The Life Collage "Bag Project"

My mentor, friend, college, and now MN State FACS representative Max Peterson taught me my absolute favorite FACS classroom project!

The goal of this life collage project is for students to learn more about themselves and their classmates to improve their overall interpersonal relationships skills. In essence, each student makes a photo collage of their life and displays it on a brown paper bag. Each side of the bag represents some part of their life.

Supplies needed:

1 large brown paper bag

Glue

Scissors

Magazine, photos, paper, markers, etc.

Directions - Students must cut out pics from magazines, print them off-line, or copy them from family albums, for multiple areas of their lives. Drawing or writing them is also acceptable if done neatly.

On one front side of the bag, paste (or draw) pictures that describe who you are now.  What do you like?  What is important to you?  What decisions have you made recently?  What people, activities, events, and hobbies come to mind with these questions? 

On one side of the bag paste words that follow the guidelines above.  Words have a great impact in describing who you are and what you feel.  Think deeply! 

On the other front of the bag paste pictures that describe what you hope to be.  What are your dreams, goals, and career interests, which you have?  Think of your life in ten to fifteen+ years from now.  What do you want to do?  Where do you want to live?  What will be important for you to do in your spare time?  What kind of family life will you have then (age mid 20’s to early ’30s).  What will be your needs and wants?  How much money do you think you’ll make for the career you have in mind? 

On the last side of the bag use words or pictures to describe the type of person that you see yourself in a long-term relationship.  What qualities or personality traits would they possess?  What values and morals are important for them to bring to your relationship?  What activities/hobbies do you wish they would share with you?   

On the bottom of the bag use words or pictures to describe the things, qualities, and ideas that you dislike or don’t find appealing.  What upsets, frustrates, or angers you?  Do certain people, topics, or even food items come to mind? 

On the inside of the bag have a few pictures or words that represent things people may not know about you or life events that you have been through that were difficult.  These items have made you the person you are today and are very much a reason why you are who you are.

I used to just do several days of presentations, but they tend to be really heavy and hard days so now I do them on Fridays throughout the semester until they are all done. 

To set this up I have them draw a number on one of the in-class work days- this is their presentation order. Then on the due date, I check each bag and give them a score based on completion. f that is a low score I allow them to add more so they don’t lose tons of points when they present. I offer extra points for volunteers to go first and second. The kids now look really forward to Fridays and bag presentations, and it's fun to watch them keep track of the presentation order. I store their bags in a laundry basket in my room until they present and after they present I display their bags for the remainder of the semester on the tops of my classroom cabinets. So many of my co-works and even other students ask about the bags and think they are so cool!

During presentations, to keep everyone accountable I do 2 very important things:

1. I have them take notes on every single presentation. I give them 3 note options in a large packet and eventually, the notes end up inside the appropriate bags so kids can see what their classmates got out of their hard work!

2. I have them take turns passing around a grading clipboard. I have one student in addition to me grade each bag presentation and I average the 2 scores. On the clipboard I include post-it notes so they can write their name - this way the student who presented does not necessarily know who it was, I do in case I have questions. I also ask Paras to help grade if I have one in the room. 

Assignment Materials/Instructions