Becky Clarke Amy Moore

Unit vs. Project  Unit –a total package that focuses on activities that meet standards that encourage students to take control and manage their own learning includes multiple assessments activities/projects instructional strategies alignment to standards  Project- a core activity within the unit

21 st Century Standards  Learning and innovation skills  Information, media, technology skills  Life and career skills

Project Based Learning  PBL (project based learning) is a student centered instructional model  creates a "constructivist" learning environment in which students construct their own knowledge  based on SOL and 21 st century objectives  technology used to support learning  throughout project work, multiple assessments  "old school" model the teacher was the task master  "new school" model the teacher becomes the facilitator

Which are you?

Research on PBL  Opportunities to develop complex skills Higher order thinking Problem solving Collaboration Communicating  Increased attendance, growth in self- reliance, improved attitudes toward learning (Thomas, 2000)

PBL Research cont.  “Without focus on the big ideas that have lasting value, students are too easily left with forgettable fragments of knowledge.” (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005, p. 66)

Examples of Unit Plans  Enduring Heroes unit example  ation/DesignProjects ation/DesignProjects Designing effective projects