Four-Year Time Capsule Project
Middle School Students Send Letters and Mementoes to the Future
May 23, 2008
A grand tradition at a rural middle school in Ohio is the senior packet, which is a four-year time capsule. Eighth grade students write a letter to themselves. In addition, the manila envelope can be stuffed with anything that is legal, anything that will fit in the packet and anything that will not rot.
Decorate Manila Envelope for Future Memories
Each student should be given a manila envelope large enough to hold regular printer paper. The envelopes should have their full names and current address on the front. Most students like to decorate the envelopes with markers and stickers. The school will need to dedicate a space to store these packets for four years. Also, teachers at the high school need to hand out the packets to the students right before graduation.
Students Write Letters to Read When They Are Seniors in High School
Most teachers assign their language arts classes to practice letter writing. This letter will actually go to someone they know -- themselves. Teachers can teach the modified block or even the block style of letter writing. Teachers should tell students to include a date, salutation, introduction, body, conclusion, closing and signature. For the senior packet assignment, this letter is the one item that must be in the envelope. Most students include more items.
The letter needs to tell about the student and can include the following information:
- Family members
- Friends
- Favorites: foods, restaurants, hangouts, colors, classes, teachers, Internet sites, pop culture of the moment, etc.
- Books they read
- Clothing styles of the moment
- Music that is popular
- News at the moment
- Boyfriends/girlfriends
- Extra curricular: sports, clubs, etc.
- Popular television shows
- Current movies
Other Items to Be Included in Senior Packet Time Capsules
A few students will not include anything more than the letter in this packet. However, the vast majority will include other items, such as the following:
- Letters from friends
- Letters from grandparents, parents, or other relatives
- Cards
- Photos
- Awards
- Poems
- Short stories they have written
- Ticket stubs
- Mementos from dances or events
- School schedules
- School newspapers
- Newspaper clippings
- Invitations
- Magazine articles
Teachers Organize Senior Packets for Future Viewing
The best way to organize multiple classes is to find two large boxes. Ask students to help arrange all of the envelopes in alphabetical order. Many students like to place letters in the envelopes of their friends. If the boxes are in a central location in the room, students can place letters in the manila envelopes by searching alphabetically.
The boxes should be packet alphabetically with information on the outside with the eighth grade teacher's name and year.
The senior packet is a huge tradition that eighth grade students look forward to each year. Seniors enjoy receiving the manila envelops and laugh at what they wrote when they were eighth graders. This tradition could easily be replicated in any school.
Other relevant articles: Suite 101 Middle/high School
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