1. Black River Elementary Carthage Central School District
Project Based Learning - Adapting the Modules for the 21st Century Learner
Black River Elementary
Carthage Central School District

2. Teachers Trained in PBL STEM Grant: July 2013-June 30, 2018
Grant Awarded
DoDea Elementary
Teachers Trained in PBL
STEM Grant: July 2013-June 30, 2018
Submitted Proposal
Black River Elementary is a K-4 elementary school located on Le Ray Street in the village of Black River. It is one of the three elementary schools in the Carthage School District and serves approximately 550 students from the villages of Black River and Felts Mills, townships of Rutland, Le Ray, Champion, portions of the hamlet of Great Bend and many of the military housing units on Fort Drum. Carthage
Students come to Black River from the local communities as well as schools across the nation and overseas. Many of the students at Black River are military dependents and give the school, its students and staff, a global perspective, racial and ethnic diversity and many unique advantages.  In addition, Black River Elementary serves a wide range of special needs students and provides a continuum of special education services from consultant teachers, support services such as speech, counseling, social work, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, to full time special education classes.
Our grant writer obtained the DoDea Elementary STEM Grant for our district. Teachers from K-12 had the option to be trained in Project Based Learning. The fourth grade team in my building decided to all be trained, and took it a step further to go “all in.” They submitted a proposal to me that outlined how they would utilize the modules (since it is our approved curriculum by our BOE), but deliver the instruction through Project Based Learning. Therefore, they rearranged the order of the modules, but rewrote them so I could see that their grade level standards were being met. Not only were they able to accomplish that; they were able to pull in science and social studies as well. I obtained permission from our district administrators as well so that this team could continue planning over the summer and move forward with their vision.
The team will not only share the nuts and bolts of their process, but how this has impacted day to day teaching and learning.

3. Driving Question
How can educators begin applying attributes of Project Based Learning to ELA module instruction in a way that enhances the 21st Century Learning Skills and scaffolds for struggling learners in ELA?
This question will drive our presentation, similar to how a driving question drives instruction in Project Based Learning.

4. What do you need to know?
With a partner, discuss the following for three (3) minutes. Be prepared to share one (1) of your questions.
What information do you need to know or know how to do to answer the Driving Question (DQ)?
DQ: How can educators begin applying attributes of Project Based Learning to ELA module instruction in a way that enhances the 21st Century Learning Skills and scaffolds for struggling learners in ELA?

5. Why is the driving question important?
A good Driving Question helps the educator drive learners to ask the kinds of questions that will lead into the planned instruction. It also helps the educator to anticipate the questions that learners will ask.

6. Need to Know: What is Project Based Learning (PBL), exactly?
How can I use aspects of PBL with the modules?
How does this work for struggling learners?
What are some of the benefits (and challenges) associated with PBL?
How do I start? What resources are available?
Although you came up with many other questions, we anticipated that these 5 would come out and as educators we built our presentation around answering these questions. Likewise, in the classroom you can use a driving question to lead instruction and to help students ask the kinds of questions that will best lend themselves to the Common Core and Content standards and the project.

7. What is Project Based Learning?
The 8 Essentials of PBL:
Significant Content
Need to Know
Driving Question
Student Voice and Choice
21st Century Skills
In-Depth Inquiry
Critique and Revision
Public Audience
Article Source: The 8 Essentials of Project Based Learning

8. 8 Essentials of PBL
Significant Content: “plan a project to focus on knowledge and concepts derived from the standards…students should find the content significant in terms of their own lives and interests.”
Need to Know: “teachers can powerfully activate students’ need to know content by launching a project with an “entry event” that engages student interest and initiates questioning.”
Significant content combined with a need to know can take a ho-hum project to the next level.
We all have experienced that lesson, experiment, project, or book where a student looked up and said, “Oh I know all about that! I went to/ did/ have seen/ etc.” and for that lesson, experiment, project, or book the student was totally engaged. The goal of significant content and a need to know is that all students feel that same level of engagement. Students will want to work when they feel that what they are working on has meaning in their world and when they feel that the work is important.

