Halloween has come and gone, and everyone at Parkland found their own unique way to celebrate. Mrs. Slotter’s AP World History students commemorated the holiday with a project unlike any other; they depicted historical events and major figures in their curriculum as pumpkins! The pumpkins span all the way from displaying the harsh realities of child labor to celebrating the beautiful artistic culture of foreign states.
Not only were these AP students able to receive extra credit for their project, a rare opportunity that is nearly impossible to pass up. “The adjustment to AP World can be a tough one, so I always try to offer some extra credit throughout the year, but I want it to be meaningful, not ‘busy work’,” claims Mrs. Slotter. In addition to earning up to a 2% boost to their first marking period grade, students were also presented with a magnificent learning opportunity. Mrs. Slotter originally came across the idea for this project as a paper assignment, but she favored the idea of using artificial pumpkins to create a 3-D, creative experience. Mrs. Slotter elaborates, “I also kind of see it as a practice in problem-solving. Drawing, painting, and designing on a pumpkin; so it forces kids to problem-solve a bit and figure out the best way to get their idea presented.”
Numerous students had an extremely positive experience while creating their pumpkin. For example, Dhruvika Aryasomayajula (11) used the idea of stacking two pumpkins to portray King Louis XVI, the king of France who was beheaded during the French Revolution. “It was a really fun way to relax but also learn about some really important historical figures that we will learn about,” says Aryasomayajula. There were even a few students who created pumpkins about a historical person/event that they had a personal tie to, according to Mrs. Slotter!
Overall, Parkland’s AP World History students got to participate in Mrs. Slotter’s seasonal tradition of celebrating Halloween and history all at once through this special extra credit project.
