From Paper Crests to Wooden Symbols: A Grade 2 Human Rights Project

We recently wrapped up a fun Grade 2 hands-on project for the end of Module 1, The Wide World of Schools. In this unit, students learn about human rights in communities and explore the purpose and importance of access to education.

A teacher came to me with a challenge and said, “Mark, how can we redesign this performance task into something more STEM-related and hands-on?”

In the new EL curriculum, students usually create paper class crests using pre-designed symbols to represent their values. It’s a meaningful task, but we saw an opportunity to take it a step further to integrate digital design and making.

Our idea was simple: have students use Canva to design vibrant, personal crests that capture their class values and ideas. I scaffolded it for Grade 2 students and gave them a template to start with. Once the designs were done, we printed and cut them out, then laser-cut wooden crest bases for each student. The final step was assembling and sealing them with Mod Podge for a polished finish.

The result was beautiful. Each student created a unique wooden crest, a tactile symbol of their learning and their pledge to make the most of their school experience. The kids loved it, not only because it was creative and hands-on, but because they saw their digital designs come to life in a lasting form.

This small redesign turned a traditional paper project into a multimodal learning experience that combined digital design, craftsmanship, and reflection on human rights and values.

It also showed how we can amplify standard curriculum tasks with a bit of making and imagination. The content didn’t change. Students still wrote their class pledges and reflected on what education means to them, but the medium and process elevated their engagement and ownership.

Sometimes innovation in the classroom isn’t about adding complexity. It’s about finding simple ways to make learning tangible, creative, and meaningful.