9. 8 Essentials of PBL
Driving Question: “a good driving question captures the heart of the project in clear, compelling language, which gives students a sense of purpose and challenge.”
Student Voice and Choice: “In terms of making a project feel meaningful to students, the more voice and choice, the better. However, teachers should design projects with the extent of student choice that fits their own style and students.”
You have now experienced how a driving question can focus thinking, further questioning, and initiate learning. The hardest part of a driving question is getting the language just right. For example, if the goal of the project is to build a digital collection of information and images about a topic, a question like: Can you collect information about the topic and present it digitally doesn’t really encourage learning. However, Can you, as a historian, create a virtual museum of topic? does direct student learning, questioning, and researching.
Student voice and choice is sometimes the hardest for the teacher. This doesn’t mean that your students have the run of the project. You as the educator have to be comfortable with the amount of control and choice you present your students with. In early projects, and younger grades, it’s okay not to give them much choice. As they demonstrate responsibility, a gradual release of control can continue to enhance how independently students work.

10. 8 Essentials of PBL
21st Century Skills: “a project should give students the opportunities to build such 21st century skills as collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and the use of technology”
In-Depth Inquiry: “In real inquiry, students follow a trail that begins with their own questions, leads to a search for resources and the discovery of answers, which ultimately leads to generating new questions, testing ideas, and drawing their own conclusions.”
Part of our jobs as educators is to help students become prepared for jobs that may not yet exist and in a century where technology is constantly evolving. 21st Century skills are the skills that will best prepare our students for a life after school that we can only imagine. 21st Century Skills are described more in the video we are showing later in the presentation.
In depth inquiry is something that we all wish that all of our students were ready for. In PBL, it is an integral part of student work as they discover their learning. It is difficult to create an environment in which in-depth inquiry can be successful and it requires that the teacher allow students to lead – but the teacher must be prepared to guide, suggest, and nudge students down the path that leads to the end goal of the unit of study.

11. 8 Essentials of PBL
Critique and Revision: “formalizing a process for feedback and revision during a project makes learning meaningful because it emphasizes that creating high-quality products and performances is an important purpose of the endeavor.”
Public Audience: “When students present their work to a real audience, they care more about its quality.”
Critique and Revision is necessary for ensuring that students produce a polished product. Students don’t come to us knowing how things should be and this process ensures that they both learn what is demanded of a polished piece of work in school and in the real world.
The public audience, however, is what brings everything together. When students see that what they’ve done is real and does make a difference, they suddenly feel empowered and important in their world.

12. Public Audience
October 2014: Presentation of student suggestions for improvements to Thompson Park Zoo habitats.

13. How can I use aspects of PBL with the modules?
What do we think about when planning a PBL curriculum around the modules?
What are you trying to integrate to make the most of your curriculum?
How much do you want/need to change in the modules?
Where can you look in the module for ideas?
What are your driving and guiding questions?
What are you trying to integrate to make the most of your curriculum?
Decide what subject area is easily integrated with your modules to make the most of your time.
For Example: 4th Grade Module 2b (Animal Defense Mechanisms) fits nicely with our science curriculum units that involve habitats and ecosystems.
An example without integration: 4th Grade Module 1B (Poetry) lends itself nicely to presenting it with a PBL approach without a full integration of science or social studies content.
How much do you want/need to change?
How much PBL are you looking to incorporate? How much of the module/protocols are you comfortable using?
For example: If you do not want to write a whole new module/PBL project, you could start “small” and incorporate elements of PBL like the driving and guiding questions and tying it to a public audience at the end while using a good majority of the module with minimal additions or cuts to the module. If you choose to do more, there is room for content integration, additional standards and assessments to add in
Where can you look in the module for ideas?
The curriculum overview has almost all of your answers! It is a great resource that lists each lesson and highlights the standards, protocols (protocol order), anchor charts, activities/assessments, and recommended texts or additional texts with appropriate Lexile levels.
Optional: Experts, Fieldwork, and Service – is a great resource that offers suggestions about what you might think about doing to pull in those community/real life applications to what they are learning.
What are your driving and guiding questions?
Once you have figured out what your end product will be you can develop your driving question. Guiding questions can be questions that are offered in your module to lead the concept for the day. Guiding questions can also be developed by students when they complete their “Need to know” in order to answer the driving question.

