Eclectic Technology

If you are considering project-based learning, but have questions about just what to do, this post may assist you. There are many suggestions about practical PBL projects that are appropriate for students in grades K - 5.

The post also includes a quick overview of the stops in PBL as well as a list of read-aloud books that may inspire students to ways they might create a project that will help their community. You will also find a list of ten ideas for projects and three other sections:

* Inspire Projects with Hand to Heart/Paw/Earth

* Teach Students to Ask Questions/Research Across Texts

* Try Ready-Made Books and Projects with Heifer

Project-based learning provides authentic learning opportunities for students to be highly engaged and to focus on the four C's that the Partnership for 21st Century and Common Core would like us to address: Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking and Creativity.

Gorman begins this post by providing a definition of Project Based Learning that looks at the final project as the "desert." He states "In true Project Based Learning the project uncovers and facilitates the learning of significant content. In PBL there is a balancing of learning that occurs through out the project duration."

He discussed PBL in relation to the four C's (Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, and Creativity) noting that often PBL becomes too focused on the four C's. There is also the need to make sure that there is sufficient scaffolding for the learners. To assist in learning how to plan there is list of ten ideas that may be considered in the planning process and the first three are listed below (quoted from the post):

* The entry event should show a relationship to the Driving Question promoting a “need to know” of significant content.

* The Driving Question should allow students to uncover the curriculum in a student friendly and understandable manner.

* The PBL planning sheet for students should line up with significant content in the curricular area being studied and assessed.

Gorman has also provided a link to a  PBL Planning Reflection Sheet.