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8 Essentials for Project-Based Learning

8 Essentials for Project-Based Learning

Free Resources and Tools for "Authentic" Assessment New York's School of the Future shares their assessment plans and rubrics, classroom projects, schedules, web links, and other resources to help you implement "authentic" assessment today. The current faculty and administrators have worked closely on a host of innovations in assessment and curriculum planning over several years. The keys, they say, are trust, transparency, and collaboration -- and providing the professional development and training teachers need to succeed. Credit: Tom LeGoff Note: The School of the Future is part of a network of New York schools that develops and uses its own assessment techniques, referred to as DYOs. Ideas for moving curriculum into a circular pattern and tracking performance to expose students to a wide variety of topics over and over again as the material gets more challenging Lesson planning guides, date-driven decision making tools, discussion protocols, and teacher observation forms What do you think of Schools that Work?

50 Really Cool Online Tools for Science Teachers A 21st-century education revolves around the Internet for everything from collaboration, tools, lessons, and even earning degrees online. If you are looking for ways to integrate online learning into your science class or science degree programs, then take a look at these cool online tools that are just perfect for both teachers and students. Science Tools to Use with Students These tools offer opportunities for learning about climate, cells, the human body, nature, and more. ChemiCool. AP Tools Whether you are setting up a new AP curriculum or are just looking for additional material to use with your AP science students, these tools will help. Advanced Placement Biology. Websites and Resources for Science Teachers These websites are chock full of amazing resources and tools for science teachers. Discovery Education. Calculators Use these informative environmental calculators with your students. Ecological Footprint Quiz. Online Games Online Science Games. Google Earth Google Earth Ocean.

Criteria for Effective Assessment in Project-Based Learning One of the greatest potentials for PBL is that it calls for authentic assessment. In a well-designed PBL project, the culminating product is presented publicly for a real audience. PBL is also standards-based pedagogy. Oftentimes when I consult and coach teachers in PBL, they ask about the assessment of standards. With the pressures of high stakes testing and traditional assessments, teachers and administrators need to make sure they accurately design projects that target the standards they need students to know and be able to do. In addition, teachers need to make sure they are continually assessing throughout a PBL project to ensure their students are getting the content knowledge and skills that they need to complete the project. When designing, use R.A.F.T. as a way to ensure an Authentic Culminating Product R.A.F.T is great teaching strategy that many teachers use in activity-based lessons and assignments. Target Select Power Standards We know that learning is not segmented.

Substitute Teaching: Tips, Tricks, Ideas, Suggestions, and Methods for Substitute Teachers Have a collection of tests/quizzes in your packet. Here are Internet addresses of some tests/quizzes, found by doing a search in the Internet for "test of knowledge" or "quiz": Challenge the class with a puzzler. Here are some examples, taken from Lateral Thinking Puzzlers by Paul Sloane, New York: Sterling Publishing Company, 1991. Don't give away the answer until the end of the day! Brain stretchers and mind benders can be found in books published by Critical Thinking Press and Software (800-458-4849 or ct@criticalthinking.com or and NL Associates (Stories With Holes - NL Associates, PO Box 1199, Hightstown, NJ 08520), as well. Prepare word search puzzles for use with one or more students. Another suggestion: "Something I do as a substitute teacher in the last few minutes of a class period when the class is getting restless is play "Do What I Say, Not What I Do." Still another suggestion: "A game that I use if we run out of work is called ABC. 1.

Tips for Using Project-Based Learning to Teach Math Standards Editor's Note: Andrew Miller is a consultant for the Buck Institute for Education, an organization that specializes in project-based curriculum. He also creates curriculum and instruction at Giant Campus, which seeks to create 21st century learners using PBL in an online environment. Let's be honest. Designing PBL for Math can be a different beast. With the pressure of high-stakes testing and a packed curriculum, I often coach teachers who are nervous about giving time to a robust PBL project. In addition, because of the plethora of math standards, it can be difficult to choose the right learning target(s) for the project. Reframe the term "Real Life" Math Many standards include the idea of applying math to real life. Solve real-life and mathematical problems using numerical and algebraic expressions and equations. 3. 4. There are many more standards like this throughout the Common Core that related to "real life" math. Pick or Make the Appropriate Time

Bloomin' Apps This page gathers all of the Bloomin' Apps projects in one place.Each image has clickable hotspots and includes suggestions for iPad, Android, Google and online tools and applications to support each of the levels of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy.I have created a page to allow you to share your favorite online tool, iOS, or Android app with others. Cogs of the Cognitive Processes I began to think about the triangular shape of Bloom's Taxonomy and realized I thought of it a bit differently.Since the cognitive processes are meant to be used when necessary, and any learner goes in and out of the each level as they acquire new content and turn it into knowledge, I created a different type of image that showcased my thoughts about Bloom's more meaningfully.Here is my visual which showcases the interlocking nature of the cognitive processes or, simply, the "Cogs of the Cognitive Processes". IPAD APPS TO SUPPORT BLOOM'S REVISED TAXONOMYassembled by Kathy Schrock​ Bloom's and SAMR: My thoughts

