“A book is a dream that you hold in your hands.”

Social Studies Creative Projects, which is an integrated, personalized, and project-based learning program, is designed to cultivate 21st century student skills in exploration, creativity, and design thinking.

The Social Studies group of Beijing Kaiwen Academy (KWA)’s secondary school launched this program at the beginning of 2018. Under this program, students and teachers discuss their favorite book or the book they think is most challenging. The teachers also assist students in their project design based on the subject knowledge.

Students are required to understand the subject content and come up with a design work for show after analyzing and summarizing the information they have obtained.

“Behind every creative design work is the students’ understanding of and reflections on the subject content or a book they have read. We selected dozens of classic bilingual books for this program. This allows the students to learn through sharing, communication, and cooperation, and become proficient in both English and Chinese,” said Liu Xiangchen, a social studies teacher, regarding the purpose of this program.

This is an integrated, personalized, and project-based learning program to train students in exploration, creativity, and design thinking for the 21st century. The program is also designed to arouse the students’ interest in reading and let them learn how to read.

Let’s take a look at the wonderful works of the students.

© The trouble-shooting grocery store series

© This student comprehensively analyzed the historical background and geographical factors concerning the story of King Goujian of the Yue Kingdom during the Warring States period. She restored two of the most important historical scenes in her eyes, highlighting the spirit of the king as she understood it.

© “The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It’s the loneliness of it.” This student has basically understood the meaning of Utopia, and reflected on the modern social issues exposed in this literary work.

©  历史与地理知识结合

© The students independently complete each piece of these works under the guidance of the teacher.

©  Works from the reading program

© Geography works

© A chocolate factory by a sixth grader