Engaging Middle School Learners through Project Based Learning NCCE 2011 Katie Dorr

Objectives 1.Overview of project based learning 1.Review of Project Based Learning Checklist – How can teachers incorporate these learning experiences in their classroom? 1.Learning in Action – What does this look like in the classroom?

What is Project Based Learning? Project Based Learning is an instructional approach built upon authentic learning activities that engage student interest and motivation. These activities are designed to answer a question or solve a problem and generally reflect the types of learning and work people do in the everyday world outside the classroom. ~ Buck Institute for Education

Why would I want incorporate PBL? There are forty years of accumulated evidence that the instructional strategies and procedures that make up standards-focused Project Based Learning are effective in building deep content understanding, raising academic achievement and encouraging student motivation to learn. Research studies have demonstrated that PBL can: 1. Be more effective than traditional instruction in increasing academic achievement on annual state-administered assessment tests.

2. Be more effective than traditional instruction for long-term retention, skill development and satisfaction of students and teachers. 3. Be more effective than traditional instruction for preparing students to integrate and explain concepts. 4. Improve students’ mastery of 21st-century skills. 5. Be especially effective with lower-achieving students. For more information on how Project Based Learning impacts student learning vist Problem Based Learning online at

Beginning With the End in Mind What content are you required to teach? What are authentic problems related to your content? What do you want your students to learn? How will student learning benefit themselves, the school, the community, the world? How will students communicate their new understandings?

Beginning with a Theme Survival 1.Create a middle school survival handbook 2.Social Studies – What does it take for groups of people/civilizations to survive? 3.Language Arts – Read novel about survival

Water Challenge As the world’s population increases the use and abuse of our natural resources is reaching the breaking point. While pollution is a problem faced by millions all over the world there are many ways individuals can help solve this problem. Can the students of room 247 fight the evil polluters and control the destruction of our environment...

Big Idea How do human activities affect the environment? Essential Question How do humans impact water quality? Guiding Questions 1.How does industry impact water Quality? 2.How does agriculture impact water quality 3.How does urban development impact water quality? Performance Assessment: Water Quality Research & Essay. Guiding Activities 1.Local History Book 2.3-D Model of Whatcom 3.Google Earth Tour Guiding Resources 1.Online Videos 2.PBS, Discovery, You-Tube, Teacher-tube 3.HMS Online Library Catalogue 4.Advanced Google Search 5.Guest Speakers Challenge - Educate the Ferndale community on how they can limit/prevent water pollution. Performance assessment: How can I effectively communicate my ideas? Public Service Announcement

Essential Question How do Humans Impact Water Quality? Students view video clips to identify why water is important to the world, plants, animals, and humans. Technology Integration Videos from U-Tube Access to Water Why is Water Important? Importance of Fresh Water Effects of Water Pollution PBS Online - Poisoned Waters Guiding Questions - Notetaking Students use these resources to identify three main polluters in our nation/community. Additional Activities - Google Earth 1.Students tour of local water shed 2. Extension - Students create a their own Google Earth of our local river system with markers to indicate possible sources of pollution. EResources Water For Africa – Student create a campaign to help people who do not have access to clean water.

Guiding Questions Student’s complete research on three sources of water pollution to analyze the effect they have on our environment and water quality. How do I use the internet to find, gather, and record information? Keywords What online resources are availableWhat online resources are available? Additional Online Resources to guide my research Advanced Google Search Website Evaluation Critical Analysis 5 W’s Handout HMS - Destiny Catalogue Technology Integration 1.How does industry impact Water Quality? Note taking sheet #1 - Defining Pollution Note taking #2 - Point/NonPoint Source PollutionPoint/NonPoint Source Pollution Note taking # 3 - Industry and Pollution Note Taking Sheet #4 – Agriculture Note Taking Sheet #5 – Urban Development Video Links - Toxins in New York /toxic-waters-polluted-harbors.html 2. How does agriculture impact water quality? Note taking Sheet #3 - Agriculture and Water Pollution Video Link - Oyster Farms in Drayton HarborOyster Farms in Drayton Harbor

Guiding Questions Cont. 3. How does urban development impact water quality? Note taking #5 - Urban Development Stormwater Presentation Notes Guest Speaker - Nooksack Salmon Association Video Links - Human development and the impact on local resources Oysters Salmon VideoSalmon Video & Note TakingNote Taking How can I use this knowledge to understand what is happening in my own community? Background Research - Resources (Mini lessons taught throughout the introduction & research phase) Geography of Washington State Presentation Geography of Washington State Presentation & Note Taking Map of Washington State Map of Whatcom County History of Bellingham History of Ferndale History of Whatcom Creek Tour of Whatcom Falls - Presentation 3-D Model of Local Nooksack Watershed

Solution/Action How can we use this information to improve our own lives? Using their knowledge of how human affect water quality and local history and geography students identified areas on their 3D models where human impact could be most significant. The Lorax The Lorax - Analyze the affects of humans on other communities. How can we learn from the mistake of others? Making ConnectionsMaking Connections - What is happening in our watershed? How can we help?

Formative Assessment Students tracked their progress through a variety of formative and summative assessments. Formative Assessment Challenge Calendar Weekly Checklists Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Entry/Exit Slips Quiz #1 Quiz - #2 LINCS - Vocabulary Journal Responses Self Reflection

Assessment Students use knowledge gained throughout this challenge to make predictions about how our local community is impacting our environment and create a Public Service Announcement to communicate how people in Ferndale could limit/prevent water pollution. While creating each product students answered the question: How can I effectively communicate my ideas? How Do Human Actions Affect Water Quality? Essay Outline Paragraph outline 1.IntroductionIntroduction 2.Body ParagraphsBody Paragraphs Rubric Local History Book 3D Model of Whatcom County Local History Timeline Student Example #1 Student Example #2 How can I apply what I know about geography, human development, and water pollution to make predictions about how people in our local community impact the Nooksack Watershed?

Assessment Cont. How can I educate my community on how they can limit/prevent water pollution in our local watershed? How can I effectively communicate my ideas? Students created identified the critical elements of a PSA and created a class rubric for evaluating their final product. Video examples of PSA’s What is a PSA? What makes an effective PSA? How do I organize information for a PSA?How do I organize information for a PSA? - Introduction to storyboarding Practice Script How can you present your information?How can you present your information? - Introduction to storyboarding Creating your own public service announcement - Brainstorm Publishing Using the information identified the critical components of a PSA they were given the task to create their own using the knowledge gained through our water challenge. Student Videos Student Video #1 - Scarlett & Victoria Student Video #2 - Cody & Kendra Student Video #3 - Serenity and Anna Student Video #4 - Kassie, Andrey, & Jordan Student Example #5 - Mckayla & Angelinia

Publishing Each group got to present their PSA at our Water Aware Movie Premier. As each group presented their final product the class got to give positive feedback and nominate their favorite movies/presentations to receive a Ms. Dorr Award. PSA Premier - Student self/peer reflection

Student Reflection While viewing their movies, students had a opportunity to reflect on their presentation and make revisions before publishing on the web. Classroom Website Teacher Tube - =myvideos =myvideos Students completed an online reflection of their completion of the Water Challenge using Google Forms Summary of results Reflections were analyzed using Wordle to identify strengths, areas for improvement, and quality of learning experience.Wordle