Project Based Learning - Adapting the Modules for the 21st Century Learner

Black River Elementary

Carthage Central School District

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Driving Question

How can educators begin applying attributes of Project Based Learning to ELA module instruction in a way

that enhances the 21st Century Learning Skills and scaffolds for

struggling learners in ELA?

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What do you need to know?

With a partner, discuss the following for three (3) minutes. Be prepared to share one (1) of your questions.

What information do you need to know or know how to do to answer the Driving Question (DQ)?

DQ: How can educators begin applying attributes of Project Based Learning to ELA module instruction in a way that enhances the 21st Century Learning Skills and scaffolds for struggling learners in ELA?

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Why is the driving question important?

A good Driving Question helps the educator drive learners to ask the kinds of questions that will lead into the planned instruction.

It also helps the educator to anticipate the questions that learners will ask.

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Need to Know:

• What is Project Based Learning (PBL), exactly?

• How can I use aspects of PBL with the modules?

• How does this work for struggling learners?

• What are some of the benefits (and challenges) associated with PBL?

• How do I start? What resources are available?

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What is Project Based Learning?

The 8 Essentials of PBL:

1.Significant Content

2.Need to Know

3.Driving Question

4.Student Voice and Choice

5.21st Century Skills

6.In-Depth Inquiry

7.Critique and Revision

8.Public Audience

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Article Source: The 8 Essentials of Project Based Learning http://bie.org/object/document/8_essentials_for_project_based_learning

8 Essentials of PBL

1. Significant Content: “plan a project to focus on knowledge and concepts derived from the standards…students should find the content significant in terms of their own lives and interests.”

2. Need to Know: “teachers can powerfully activate students’ need to know content by launching a project with an “entry event” that engages student interest and initiates questioning.”

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Significant content combined with a need to know can take a ho-hum project to the next level.

8 Essentials of PBL

3. Driving Question: “a good driving question captures the heart of the project in clear, compelling language, which gives students a sense of purpose and challenge.”

4. Student Voice and Choice: “In terms of making a project feel meaningful to students, the more voice and choice, the better. However, teachers should design projects with the extent of student choice that fits their own style and students.”

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8 Essentials of PBL

5. 21st Century Skills: “a project should give students the opportunities to build such 21st century skills as collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and the use of technology”

6. In-Depth Inquiry: “In real inquiry, students follow a trail that begins with their own questions, leads to a search for resources and the discovery of answers, which ultimately leads to generating new questions, testing ideas, and drawing their own conclusions.”

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8 Essentials of PBL

7. Critique and Revision: “formalizing a process for feedback and revision during a project makes learning meaningful because it emphasizes that creating high-quality products and performances is an important purpose of the endeavor.”

8. Public Audience: “When students present their work to a real audience, they care more about its quality.”

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Public Audience

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How can I use aspects of PBL with the modules?

What do we think about when planning a PBL curriculum around the modules?

What are you trying to integrate to make the most of your curriculum?

How much do you want/need to change in the modules?

Where can you look in the module for ideas?

What are your driving and guiding questions?

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Extension Activities from Grade 4 Module 2B, Unit 3

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Driving Question & Entry Event for the “Zoologist Mission”, an integration of Grade 4,

ELA Module 2B and Science Curriculum

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Implementing the Modules with PBL

What do we look at when planning a PBL curriculum around the modules?

Standards Protocols Texts /text complexity Assessments and Rigor

Significant content Giving them the drive and desire to answer the driving question.

Work together within a small group (instructional grouping)

Grouping students for each projectAccordingly

Social skills are developed Having small groups and using their social skills

Work independently on projects There are chances for students to show what they know independently.

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How does this work for struggling learners?

Work that the students were not accustomed to in the beginning.

This requires frontloading and flexibility on the part of the teacher to anticipate student needs and IEP goals.

Higher level of thinking Guiding students to think beyond their understanding.

More emphasis on student contribution than teacher contribution.

Allowing students to problem solve and become less dependent on the teacher.

Students take ownership of their learning.

Allowing students to work on their PBL’s without extra assistance

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How does this work for struggling learners?

How does this work for struggling learners?

• Scaffolds and Modifications Builds stronger reading and writing skills

• Reading groups support the skills being used in the projects so that instruction and skill building mirrors the learning targets of the project.

• Writing supports mimic the final project task without making students feel like they are repeating the task or themselves.

Scaffolds are based on student needs in the moment. Scaffolds are tailored to individual student needs, including student IEP goals.

This requires frontloading and flexibility on the part of the teacher to anticipate student needs.

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SDI Lesson Plan

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Guiding Question

What are the benefits and challenges

of implementing

Project Based Learning?

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Benefit - Focus on Final Project

Mod. Module Assessment PBL Assessment

1A

1B

2A

2B

3A

3B

4A

Class Quilt /Paragraph

Poetry Rdg. / Biographical Essay

Historical Narrative

Animal Defense Narrative

Simple Machine Editorial

Broadside by Loyalist

PSA on Voting

Position Paper for a DebateOnline Haudensaunee Museum

Author a Book of Poems

Documentary on Colonial Culture

Trifold Presentation/ Zoo Fund Raiser

Build Wind Turbine / Essay

Write Newspaper on American Revolution

Letter to Senator on Columbus Day

Create Crayfish Habitat

Local Field Guide

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Benefits of PBL

Benefits of PBL

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Benefits of PBL

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Benefits of PBL

• Students more ENGAGED

• More student centered

• Relevant to real world experiences

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Benefits of PBL

• Develops 21st Century skills

Collaboration, Creativity, Communication, Critical Thinking

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Benefits of PBL

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• Students learn the scientific method (STEM)

• Plants the seed for future college and career options

http://www.ed.gov/stem

Challenges of PBL

• Takes extra work to adapt modules

• A challenge to monitor independent group work with only one teacher

• It takes time and patience while students are learning the procedures

• Most students are not used to working independently or cooperatively

• Product and/or Demonstration style of assessment

• Shift in control

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Why PBL?

“We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist . . . using technologies that haven’t been invented . . . in order to solve problems we don’t even know are problems yet.”

Shift Happens

by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod

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Before deciding to begin doing PBL, ask yourself these questions:

• Do I have administrative support?• How can I cover all the necessary standards and

content for the integrated subjects?• Do I have funding for additional materials and

supplies?• Can my schedule accommodate this?• Am I prepared to do the front-loading necessary

to create projects?• Will I work on this with a team or individually?• How big of a change do I want to make?

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How do I get started?

• Get training! Check with your local BOCES PBL NY Conference

• Information on Conference and PBL overview

• http://www.ocmboces.org/teacherpage.cfm?teacher=1536

• Get more information! The Buck Institute for Education: PBL

• http://bie.org/

• See examples for project ideas! Expeditionary Learning: Center for Student Work

• http://centerforstudentwork.elschools.org/

Project Look Sharp• www.projectlooksharp.org

• See our student impressions of PBL and project summary! http://www.carthagecsd.org/blackRiver.cfm?subpage=14220

How do I get started?

Once you’ve been trained…

Start brainstorming!

1. Decide what standards you want to cover.

2. Decide what you want your final product to be.

3. Come up with a driving question.

4. Determine what assessments you will use.

5. Plan your lessons and activities.

6. Determine how you will scaffold for struggling students.

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