PBL

After the Entry Event

Managing your Project

Information adapted from The Buck Institute for Educations (2011) PBL in the Elementary Grades: Step-by-Step Guidance, Tools and Tips for Standards-Focused K-5 Projects

1. Keep student interest and share the Driving Question. 2. Share the culminating product and presentation. 3. Discuss the Driving Question to nd out student wonders. 4. Explain the project details and share a project calendar.

Conduct a Need to Know

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Ask - What do you need to know in order to successfully do the task? Record student responses using their own wording. Do not answer these Need to Know questions at this time. Guide students when they are not identifying key Need to Know questions. Display the list and revisit it whenever needed.

Driving Question

Keep the Driving Question in mind:

1. Post it in the room. 2. Link mini-lessons to it. 3. Have students blog about how their thinking has changed each week. 4. Revisit it at the end of the project and discuss how the question was answered.

Build Collaboration Skills with Student Teams

1. 2. 3. 4. Scaffold collaboration. Provide students with forms, contracts, rubrics, templates and other organizers. Model behaviors for students and support students as they practice these skills. Monitor and coach students by walking around (informal) to groups and meeting (formal) with groups as needed.

Facilitating Classroom Inquiry

1. Encourage students to ask questions. 2. Use a variety of resources to develop provoke thought. 3. Allow students to reect on their ndings (i.e. blog). 4. Ask DEEP questions. 5. Allow the project to become truly open-ended. 6. Facilitate investigation with multi-sources of media. 7. Allow time for wonder, reection, and sharing together. 8. Provide time for meta-cognition

Rather than a keeper of knowledge, the teacher should start to resemble a coach--as a guide on the side rather than sage on the stage.

Understanding Critical Thinking

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Use student-friendly terms to display a chart with critical thinking skills. Ask - What does this look or sound like? Use Blooms Taxonomy to promote higher-level cognition. Model critical thinking through think-aloud strategies. Provide students with tools like graphic organizers, list of starters, problem solving steps.

Critical Thinking
Here are a list of skills that can be shared with elementary-age students. Lower Grades I listen. I ask questions. I share ideas. I use information. I think hard. Upper Grades Explain concepts, ideas, or problems in your own words. Ask your team questions when you dont understand something. Take time to understand the problem before solving it. Find and use information to understand a topic or solve a problem. Explain your solutions or thoughts. Try more than one way to solve a problem. Dont give up!

It can be done!

Needs-based mini-lessons are used as the direct instruction students receive in short bursts, which is then followed with the student involvement.

Formative Assessment
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Check students understanding and monitor their progress. Locate student needs to drive your instruction. Ensure learning goals and objectives are being met. Make sure the Driving Question is being answered. Check the quality and progress of work within groups.

Set check points on your Project Calendar.

Promote self-evaluation and peer-evaluation!

Presentations for the Final Product

Provide students with a presentation rubric. Model or watch video clips of strong & interesting presentations. Teach students how to organize their thoughts for the presentation. Create a climate of support for students. Practice presentations and allow for peer & teacher feedback. Host the presentations and invite stakeholders. Engage the presenter in discussion at the conclusion.

An inherent goal of PBL is to make students independent problem solvers that take pride in their work.

PBL on the Web Buck Institute of Education Edutopias PBL Resources Video Explanation of PBL The Literacy Design Collaborative Critical Thinking On the Web ThinkingMaps The Critical Thinking Consortium The Foundation for Critical Thinking The Center for Creative Learning Ten Takeaway Tips Online Practice & Scenarios

Created by Dan Gibson aka @Hoosier_teacher