Note: These portfolios include some unadapted portfolios from the US database of portfolios. As adaptive practitoners, South African teachers should be able to localise these to their own needs.
Biomes: Action for a Healthy Planet (US-adapted)
Customary Male Initiation (SA)
Designer Genes: One Size Fits All? (US-adapted)
Famine (US-adapted)
Help Wanted: Physicist (US-adapted)
Hazardous Highways (US-adapted)
HIV/AIDS (SA)
Internet Safety (SA)
It IS Rocket Science (SA)
Lights, Camera, Reaction! (US-adapted)
People and Parks (SA)
The Silk of Our Lives (US-adapted)
Top the Tesla (SA)
Using Electricity on the Job (US-adapted)
Biomes: Action for a Healthy Planet
Grade: 9-10, General / Physical Science
Learner activists explore the biomes of the world and develop a campaign to increase public awareness to assure protection of biome health.
- Learner Sample
- Learner Support
- Assessment
- Facilitation
Grade: 10-12 Life Orientation, Language, Computer Applications Technology
Learners investigate customary male initiation and make decisions whether it is a good practice or not considering constitutional issues of human rights.
- Learner Sample
- Learner Support
- Assessment
- Facilitation
Designer Genes: One Size Fits All?
Grade: 10, Life Science
Learner genetics experts help farmers in a blight-stricken region decide whether to use genetically engineered corn.
- Learner Sample
- Assessment
- Facilitation
Grade 9-12, Social Sciences
Famine is a human tragedy that shreds the lives of millions of people around the world each day. Learners take on different real life roles to identify ways to address current relief needs and to propose recommendations for reducing famine in the world.
- Learner Sample
- Learner Support
- Assessment
- Facilitation
Grade: 11-12, Physical Science
Lobby Congress! Influence policy! Learner teams for special interests lobby various groups in order to investigate and weigh the outcomes from modern physics research. Topics learners study may include plasma physics, fusion, superconductivity, lasers, optical engineering, condensed matter, quantum teleportation, and biophysics.
- Learner Sample
- Learner Support
- Assessment
- Facilitation
Grade 10-12: Language
Learners engage in classifying and problem solving activities in order to create an HIV/AIDS awareness campaign geared for a specific audience and context.\
- Learner Sample
- Learner Support
- Assessment Tools
- Facilitation
Grade 11: Computer Applications Technology (CAT)
Learners classify Internet usage at the school; analyse the potential legal, ethical, and safety issues involved; and argue for revisions to the school ’s ICT policies.
- Learner Sample
- Learner Support
- Assessment Tools
- Facilitation
Grade 10 Mathematics
For their Expo project John and Mlungisi built and experimented with rockets, but they need help in determining how high their rocket went so that they can work out its average speed.
- Learner Sample
- Learner Support
- Assessment
- Facilitation
Grade: 9-10, Physical Science
Lights, Camera, Reaction! In a high school chemistry class, learner film moguls have been hired to produce a video masterpiece featuring classic compounds whose chemistry lights up the screen!
- Learner Sample
- Learner Support
- Assessment
- Facilitation
Grade 11: Geography
Learners examine issues arising from land use conflicts between local indigenous communities and bordering conservation areas and National Parks. They review relevant information, make informed appraisals of situations, and offer solutions to resolve the conflicts.
- Learner Sample
- Learner Support
- Assessment
- Facilitation
Grade: 11-12, Physical Science
To solve physics puzzles presented by linear motion, learners learn about motion by working with challenging physics problems. Learners use spreadsheet software to analyze and represent data from a physics problem and then present their physics findings to their peers by creating a brochure. To seek community input about local traffic hazards, learners then produce a survey or blog and post it on a site. Armed with this community data and their own research, learner groups take on the role of members of a highway safety advocacy group. Their task is to create and deliver a slideshow presentation to the city planners proposing changes to a dangerous section of road or intersection.
- Learner Sample
- Learner Support
- Assessment
- Facilitation
Grade: 9-12, Arts and Culture, Social Sciences
In this project, learners create painted silk scarves that reflect the culture and traditional art of a country or area. They write research papers and prepare slideshow presentation proposals for a fabric art exhibit to include the painted scarves in the upcoming World’s Fair.
- Learner Sample
- Learner Support
- Assessment
- Facilitation
- Instructions
- Watching Them Blossom article
Grade 10: Physical Science
Learners compare the features of two cars to make an evaluation of which car is more “environmentally friendly.” They communicate the results of their analysis and evaluation in a PowerPoint presentation.
- Learner Sample
- Learner Support Materials
- Facilitation
- Assessment Tools
Grades: 9-12, General / Physical Science
ESCOM wants to collaborate with the class to develop positive publicity materials that promote and educate others about careers involving electricity. Learners create presentations, brochures, and Web sites for use with adults and/or children that answer the questions, Why is electricity important? and What jobs use the concepts of electricity in significant ways?
- Learner Support
- Assessment
- Facilitation
