Project Based Learning!!! Preparing our students for the 21 st century!!!

What Important 21 st Century Skills Do Students Learn During Projects? Students learn to Work well with others Make thoughtful decisions Take initiative Solve complex problems Self-manage Communicate effectively Use technology tools appropriately …

WHY ARE WE DOING PROJECTS? Standards are Important in Projects! Yes, students may have fun, but our projects are all based on the standards we are required to meet. The products students create will show they understand the subject, plus how it connects to the real world.

WHAT MAKES PROJECTS SPECIAL? Students are the Center of the Classroom! Students are the explorers, searching out answers to interesting questions. There are no answers at the back of our books!

Students Answer Tough Questions! Students are often struggling with the same difficult questions that adults often do… How can I make a difference in my community? How can we use our natural resources more wisely? How can I stay healthy?

Students Work on Relevant Problems! Our students work to understand and find solutions to real-world problems in our community, country, and world. They use technology as adults do—for research, analysis, collaboration, and communication, often working with experts and community leaders. They come to understand the connection of what they study in school with the world around them.

HOW DOES GRADING WORK? Grading is an Ongoing Process I provide rubrics to my students before the start of a project so that they will know the quality of work that is expected. There are many points along the project where students are assessed, so we can all be sure that everyone is on track. When a group of students work together on a project, students receive both a final group grade and an individual grade

The following pages are samples of student work. rces/DEP/seasons/SeasoningTheSchoolYear.pdf

The Seasons of the Year Billy Jan Sarah Ryan

There are 4 seasons in each year. winter summer fall spring

In the summer: It is HOT! The sun shines a lot. We go to the pool. We take vacations. School starts when summer is almost over. Trees have lots of leaves.

In the fall: The days get shorter. It’s cooler. It rains sometimes. We go to school every day. Farmers harvest their crops. The birds fly south. Leaves fall off the trees.

In the winter: It is COLD! It’s dark a lot. It might snow, and it rains a lot. Christmas is in the winter. We build snowmen if it snows. The trees don’t have leaves.

In the spring: The days get longer. It’s getting warmer. It still rains a lot. School ends when it’s almost the end of spring. We plant seeds and watch them grow. The birds come back. Trees get new leaves.

Trees change in every season. Summer Fall Winter Spring

Weather in the Four Seasons This graph shows that spring has the most rainy days. We think that is why there are so many flowers in spring.

Our Favorite Season Graph This graph shows that most people in our class like summer best and fall the least.

Seasonal Clothes Graph This graph shows that jackets are worn the most in winter. We think that is because in most places in the world it is coldest in the winter.