Taking from Michael’s slides, take an element of the academic content you expect to teach and describe how you might create a project-based assignment to optimize student learning on that topic.
In the field of history/government, I could have my students (in their groups) to work together to creat a fictional country and they would have to create the laws to guide it and do research on different legal systems. They could form a constitution and such. They could also work on smaller details such as prisons, public works, regulations, and types of governments. Each student would have their own responsibilities along with group responsibilities. It could culminate in a term paper over their project and presentations to compare what other groups came up with.
When I think of project-based learning, I think back to this really awesome project I had in an English class in either junior high or high school - students were able to pick a "conspiracy theory", research it and then present on it. I think that this could very easily made into a PBL project, with artifacts and making something physical to support your findings. Also, there isn't really a "right" answer to something like a conspiracy theory, so the basis of a good project would be the strength of your research and argument, not a yes/no or right/wrong answer.
In a 7th grade "Touch Data Entry" class (basically intro to Business Information Management) I would assign a project where the students have to research (through the internet) about a state that was assigned to them and create a powerpoint presentation that they will present in front of the class. Not only do they get to apply the things they have learned so far (typing, research, word, powerpoint) but they would cross disciplines and reinforce some of their geography and history lessons.
In Head Start-- with preschoolers I could use project based learning with any lesson I teach that I see the children have a great interest in-- say I was reading the book "The Carrot Seed" and planned on just planting the carrots and student learning what plants need to grow- soil, water, cared for and sunlight. Once I saw the children had great interest in the book and subject I would read the book again and pass around carrot seeds and green bean seeds --we could compare the size of carrot seeds to the green bean seeds. (Carrot seeds are much smaller) Ask children if they think the seed will grow- make a graph and have the children make prediction if the plant will grow or not. Then we could measure and talk about the carrot seeds we are growing at school. Then I could send home the items needed to grow carrot seeds and the children could grow the seeds at home and get parents involved. Later, I would have a family day where the children bring in the plants and present their plants to the classroom. On that day I would also have a cooking lesson where we read the book again with the parents and make carrot salad for the parents and children to eat that day—we could also have families sent in their own recipes that include carrots and make those recipes. (I would buy the items and we could make a few different recipes that day and taste all of them.)
In the field of history/government, I could have my students (in their groups) to work together to creat a fictional country and they would have to create the laws to guide it and do research on different legal systems. They could form a constitution and such. They could also work on smaller details such as prisons, public works, regulations, and types of governments. Each student would have their own responsibilities along with group responsibilities. It could culminate in a term paper over their project and presentations to compare what other groups came up with.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of project-based learning, I think back to this really awesome project I had in an English class in either junior high or high school - students were able to pick a "conspiracy theory", research it and then present on it. I think that this could very easily made into a PBL project, with artifacts and making something physical to support your findings. Also, there isn't really a "right" answer to something like a conspiracy theory, so the basis of a good project would be the strength of your research and argument, not a yes/no or right/wrong answer.
ReplyDeleteIn a 7th grade "Touch Data Entry" class (basically intro to Business Information Management) I would assign a project where the students have to research (through the internet) about a state that was assigned to them and create a powerpoint presentation that they will present in front of the class. Not only do they get to apply the things they have learned so far (typing, research, word, powerpoint) but they would cross disciplines and reinforce some of their geography and history lessons.
ReplyDeleteIn Head Start-- with preschoolers I could use project based learning with any lesson I teach that I see the children have a great interest in-- say I was reading the book "The Carrot Seed" and planned on just planting the carrots and student learning what plants need to grow- soil, water, cared for and sunlight.
ReplyDeleteOnce I saw the children had great interest in the book and subject I would read the book again and pass around carrot seeds and green bean seeds --we could compare the size of carrot seeds to the green bean seeds. (Carrot seeds are much smaller) Ask children if they think the seed will grow- make a graph and have the children make prediction if the plant will grow or not. Then we could measure and talk about the carrot seeds we are growing at school. Then I could send home the items needed to grow carrot seeds and the children could grow the seeds at home and get parents involved. Later, I would have a family day where the children bring in the plants and present their plants to the classroom. On that day I would also have a cooking lesson where we read the book again with the parents and make carrot salad for the parents and children to eat that day—we could also have families sent in their own recipes that include carrots and make those recipes. (I would buy the items and we could make a few different recipes that day and taste all of them.)