Next Year!

As we wind down the school year, we start thinking about what to do next. I was thinking about a project for next year that would be a great application for a Synergy project but became concerned that the application date had probably passed when I realized that I don't need to apply because we already have the equipment! I think that speaks to the level of support we have received along the way, however; we definitely benefited from all the conversations and guidance we had and it would be difficult to recreate the process as just one school.

My idea was to first visit the Nanaimo Museum to learn about Japanese internment (there is a feature exhibit on now: http://nanaimomuseum.ca/exhibits-collections/feature-exhibit-gallery/). Like one of our Synergy Project peers, we would visit the archives and find photos of Japanese salteries and other buildings or culture, then travel by kayak to Newcastle Island and visit the site of old Japanese herring salteries (http://vi-asiancanadians.ca/2015/09/17/the-japanese-on-newcastle-island-years-of-salt-and-herring/). I imagine we could try to recreate photos of the locations then and now and display them side by side. 

This would be a great Social Studies 10 project which would allow students to explore a variety of curricular competencies in great depth. Perhaps we will be able to take it on!