Project Based LearningProject Based Learning provides students with the opportunity to learn in real worl, collaborative, and reflective situations. The teacher's focus moves away from daily activities to preparation for units and guidance along the way. It places more of the responsibility for direction in the hands of groups of students, but still requires predetermined structure (more with middle school,less with high school).
Project Based Learning has students work on authentic projects that teach the skills TEKS and research TEKS while addressing the content TEKS. These types of projects are instead of most traditional methods rather than "in addition to". Traditional methods such as lecturing and discussion are almost always woven into a project based learning. A Project Based Learning assignment must include a clear goal based on standards, research, and a detailed rubric flexible enough to address to allow group creativity in their solution |
Courtesy of Common Craft
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PBL ResourcesPBL-Online: General resources for those designing PBL's supported by the Buck Institute and Lucas Foundation.
Buck Institute: The site of the Buck Institute which encourages discussion and learning around project based learning and 21st Century Learning. Edutopia: This is Edutopias page on project based learning offering examples and strategies. PBL Explanation Video: This is a Common Craft video explaining the concept of PBL. This is a great way to introduce PBL to staff and students. |
PBL Advice1. Start small. Many of the examples, especially those shown by the Buck Institute, involve huge community involved projects that include sculptures, beaches, etc. Start with something you can manage within your own classroom over a couple of weeks.
2. Get parents onboard. Explain the difference in teaching and learning, and ensure that the rubric allows for individual grading even if it's a group project. Make it very clear that the students will receive a grade based on their individual work on the project. 3. Plan several periodic checks throughout the project to ensure students are on the right track and are being productive. At least one a week. They can come in the form of quizzes, research organizers, plans, or rough drafts. 4.More tips for success (as I think of them) here.(Coming Soon) |
Project Based Learning Ideas
Generally my ideas center around Social Studies, sorry everyone else. If I come up with a LA,Science, or Math idea, I will post.
US History1. Generally a good idea for any unit is to find a controversy or problem to be solved within the time period and have the students come up with a solution. This requires students to research the probem, history's solutions, and expected outcomes of their solution. Students could also be asked to decide who in history would support their solution or how they would persuade the most significant individuals to their solution.
2. Another general PBL idea is to have students create an educational website that covers the teaching standards for the unit. They will be required to research the content they need to teach and then decide the best ways to teach them. I've done this in a middle school to great success. The TEKS were covered and students used animation, videos, acrostics, anagrams, songs, cartoons, and graphic organizers to teach the content and skills. 3. Pick a time period/decade and have students create a digital archive of primary sources for the period. You can break up students by topic or by primary source and then have them collect everything they can on the important events of the time period. There are plenty of free website creators that would allow every member to contribute and add. the students would need to provide summary context to the source and the analysis of their importance. You'd need about 2 weeks for this and total access to a computer lab and newspaper archives. |
World History1. Generally a good idea for any unit is to find a controversy or problem to be solved within the time period and have the students come up with a solution. This requires students to research the probem, history's solutions, and expected outcomes of their solution. Students could also be asked to decide who in history would support their solution or how they would persuade the most significant individuals to their solution.
2. Another general PBL idea is to have students create an educational website that covers the teaching standards for the unit. They will be required to research the content they need to teach and then decide the best ways to teach them. I've done this in a middle school to great success. The TEKS were covered and students used animation, videos, acrostics, anagrams, songs, cartoons, and graphic organizers to teach the content and skills. |
Gov/Econ1. What would be the best way to elect the President? Students research the current system and design their own system based on prediscussed goals. Elected representatives could be brought in to judge.
2. What makes a successful business? Have students create interviews for local business leaders that build around economic concepts discussed in class. Local business leaders would be involved in the interviews, teachnology would be involved to create a class website offering business tips gleamed from the interviews, and leaders from the Chamber of Commerce could be involved in connecting to business leaders and promoting the project. |
