Complete Guide to Project-Based Learning

Meridian: Getting A Grip On Project-Based Learning Abstract Project-based learning is centered on the learner and affords learners the opportunity for in-depth investigations of worthy topics. The learners are more autonomous as they construct personally-meaningful artifacts that are representations of their learning. This article examines the theoretical foundations of project-based learning, particularly constructivism and constructionism, and notes the similarities and differences among implementations, including project-based science (Blulmenfeld et al., 1991), disciplined inquiry (Levstik & Barton, 2001) and WebQuests (Dodge, 1995). In addition, an anatomy of a model case will be considered using a WebQuest example developed by the author, describing seven characteristics common among the various implementations of project-based learning.

Why Your Project Needs a Verb Designing project-based learning (PBL) assignments opens up several decisions. The challenge that students will face, the assessments that measure their learning, the amount of voice and choice to offer, the calendar and length of the challenge—these are just some of the many facets of an effective PBL project. As we design a project, we may have trouble really focusing it. It might be too big and get out of control in implementation or perhaps too small and not a true PBL experience in which inquiry abounds. These problems often come from lack of clarity in goals or from a struggle to capture and hone the purpose of the project. In my planning with teachers and in my own experience as a PBL practitioner, I find there is an essential component that centers a project and allows the rest of the essential design elements to fall into place. Why Focus on Verbs? Verbs are powerful. Projects are supposed to focus on authentic problems and challenges, whether real or scenario-based.

Using music to engage year 10 students with poetry My emo poetry project is an oldie but a goodie. I’m on to my third time teaching it and even though I’m doing things slightly different (as we always should), it’s still the idea of exploring poetry through popular music that makes it a success. OK, it’s only three lessons in but I still reckon it’s gonna be a success. Here’s the project outline (it’s evolved a bit since I first created it, drafts and more drafts as I get things to a happy standard to be published): So, I just want to record here the activities that my students have been working on as a kind of extended hook lesson… it’s gone over three lessons. The first lesson students were shown 6 different music videos – three songs were ‘punk’ and three were ’emo’, of course I didn’t tell my students that. Each student was asked to read out their ideas about one of the six songs, and there was some great insight shared with one student suggesting that ‘God Save the Queen’ made them imagine the whole of society going up in flames.

27 Easy Formative Assessment Strategies for Gathering Evidence of Student Learning A few years ago, I came across “10 assessments you can perform in 90 seconds” by TeachThought and really enjoyed the formative assessment strategies they outlined. Using formative assessment strategies in class during instruction—or “simple assessments,” as they call them—is easy and provides the instant feedback teachers need to identify which learners need more help and adjust their instruction and lesson plans accordingly. Visit the blog above to get more detail on the following techniques: New ClothesDos and Don’tsThree Common MisunderstandingsYes/No ChartThree QuestionsExplain What MattersBig PictureVenn DiagramDraw ItSelf-Directed Response Combining these 10 with 10 others we’ve blogged about in the past gives teachers 20 great formative assessment strategies for checking on student learning. Want more? Entrance Tickets. Dig in All 27 of these formative assessment strategies are simple to administer and free or inexpensive to use. Questions for teachers Questions for leaders

Getting Started with Literature and Project-Based Learning Merion Taynton , English language arts teacher in an international school in China Posted 04/29/2015 11:31PM | Last Commented 11/28/2016 9:49AM OK, it’s time to stop testing the water with a toe and jump with both feet into project based learning. Grade 10 have today made the leap with me. A leap of faith? I hope not. But enough with the metaphors. Day One: Introduction of the Unit I introduced the project to the class. Topic: 19th Century European Literature: From Romanticism to Realism Big Idea: Expressions of the heart and life’s lessons: the age of Romanticism and the emergence of Realism Essential Questions: How do literature and social change connect? Learning Outcomes: (these come from our curriculum) Produce a variety of texts appropriate for audience and purposeDetermine central themes or ideas in a textCompare and contrast themes and ideas within and between textsOrganise and develop ideas for the purpose and audience It’s early days. Day Two: Providing Structure Some of the topics are:

ASSESSMENT DOWNLOADS – TRAILS Archive for Grades 3, 6, 9, 12 Below are links to the TRAILS assessments in ready-to-print PDF format, with answer keys included for easy grading. For each grade, two general assessments are provided that draw upon items from each of the five TRAILS categories. Additionally, each grade has a ten-item assessment specific to each of the categories as well. (TRAILS Category definitions here) If you prefer to create your own assessments, use the individual item search feature on the Item Bank page. All Grade 3 Assessments General Assessments (15 items each): Category Assessments (10 items each): Develop, Use, and Revise Search Strategies Use Information Responsibly, Ethically and Legally All Grade 6 Assessments General Assessments (20 items each): General Assessment 1 General Assessments (25 items each): General Assessments (30 items each): Develop Topic The typeface used for assessment answer bubbles is 123 Testing, created by Just Us Teachers.

Creating a Canon: Project Based Learning for Literature - AP LIT HELP In an attempt to introduce project-based learning into our sophomore American literature classrooms, my colleagues and I, created the American Literary Canon project. What began as a way to try and get students engaged in the literature of America, and move beyond reading a bunch of dead white guys (and, in all honesty, a way to make our end of year assessing less strenuous), has now evolved into an assignment that allows students to explore literature that is meaningful to them, as well as, the opportunity for students to create personal artifacts of their learning. Typically, the project begins in the first quarter. In the early phases of the project, I spend a few class periods defining canon and making the concept of the American literary canon less abstract. I have had great success with students generating “canons” of their own. This project spans an entire year. Students create two meaningful artifacts that become representations of their learning.

Simple Assessments You Can Perform In 90 Seconds by TeachThought Staff Good assessment is frequent assessment. Any assessment is designed to provide a snapshot of student understand—the more snapshots, the more complete the full picture of knowledge. On its best day, an assessment will be 100% effective, telling you exactly what a student understands. This makes a strong argument for frequent assessment, as it can be too easy to over-react and “remediate” students who may be banging against the limits of the assessment’s design rather than their own understanding. It is a huge burden (for both teachers and students) to design, write, complete, grade, and absorb the data into an instructional design sequence on a consistent basis. Simple Assessments The word ‘simple’ here is misleading. Then, due to their brevity, they’re simple to grade–in fact, you can grade them as exit slips–which makes taking the data and informing instruction (the whole point of assessment) a much simpler process as well. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

We Are New Yorkers: A Reading List for NYC Immigrant Heritage Week | The New York Public Library Happy Immigrant Heritage Week! Since 2004, New York City has celebrated Immigrant Heritage Week around April 17, coordinated by the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs. April 17, 1907 is the date that New York’s immigrant receiving station, Ellis Island, saw its busiest day ever, processing a record 11,747 new arrivals in a single day. This year, New York City Immigrant Heritage Week is April 17–April 23. Many free events celebrating our cultural diversity are scheduled for this week in NYPL branches and other locations throughout New York City. A great way to learn about and celebrate the histories and contributions of New York City’s diverse immigrant communities is by reading their stories. Please note that only books that take place partly in New York have been included, so many wonderful books about the immigrant experience, such as The Namesake by Jumpa Lahiri and We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo, are not on this list. Memoirs and Biographies of New York Immigrants

The Big6 and Super3 — TheBig6.org The Big6 is a process model of how people of all ages solve an information problem. From practice and study, we found that successful information problem-solving encompasses six stages with two sub-stages under each... 1. Task Definition 1.1 Define the information problem 1.2 Identify information needed 2. 2.1 Determine all possible sources 2.2 Select the best sources 3. 3.1 Locate sources (intellectually and physically) 3.2 Find information within sources 4. 4.1 Engage (e.g., read, hear, view, touch) 4.2 Extract relevant information 5. 5.1 Organize from multiple sources 5.2 Present the information 6. 6.1 Judge the product (effectiveness) 6.2 Judge the process (efficiency) The Super3 contains the same basic elements as the Big6 but is written for younger students to understand. When students get an assignment or a task, BEFORE they start doing anything, they should think: What am I supposed to do? Big6 Steps: Task Definition Information Seeking Strategies In the Middle the students DO the activity.