14. Extension Activities from Grade 4 Module 2B, Unit 3
Here is an example from the 4th Grade Module (2B) Animal Defense Mechanisms.
One of the suggestions was to “visit the local zoo and observe the animals from the Expert Groups for additional research to inform writing.”
We were lucky enough to have a zoo and a Zoo Technology professor and class at a local college close by that was willing to work with us. While this zoo did not have the animals that were listed in the module, they did have animals that are indigenous to New York State. This is one way we adapted this module (by changing the animal selection- student “voice and choice”)
Some module changes were as simple as downloading the materials and changing the animals names to our animals. We also changed “defense mechanisms” to “habitats” or “ecosystems” when necessary to meet our science content needs.
**Building professional relationships with local businesses and community leaders is a major part of PBL for both the teachers and the students.

15. Driving Question & Entry Event for the “Zoologist Mission”, an integration of Grade 4, ELA Module 2B and Science Curriculum
An example of our entry event to our Zoologist Mission PBL. This is where they get their driving question and sparks their interest.

16. Implementing the Modules with PBL
What do we look at when planning a PBL curriculum around the modules?
Standards
Protocols
Texts /text complexity
Assessments and Rigor
This information can be found in the module/curriculum overview.
PBL is a standards based curriculum, a necessary place to start is with the standards the module covers.
Project Example: “I had to look at the CCLS covered by Module 2B (Animal Defense Mechanisms) as well as my science content standards that fit with our Habitats and Ecosystems curriculum. From there, I had to look at content, protocols, assignments, assessments, and my end project to see how these standards were being taught and assessed.
*There is a PBL form that helps organize this that you obtain when being trained.
Protocols and Anchor Charts (close read, discussion norms, writing quality paragraphs, close listening, think-pair-share, etc.) are written and explained throughout the modules. It is necessary to implement these in their intended order. They will build upon previously learned skills and gain new insights when integrating 21st century skills.
Project Example: An important protocol that is introduced in Module 2B is close listening. I took that protocol and applied it to our needs for the project. I was able to use the same text (Venom by Marilyn Singer) and their organizers for this activity. I only changed my presentation and number of activities that I administered. I related close listening to interviewing skills. Students understood that they would be preparing to interview an animal specialist for their expert animal. This gave a real life application to this protocol and was highly motivating for students.
The module has included recommended texts. These texts are chosen for their content and complexity and come with a variety of teaching guides. When creating your PBL project, it is suggested that you use this text. If that does not work for your content area, you can use their list of recommended texts or other texts that meet the same Lexile levels.
Not enough time to fit all those texts in? Try using a variety of recommended texts from which to build guided reading lessons . This allows students to practice the same protocols and obtain content knowledge at their own level.
The module includes ELA assessments. In our experience, we are able to use the assessments with minimal adaptations.
Project example: In Module 2B (Animal Adaptations), students had to write an informative essay on their selected animals adaptation. I simply brought up the organizer in a word document and changed “animal defense mechanisms” to include adaptations along with habitats and ecosystem.
While the module provides ELA assessments, when integrating science and social studies content, you will need to add additional content assessments. While you can grade some content knowledge within their written work, it is a challenge to ensure that you are also getting concrete content grades.

17. How does this work for struggling learners?
Significant content
Giving them the drive and desire to answer the driving question.
Work together within a small group (instructional grouping)
Grouping students for each project
Accordingly
Social skills are developed
Having small groups and using their social skills
Work independently on projects
There are chances for students to show what they know independently.
Struggling Learner quotes: “This is the best year ever.” “This is awesome.” “Yes! I love history.”
Because students are invested and engaged in their projects, we rarely hear, “This is too much work.” In the beginning, significant content is the best way to keep struggling learners willing to work. Keeping the driving question alive, and making them really believe they are scientists, historians, engineers, or zoologists and that they can make a difference in their world.
Homogeneous mix based on interests/ability etc. Forces students to step up because the group has similar strengths and needs. For example, a group of shy students (those students who don’t talk) developed into a group of students who were willing to take risks and share their ideas within the group and eventually with the class.
The constant changes in groups from project to project forces struggling learners to frequently reevaluate their role in the group and to utilize different communication skills to be successful. For example, a student with daily behavioral struggles said at beginning of the year, “I’m not good with people.” Initially, he refused to work with a group at all. Now, in March, he is the head engineer of his group and is frequently heard making comments like, “We have to stay focused and get our work done.” This change happened because he was engaged in his learning and invested in the success of his group.
Various aspects of the projects are independent and allow us the opportunity to see how students are applying the skills they developed in their groups to their own work without the group. (see student example – Blacksmith DBQ)

