PBL me ASAP!

It's a play on words from an old old old commercial for Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer --- Their tag line used to be "PBR me ASAP" - as in, get me another beer, pronto!  It's pretty fitting for posting my final project for this course on Project Based Learning, because I would like to get PBL'd ASAP!

I have been thinking about Project Based Learning for quite some time now.  Thankfully, my teaching partner has a similar and equal interest in the idea of making more of our units into project based learning units.  At our school we have many different curricular structures blending together.  For example - We use the Common Core Math Standards, the Singapore Math pedagogy, and we are just implementing the MYP criteria (IB Middle Years Programme).  The trick is finding the sweet spot where all of our initiatives overlap and the magic happens.  I think we're ready to look at the possibility that PBL fits that sweet spot perfectly!

The unit I worked through for this course was a 6th grade unit on energy conversions -- potential and kinetic energy, conservation of energy, and the concept of energy performing work.  For the past couple years we have had students build roller coasters that are powered only by potential energy.  It's a super fun project, the kids are totally engaged, and we've always worked some really good science into the project, whether through design, data collection or using the design process.  My final project expands the learning that students are engaged in, by broadening their opportunities for building a model of energy transfer, and also by giving the project a sort of authentic context.  Lets just consider this the first revision of the project, because I need to sit down with my teaching partner and hammer out some of the rough patches.  I think once we teach it like this, we will be able to improve the driving question and entry event.

The fabulous Andrew Miller shares quite a bit about writing driving questions for PBL units HERE.   After posting the "DQ" I wrote to +EdTechTeam I was able to get some feedback and improve the question even more.  It's definitely unit-ready, but I can see it evolving as I continue teaching this unit.  Writing DQ's are a great way to create the framework for your unit - they set the tone and point you, the author, in the right direction for developing the unit.

Brainstorming for the entry event is another fun and creative way to get yourself, your team, and your students pumped up for the project!  I love being creative and dramatic when introducing new ideas to students, so I got lost in reading about entry events for many different PBL units.  I imagined a scene for my entry event, but when it comes time to introduce this project to students, I would love to create a video that shows a dystopian world in desperate need of my students help!!  My teaching partner is always a creative force when coming up with this kind of stuff!

View my project on the web HERE.



As I mentioned before, I consider this a draft of my first PBL unit.  My partner and I will work together to tweak and improve the details of this unit.  I welcome any advice or input. Please send me a message @laurenteather or +lauren teather!

icons from www.thenounproject.com - ribbon by alex tai - can by jake dunham