unreasonable school project?

A pineapple, mango and a brick! I feel I've got off lightly.
I just find these types of projects pointless. I'd rather children learned to play properly in the playground or in sports than 'liaise'
I had to make an apron at school and embroider it when I was 11. I didn't sew again until I was 18, and not because I'd made an apron.
I don't want children to do the 3 Rs all the time, but I wish the tasks were a bit more age appropriate and didn't put so much of the onus on parents.
Have looked on Pinterest and got an idea from there, but a 5 year old isn't capable of that.

The problem with this sort of task is that you will get a few mums who spend a lot of money and make wonderful creations. When it should be the case of a little boy or girl hunting around for something he "could" make something to wear and joining it together in any way he/she can. Draw a picture of it, and wear it at a "fashion show".

Pillow slips, tea towels, dad's old jumper with the sleeves cut off etc etc.

Yes, exactly that.
It really infuriates me.
I have no other family to take over these projects, so it ends up as another chore for me.

It is like a competition for mums!!!

The point is that it ends up being an adult that does all of the planning and most of the making of these things.
It really gets my goat!

I agree with Greenfinch this is not a suitable project for a five year old.

As nannagem says, pillowcase dresses are the way to go.
Or what about mittens? Draw around her hand to make a pattern, add a seam allowance. This would require sewing, but not much.
Or what about cutting the legs off an old pair of her tights, staple or glue them together at the cut off edge and model as a tie belt. O.K. these will not win any prizes, but shouldn't cause any tears either.

I would have felt like you anxiousgran.
Until I got three-quarters of the way through your post, I assumed your DGD was doing GCSE in fashion design

I’m not sure what these projects tell the school about the children who have to do them, apart from who has the most imaginative and resourceful extended family.
And how are the children who don’t have imaginative and resourceful families made to feel, I wonder.

This is ridiculous.A project that cannot be done by the child is nonsense and if it is done by an adult it is worthless and dishonest. I would send a letter to whoever sent it explaining the impossibility of doing the task and take it from there.

I'm not surprised you couldn't sleep, anxiousgran, neither would I !
I think the whole thing is more than a bit much for 5 year olds, it's bordering on the impossible as well as insane.

Oh and ment to say, you could use stick on Velcro for seams perhaps

My children did similar projects. I would suggest you confirm that they expected to make from scratch. Mine where 5/6 years old , my daughter made a sundress with a pillow slip, lots of ideas on pininterest for these.

I have heard of projects using scrap, carrier bag dresses etc.

My grandson had homework a couple of weeks ago which required a mango, a pineapple, a brick and all sorts of other things which we didn't have. (A list of about 20 things, in all)
Then he was supposed to liaise with other 'groups' who were doing the same project and report back.