18. How does this work for struggling learners?
Work that the students were not accustomed to in the beginning.
This requires frontloading and flexibility on the part of the teacher to anticipate student needs and IEP goals.
Higher level of thinking
Guiding students to think beyond their understanding.
More emphasis on student contribution than teacher contribution.
Allowing students to problem solve and become less dependent on the teacher.
Students take ownership of their learning.
Allowing students to work on their PBL’s without extra assistance
As you can see on the exit ticket, students are responsible for monitoring their own progress and next steps. In addition to making academic progress, students are making progress on their IEP yearly goal – (IEP goal – student will write 4-5 complete sentences on a given topic independently – Colonial Games Paragraph)
Evidence of higher level thinking: Students are not asking basic questions. (example: need to know sheets and exit tickets)
In the beginning of the year I was a helicopter teacher, hovering to make sure they were on task and getting their work done. As the projects progressed, I was able to step back and let the students lead. They know when they need help and are able to articulate that need but are not dependent on my constant presence.

19. How does this work for struggling learners?
Scaffolds and Modifications
Builds stronger reading and writing skills
Reading groups support the skills being used in the projects so that instruction and skill building mirrors the learning targets of the project.
Writing supports mimic the final project task without making students feel like they are repeating the task or themselves.
Scaffolds are based on student needs in the moment. Scaffolds are tailored to individual student needs, including student IEP goals.
This requires frontloading and flexibility on the part of the teacher to anticipate student needs.
For the teacher, it is difficult to provide the supports that help a struggling student without emphasizing that student’s struggle
For example, when researching information for the zoo habitat project, in reading groups we worked on how to read a scientific text to determine important information and details within the text that support the research they were doing for the project. This constant practice and reiteration of skills enhanced student success when working without teacher support.
Students are expressing their interest in the projects by continuing to read and research independently and to bring new info/texts to school to share with classmates. During Wampum Belt Project, student brought in an encyclopedia of Haudenosaune Culture to share information about the topic that she found at home. This was way beyond her reading level but she still demonstrated an understanding and willingness to engage in the text.
Letter to Sen. Patty Ritchie (Final and Draft copies in handouts)
Like scaffolding on the side of a building, our goal is to give them what they need to build their skills and then to remove the scaffolding until they are standing alone, successfully. For example, some students are using specially lined paper, others have guiding questions to encourage thinking, and others have supports provided by aides, or TAs (See lesson plan in handouts).
The teacher has to know where students are likely to hit a snag. Joe might need scaffolds for writing but Suzie needs scaffolds to support her reading for the same task. Sometimes, you don’t know when students will need support until they are in the middle of the task. This means you have to be flexible on the spot to provide support in the moment. For example, two students were struggling to keep their writing a reasonable size and readable while note taking. The in the moment fix, was a sheet of penmanship paper that the teacher numbered to align with the original notes sheet. (Handout Example)
Many of these scaffolds can be used independently of PBL but in conjunction will significant content, a need to know, and student belief in the project goals, student success is enhanced in a a way that projects without the PBL structure fall short. The goal is not to make the work easier. It is to help the student become independently successful.

20. SDI Lesson Plan
Refer to handout of lesson plan and WEBSITE

21. Guiding Question
What are the benefits and challenges of implementing Project Based Learning?

22. Benefit - Focus on Final Project
Mod.
Module Assessment
PBL Assessment 1A 1B 2A 2B 3A 3B 4A
Class Quilt /Paragraph
Poetry Rdg. / Biographical Essay
Historical Narrative
Animal Defense Narrative
Simple Machine Editorial
Broadside by Loyalist
PSA on Voting
Position Paper for a Debate
Online Haudensaunee Museum
Author a Book of Poems
Documentary on Colonial Culture
Trifold Presentation/ Zoo Fund Raiser
Build Wind Turbine / Essay
Write Newspaper on American Revolution
Letter to Senator on Columbus Day
Create Crayfish Habitat
Local Field Guide
End Project - The NYS Modules were actually created to include elements of PBL. While the modules have End of Unit Assessments, they are not usually hands-on projects. With PBL, students find out on the first day what their culminating project will be and this encourages them to be more focused on the lessons leading up to the project, because they know they will need that information to complete their task. Students are also more motivated to produce quality work when they know that their efforts will be seen by an audience. The projects also enable a teacher to assess a wider range of skills and standards.
Example: In 4th Grade Module 1A, the End of Unit Assessment is to draw a personal wampum belt and write a paragraph about it. Our final project
was for students to create an online virtual museum with descriptions to help others understand the Haudensaunee culture.
In 4th Grade Module 2B, the End of Unit Assessment is to write a narrative about an animal defense mechanism. Our final project was for students to
create a live presentation on a variety of aspects of a specific animal at our local zoo.
In 4th Grade Module 2A, the End of Unit Assessment is to write a historical narrative. Our final project was for students to create an online
documentary on Colonial culture.
Subject Integration – Instead of ELA , Science, Social Studies and Technology being taught separately, with PBL they can be fully integrated to create a more authentic learning experience.
Example: Since we now teach all our science, social studies and technology within PBL, we have 2 full hours each day to work on a single project and
have the ability to go more in depth with the content.

