH websites), such as indigo.ca, apple.ca, subway.ca, theflourshoppe.ca (not in French, but started many discussions), and many more. We even played
Devine le logo, where I save a picture of a popular logo and zoom it in up close and the kids have to guess what logo it is and explain their reasoning. This project has endless opportunities!!!
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| Hard at work on brainstorming ideas! |
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| These two girls just want to work on their business 24/7! Here they are writing their descriptions! The one on the left has a paper business (she loves paper, like me!) and the one on the right couldn't decide for a while! She is now working on her own stable where she saves abused or unwanted horses and rehabilitates them. |
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| We use "entreprise" and "business" interchangeably in class! |
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| Qu'as-tu besoin pour que ton entreprise aie le succès? |
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| Comment rendons-nous notre entreprise "awesome"??? |
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| This young man has amazingly clever and hilarious ideas, but his next step is to translate them! :) |
My future goals with this project are to have each student design their own website, to create business cards, to digitalize logos, to design models of some of their products and figure out how to advertise their businesses using commercials (using the iPads), pamphlets, their website, etc. I also want to have a Business Fair where the students can check out each other's businesses. This will lead us to then look for employees. The students will have to apply to different jobs, as well as hire people for their own business. There are so, so, SO many opportunities for oral communication, reading, writing, drama, visual arts and media literacy here!
Stay tuned for updates on our business projects!
Enjoy!
Mme Stéphanie
It all started when a students asked me about my new necklace. My husband bought me this gorgeous necklace when we were in PEI this summer, made by an amazing artist and owner of Happy Glass in Charlottetown, PEI (happyglass.ca). She hand makes all of her glass beads and creates incredible earrings, bracelets and necklaces. One of my students loved my necklace and asked where it came from, which turned into a few minutes of looking through the artist's website. Even the boys were interested in the jewelry, how it's made (it takes 6 hours to make one glass bead), the cost, etc. Then it got me thinking. How can I turn this type of discussion into an authentic and meaningful project for the kids? 
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