Project Based Learning
Let's Get It Started!
Project Designer's Block?
Designing a project is one of the most brain stretching tasks one can do. Developing an idea into a concrete plan can sometimes be overwhelming. Don't get discouraged. It happens to almost all project planners. It is a good practice to chunk the design or development of a project by first determining the big picture or idea. Once you have the big picture or idea, determine what type of product would stem from the big idea, and formulate a driving question. Be sure to leave it broad enough so that it opens doors to multiple possibilities for exploration. Next, think of small tasks that will lead to the end product. Since planning is very cognitive, it is a good practice to take brain breaks (not too long) to refresh and rejuvenate. Nine times out of ten, when you return to the planning table, you've got more ideas to make it work and make it better.
Operation Implementation
Chunking Project Tasks
Strategically decompose the project into daily or weekly tasks that lead to a completed product. Plan with the lesson cycle in mind and Blooms taxonomy at the forefront. As the days' taught lessons and practice are planned, build from knowledge to comprehension to application to analysis to synthesis and incorporate evaluation throughout the process.
Project Tasks In Classroom
Using the lesson cycle with the 5 E approach (Engage, Explore, Explanation, Elaboration, Evaluation), project tasks can be completed during the elaboration stage in the lesson cycle. In the Elaboration stage, students are working independently in work centers (Daily 5 or Daily 3), where one station is designated for the project task. The students would rotate to ensure they are reinforcing the day's lesson, hot spot practice, project task, while small group instruction is occurring. There are various ways to integrate project tasks (milestones). You just have to use what works best in your classroom environment.
Curriculum Alignment
When planning for a project, ensure that it's purposeful and relevant to the curriculum for your grade level. It is a good practice to review the curriculum maps, standardized test, blueprints, and data to find hotspot (skill areas that are particularly low performed) to spiral in to the projects.
1st Six Weeks Projects
Pre-Kindergarten: I Want To Be A Reporter
Kindergarten: Identifying Safety Rules
1st Grade: I Am A Meteorologist
2nd Grade: Citizens Past and Present
3rd Grade: Uniform Me
4th Grade: Natural Resources: Where will we be without them!
5th Grade: Gardener's Prize
Art and Music: Marketing 101
Euranie Patin
Martin Weiss Elementary School
"One Dream...One Team"
Email: edelarosepatin@dallasisd.org
Website: www.dallasisd.org/weiss
Location: 8601 Willoughby Boulevard, Dallas, TX, United States
Phone: 972-749-4000