Clifty Creek Elementary School

2012 – 2013 Project-Based Learning

What’s the difference?

A good, hands-on classroom will “do projects”

this way…

“Boys and Girls….we are going to learn about

Historical Figures from Indiana.”

Over the course of the next few weeks:

Students will learn about Historical Figures from

Indiana through:

Reading from the

social studies

text book….Going on a

field trip to the

Indiana History

Museum.Listening

to the teacher lecture…

Completing a timeline worksheet

about Indiana

History…Watching an

on-line movie about

Eli Lilly. Using websites to research.

Choose a

Historical

Figure from

Indiana….

Research using a variety of sources and use a citation

page….

Show your PowerPoint

at the Indiana History Fair….

Create a

PowerPoint

presentation

with all of the

required

sections….“We are going to

host an Indiana History Fair. So

with a partner, you each need to:…”

Next…“You must work as a team!”

The learners partner up. Sometimes one student does most of the work. She brings it home the night before and it becomes a “family” project.

The students hold their History Fair for

the classes in the school during the day and for their parents

that evening.

In a PBL – Project-Based Learning classroom, it will

look a bit different…

“Boys and girls, we have a guest speaker today from the Indiana Historical Society….”

Authentic project partner from outside of the school setting.

The difference?

The guest speaker shares that his museum’s website needs a “Characters in Indiana History Page.” He explains the background of the museum and its’ needs. He then asks the students for help:How can people in a small, mid-western state like Indiana work to make a real difference in the world? Can students create an interactive, web 2.0 page for the 10 most important figures in Indiana History? And have this site answer the driving question above?

THEN…..Students work with the teacher to develop a K/NTK List:

~ What do we KNOW about what we need to do for this project?

~ What do we NEED TO KNOW in order to complete this project?

Reading a

text….

Listening to the teacher

lecture…

Watching an on-line

movie about Eli Lilly. Going on a field

trip to the

museum…Over the course of the

next few weeks … students will learn about Historical Figures from

Indiana through…

• Class time will be allocated to the PBL

• Students will assess one another on their teamwork

• All learners receive a collaboration grade.

The students will form teams to

complete the tasks.

• The learners will complete an oral presentation explaining the development of their site.

• The museum personnel will provide part of the grade.

Students will submit their sites to be

linked on the museum

webpage.

How can people in a small, mid-western state like Indiana work to

make a real difference in the world?

A driving question that is open-

ended, guides students’ work,

and captures the task.

The difference

Skills….Reading texts…complete vocabulary study…using websites….listening to teacher lecture.

Rigorous, standards-based content that

requires students to master the same basic skills as in any school.

The differen

ce

Student Voice and Choice

Students take ownership – from figures to software.

Focus on teaching, developing, and

assessing 21st Century Skills

A“public performance” with an authentic

audience connected to the task.

Tie projects closely to fewer and

more specific

standards.

Design Shorter Projects

Include

Direct

Instructio

n

For Students with Basic Skill Issues…