How do you commemorate the life and legacy of an important individual? Students in Nate Byrk’s social studies class at Cuyahoga Heights Middle School learned that one option is to build a monument. And using household items, such as cardboard, tape, glue, paper cups, tinfoil, and other materials, that’s exactly what they did.
“We studied about King Asoka who reigned from the Mauryan Empire in ancient India around 200 BC. Early in his reign, King Asoka conquered Kalinga and began to reflect on the suffering he had caused,” said Byrk. “This led him to adopt nonviolence, which was a key tenet of Buddhism. Instead of ruling through force, Asoka ruled through dharma or moral law.”
As a culminating activity of the unit, Byrk challenged the students to build a monument to Asoka representing the ancient ruler’s life. “We looked at other monuments, such as the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., and learned what each stood for,” Byrk explained. “We talked about three principles of Asoka’s rule.” These included the belief that one should not hurt any living thing; tolerance and respect for different beliefs or customs; and making his empire a better place to live. Each monument was to be accompanied by a plaque identifying Asoka and his ideals.
The students divided into groups and spent about a week in class and at home erecting a suitable edifice. At the completion of the project, the team of teachers and high school students judged the monuments and teams were awarded first, second, and third place, as well as two honorable mentions.
“I am beyond impressed with the students’ ability to take their knowledge of the content and apply it to a creative task. These students engaged in critical thinking and worked collaboratively on their way to success,” remarked Byrk.
The winners were as follows:
Caption 1: 1st Place: War and Peace Statue by Emma Gasper, Laila Lengyel, and Cailey Sane.
Caption 2: 2nd Place: King Monument by Julia Havlin, Sophia Meklemburg, and James Henley.
Caption 3: 3rd Place: Monument of Virtues by Sophia Jackson, Charles Nichols, Josephine Ratkosky, and Avi Friedt.
Caption 4: Honorable Mention: Peace and War by Madeline Perconti, Nolan Juhnke, and Connie Chen.
Caption 5: Honorable Mention: King of Non-Violence by Addison Deka, Lorielle Hodges, Harper Deal, and Joey Novak.