23. Benefits of PBL
Zoo project for Module 2B

24. Benefits of PBL
Online Virtual Museum on the Haudensaunee for Module 1A

25. Benefits of PBL
Self-created Module on Crayfish

26. Benefits of PBL Students more ENGAGED More student centered
Relevant to real world experiences
Engaging – By far the greatest benefit of PBL is student engagement. Students are far more focused in class and are more motivated to work hard. They also learn quickly the consequences of not paying attention in class.
Example: Our students like PBL so much that they often ask to keep working on a project (even writing) in recess or at home. After, we taught
Google Docs and Google Slides, students have been creating their own projects to share with the class. We had a shy special ed student conduct a
small question and answer presentation before a group of parents and we have had several students who do not like to write, ask for extra assistance
so they can make their work better.
Student Centered – PBL allows students more opportunity to work independently and make choices and decisions for themselves. Students take far more ownership in their learning when they have more of a stake in the outcome. Students care more about not participating in the final project, than they do about getting a bad grade.
Example: For our first PBL we put together a group of students all of whom were unmotivated and usually just copied the work of others. Very
quickly the group realized that there were no “leaders” in the group and that one or more of them would have to step up. In the end, 3 of the 4
became motivated enough to get the work done and create a quality project. One of those students even went home and on the weekend built a
windmill out of Legos and brought it into class to share.
Real World Relevance - We try to tie each project to our state or local community. Students get so excited when they realize they can make a change in their community that they become more interested and put in more effort. It also helps students to make connections between their learning and their life.
Example: For 4th Grade Module 2B, we have developed a long term relationship with our local zoo that will benefit not only us but the zoo as well.
The zoo for purposes of staying accredited and receiving grants needs to maintain a strong education program. The students benefit because they
learn the importance of making a contribution to their community. This year our students raised $400 towards buying enrichment items for the elk.
Next year we hope to have the students create original signage.

27. Benefits of PBL Develops 21st Century skills
Collaboration, Creativity, Communication, Critical Thinking
21st Century Skills - Currently there is an emphasis being placed on student development of 21st Century Skills in order for them to be able to handle the academic rigors of college or a career. PBL specifically teaches students to recognize the 4 components of 21st Century Skills and to continually evaluate their ability to implement those skills within each project.
Example: We added additional lessons to the first module to specifically teach our students the 21st Century Skills (Critical Thinking,
Collaboration, Creativity and Communication). Students were then asked at the beginning of each project to chose a skill on which to
focus and then at the end to evaluate their progress toward their goal.

28. Benefits of PBL Students learn the scientific method (STEM)
Plants the seed for future college and career options
STEM - Over the next 10 years, the greatest percentage increase in available jobs will be in STEM positions. PBL is one of the best ways to approach STEM projects. PBL puts an emphasis on the use of the scientific method and encouraging students to use critical thinking skills instead of relying on rote memorization.
Example: Our 4th grade team decided to adapt Module 3a (Simple Machines) by adding in lessons on electricity and magnetism and have students
design and build operating wind turbines for their final project. We used funds from a STEM grant awarded to our district to purchase windmill kits for
each class.