PBL and Standardized Tests? It Can Work! It's never too late to address this subject. Yes, many of us are gearing down from (or gearing up for) the epic standardized testing season, enjoying the freedom, released from the many pressures that come with the tests. However, these tests will keep happening. Whether a yearly course assessment, a six-week benchmark exam or a state-level competency test, teachers and students are inundated with testing. Because of the way that testing permeates education culture, I often hear some "pushback" from teachers about their implementation of PBL. PARCC and Smarter Balanced Although some states have opted out of the PARCC or Smarter Balanced Assessments, many of our students will be taking them -- or something similar to them. Don't Wait Until After Testing Season "I'll wait til after the testing season," is one I hear often. Power Standards and Learning Targets Embed Test Stems and Questions in the PBL Project Standardized test preparation does not need to go "out the window."

Authentic Assessment Toolbox Home Page to the Authentic Assessment Toolbox, a how-to text on creating authentic tasks, rubrics, and standards for measuring and improving student learning. Inside, you will find chapters on A good place to start -- In this chapter I identify the characteristics, strengths and limitations of authentic assessment; compare and contrast it with traditional (test-based) assessment. Why has authentic assessment become more popular in recent years? After a brief overview, follow a detailed, four-step process for creating an authentic assessment. All good assessment begins with standards: statements of what we want our students to know and be able to do. Authentic assessments are often called "tasks" because they include real-world applications we ask students to perform. To assess the quality of student work on authentic tasks, teachers develop rubrics, or scoring scales. A guide to constructing good, multiple-choice tests, to complement your authentic assessments Wonder what a term means? Jon's Book

Project-Based Learning Professional Development Guide An overview of the Edutopia professional development guide for teaching how to use project-based learning in the classroom. Edutopia.org's Project-Based Learning professional development guide can be used for a two- to three-hour session, or expanded for a one- to two-day workshop, and is divided into two parts. Part one is a guided process, designed to give participants a brief introduction to project-based learning (PBL), and answers the questions "Why is PBL important?", "What is PBL about?", and "How does PBL work?" Part two assigns readings and activities for experiential PBL. Students Follow the Butterflies' Migration: Teacher Frances Koontz shows students a symbolic butterfly sent from children in Mexico. The Resources for PBL page includes a PowerPoint presentation (including presenter notes), which can be shown directly from the website or downloaded for use as a stand-alone slide show, and sample session schedules. Continue to the next section of the guide, Why Is PBL Important?

Apps to Use as Student ePortfolios I have yet to find the perfect Digital Portfolio app that I think I would use exclusively in a Visual Arts class. Some apps can be used as graphic portfolios or as beautiful sketchbooks, others are great at sharing. Not all of the apps available are great at all of these things. Evernote: FREE Evernote is an easy-to-use, free app that helps you remember everything across all of the devices you use. Paper: FREE Paper is an easy and beautiful way to create on iPad. Three Ring: FREE Three Ring is a fast, flexible, and simple way to organize and present your students' real world work, from handwritten assignments to classroom presentations. Coolibah: FREE Coolibah is a digital scrapbooking app that could just as easily be used to present student's work as a digital portfolio.

The 8 Elements of PBL: A Model Project | As most of you know, the uber gods of PBL are BIE. I was first introduced to the BIE PBL ‘model’ from mate Dean Groom who handed me over what I still refer to as my ‘PBL Bible’ – a ring-binder full of the BIE Freebies that help teachers plan effective projects and keep students on track as they move through the different phases of each project. The cool thing is that you can use as much or as little as you want … PBL is a very personal process that (like all good teaching) should be tailored to the expertise and needs of the teacher and students. A typical unit with a “project” add-on begins by presenting students with knowledge and concepts and then, once gained, giving students the opportunity to apply them. I ripped the image below from the BIE website, you should really visit it cos it outlines the 8 Elements in a super-clear way: What is PBL? The Emo Project Here is the project outline that I gave my students: Does the project teach significant content? Yes! Yes! Like this:

The Teacher's Guide-Free Worksheets, lesson plans, SMARTBoard templates, and Children's Songs PBLU.org | Making Projects Click Interactive Graphic Organizer Holt Interactive Graphic Organizers "Graphic organizers are tools that help your brain think." - Kylene Beers Graphic organizers are an illustration of your thoughts on paper. They can help you brainstorm, organize, and visualize your ideas. Click on a graphic organizer to download a PDF of it. Once you’ve downloaded an organizer, type in your comments and print it out. Each graphic organizer below includes Teaching Notes with lessons and tips on how to use graphic organizers in the classroom. Help with PDF Files Generating, Identifying, and Organizing Details Determining Main Idea and Drawing Conclusions Order and Sequence Comparison-Contrast and Cause and Effect Process and Cycle Diagrams Evaluating and Making Decisions Persuasive and Supporting a Position Vocabulary Miscellaneous Organizers Graphic Organizer Teaching Notes

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