If you are teacher reading this, it’s probably summer time, so I hope you are enjoying a much deserved break. I also know that you are busy thinking about next year, cleaning up your room from last year, and possibly going to some teacher conferences.
I recently attended a two-day workshop on true project based learning. Like some of you, I was intimidated by doing projects in my class, but I knew that PBL is a valuable and authentic way for teaching.
The workshop focused on middle and high school teachers demonstrating their class projects – from making water rockets, designing aqueducts and boats. Before you panic on how huge these sound, I also realized that mini-projects are a good way to start. I think the key is to engage the students right away by asking compelling questions that students are eager to answer. These questions are key and should be around a topic that you are comfortable facilitating (or not, if you are up for a big adventure). But for your first project, definitely choose a question that you can do. Below is a graphic that represents the “gold-standard” to organizing project based design.
Fresh off this workshop, I’m eager to think of some projects that I want to kick off the first weeks of school. I think it will set the tone for our year as well as engaging my students in teamwork to help them get to know each other. What should I do? Don’t know yet, but I do have a couple more weeks to work this through. So keep in touch as I work things out here on my blog.
Here is a good resources for you – What is Project Based Learning?
Thanks for reading, enjoy your summer!
– Evil Math Wizard
PS – I do still need to finish my Fraction Log blogs, it’s on my long summer to do list!