29. Challenges of PBL Takes extra work to adapt modules
A challenge to monitor independent group work with only one teacher
It takes time and patience while students are learning the procedures
Most students are not used to working independently or cooperatively
Product and/or Demonstration style of assessment
Shift in control
Extra Time - While the modules were written with PBL in mind, there are still some adaptations that are required to make the modules more project based. It is up to the individual teacher as to how much extra time and effort they wish to put into this endeavor. Teachers can choose to put in a few hours to add just a Driving Question and a small final project, or they can choose to put in a lot more time to fully integrate all the content standards and add a substantial final project.
Example: Many hours were required to adapt our 4th grade modules because we chose to use PBL to
teach all the content standards in addition to ELA. Each 4th grade teacher created two PBL’s for the year
that included module lesson plans with content adaptations written in, a Power Point for each lesson, a
workbook for each student that combined module worksheets with extra PBL text and worksheets,
additional content quizzes, project grading rubrics, and the layout and paperwork for the final project. For
the zoo project (4th grade Module 2B), extra time was required to meet with zoo officials and to set up the
field trip to the zoo and to organize the open house for the final presentation to the public.
Group Work - Group work is highly recommended for PBL and is a frequent component of several of the modules. Most students, however, are not accustomed to working in a collaborative group for an extended period of time. PBL and the modules contain lessons on collaborative protocols and require teaching, monitoring, and assistance with these skills, especially the first time that these procedures are implemented. It takes time to learn how to group students effectively.
Example: In the beginning, many students lacked the confidence and skills to work collaboratively. A
teacher would often have to stop group work in order to teach a team not to argue and how to work out
a disagreement themselves. Students with leadership qualities had to be taught not to take over a
project and shyer students had to be taught how to share their ideas. Also, when groups were all
working at a different pace, it was a challenge for a single teacher to get around to every student in need
especially the struggling students. In the beginning, more students required assistance, but as the year
progressed, students are better able to work cooperatively and independently.
Assessment - Most teachers at the elementary level have become accustomed to implementing a standard multiple choice or short answer assessment at the end of a unit usually based on a single subject. Plus the Module assessments are geared toward ELA and not the content areas. PBL uses a whole project rubric assessment that takes time to learn to set up.
Example: For our Windmill Unit (Simple Machines 4th Grade Module 3A), we added into the Module
several standard quizzes on simple machines, electricity and magnets to more fully cover our science
grades. We then designed an alternative assessment rubric in order to assign a grade to
the whole project based on both ELA and science content. Students handed in their project journal at
the end of the unit and received so many points for note taking, keeping a project glossary, drawing a
diagram or timeline, writing a final essay and completing the final project.
Shift in Control - A PBL room is a lot noisier than your typical teacher centered classroom. Depending on how much independence you build into a PBL, it can take time for a teacher to discover their level of comfort with the PBL format.
Example – It took time for us to get use to the increased noise level in the room and realize that work
was still getting done. There were frequently times when our students did not need our assistance and
we had to learn to resist the urge to step in and take charge. We had to learn to be an effective “guide at
the side” by observing more and using the Socrative method instead to help our students learn. We also
each had to learn what level of student independence best fit with our personal teaching style.

30. Why PBL?
“We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist using technologies that haven’t been invented in order to solve problems we don’t even know are problems yet.”
Shift Happens
by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod

31. Before deciding to begin doing PBL, ask yourself these questions:
Do I have administrative support?
How can I cover all the necessary standards and content for the integrated subjects?
Do I have funding for additional materials and supplies?
Can my schedule accommodate this?
Am I prepared to do the front-loading necessary to create projects?
Will I work on this with a team or individually?
How big of a change do I want to make?
These are the questions that our team asked when we completed our training.
Administrative support?
Did your district adapt or adopt the modules?
Covering necessary standards and content?
Creating or adapting a curriculum map to include your projects at the beginning of the year will help you quickly evaluate your standards
Scheduling?
Looks different depending on your grade level. For example, in middle and high school you will need to work cooperatively with a teacher in a different subject area. This would require you to have the same students and common planning time.
If you are teaching all subjects, PBL allows for more time when combining content areas.

32. How do I get started? Get training! Get more information!
Check with your local BOCES
PBL NY Conference
Information on Conference and PBL overview
Get more information!
The Buck Institute for Education: PBL
See examples for project ideas!
Expeditionary Learning: Center for Student Work
Project Look Sharp
See our student impressions of PBL and project summary!

33. How do I get started?
Once you’ve been trained… Start brainstorming! 1. Decide what standards you want to cover. 2. Decide what you want your final product to be. 3. Come up with a driving question. 4. Determine what assessments you will use. 5. Plan your lessons and activities. 6. Determine how you will scaffold for struggling students.