How to plan collaborative project-based learning activities in the math classroom. Check out these engaging PBL ideas for 3rd grade students!
Patriotic STEAM brings new life to all patriotic celebrated American holidays: Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veteran's Day! This unit combines all the elements of STEM/STEAM to create a wonderful Project-Based Learning Unit. It's completely integrated! Students will read and comprehend, practice needed vocabulary, complete STEM/STEAM challenges, use the Engineering Design Process, and more! Who doesn't love a good celebration! Learn about the 3 holidays, the branches of service, and what it means to be patriotic in our own way! Patriotic STEM/STEAM is compatible with Common Core ELA and NGSS standards. Activities included: K W L What does it mean to be patriotic? Passage Visual Vocabulary Think About it Comprehension Vocabulary Check Patriotic Choice Board Word Search Acrostic Poem Patriotic Pledge Fold-able Book Create Your Own Posters Engineering Design Process Plan a Picnic Challenge Patriotic Coloring Patriotic Magic Science Enjoy Patriotic STEM/STEAM? Check out All About Engineers and All About Scientists! Don't forget to follow my store and leave a review to earn TpT bucks!
What is PBL? Project-based learning is an approach in which students explore real-world problems and challenges to acquire a deepe...
Have students find and implement solutions to real-world problems.
Incorporating STEM and STEAM into project based learning can be a breeze with the FREE download provided here. It's perfect for your upper elementary students.
Build a Zoo is a project-based learning task that involves using 5th grade math standards to solve problems related to building and maintaining a zoo.
You hear it all of the time. What’s inquiry-based learning? What is an inquiry-based lesson? It seems to be all the rage in education...
Building a growth mindset in your upper elementary students does NOT have to be challenging. Learn how to integrate it with your project based learning unit.
I love the whole idea of project-based learning! The idea of addressing all subject areas in the context of one project makes so much sense, and allows for better real-life application. I had dabbled in PBL a little bit, but never to the extent of this project, in which I asked students to design a zoo. This was the perfect project for the end of our strange traditional-turned-virtual school year, and the kids really took it and ran with it! They were able to complete it at their own pace, collaborating with their families, and it went so well that I'm already planning to use it again next year when we're (hopefully) back in the traditional classroom. While the task of designing a zoo sounds monumental, I broke it down into individual tasks for my students. Differentiation was easy as I gave families the freedom of doing more or less than suggested for each task, depending on the needs of their child and family. (Let's face it, crisis schooling is not the same as homeschooling; I know some families just didn't have time to go all-out on a project, and that's okay!) Using this in the traditional classroom will make for easy differentiation, too, and I've included teacher tips for both higher and lower lever learners for each task in the download which is available here in my store! This project includes all of the subjects and many first grade standards. First, students select animals to include in their zoo and conduct research on them, making notes about what they eat, what kind of climate they need, and more. Next, they design the habitats based on their research, and create a plaque for each animal exhibit. They work on mapping skills as they create a map of their zoo, and coding as they then use their map to give directions to popular destinations. Math is integrated as they come up with prices for tickets and extra amenities they included in their zoo, and also as they set a feeding schedule for their animals. After all of that work is done, they get to add in art and technology as they design advertisements and create a commercial. Some of my kids even decided to design t-shirts! It was so satisfying as a teacher to see all of the ways my students completed this project. After completing all of the tasks and research, most of them actually set up a physical zoo in their house, and they were incredibly creative! Some of them made animals out of clay, others used stuffed animals--one even used her sister wearing an animal hat! They all truly made it their own, while learning and applying skills along the way. I hope your class has as much fun with this as mine did! You can find it here in my shop or here in my TPT store. Keep teaching with heart and passion!
This Project Based Learning activity allows your students to critically think about what would be the best learning environment for them.
Are you looking to elevate your Ecosystems and Biomes unit? This 4th or 5th grade project based learning unit for ecosystems incorporates science, nonfiction reading, research, writing, and the arts! Read to find out how I organized the research project, what our launch activity was, the driving que
Inquiry-based learning allows teachers to not only help students learn better, but also allow them to tap into their intrinsic motivation to outpreform peers
STEAM, STEM, or Project Based Learning—this project is perfect for kids of the 21st-century! Students design, describe, and write about their own original "app." Then they draw the logo they create on a post-it-note and then attach the post-it-notes to a group "tablet" poster (that they also make). This is a big hit with kids because it speaks their language and allows for creativity. Let the independent, creative thinker in your students shine with this contemporary art integration lesson! Also check out my "Famous Faces" of STE(A)M poster that could add some added inspiration to your classroom! Each student has to "develop" their own "app"—give it a name, describe what it does, etc.—and then design a logo. I have included templates and worksheets to help your students work through this process, including developing a storyboard for their app. This makes your students think! Then, to show their creation off, they draw their app logo onto post-it notes which are then added to a large (21" x 28") classroom tablet poster. The poster holds 24 post-it notes but can be extended to have more (up to 32). This project allows students to be creative, think for themselves, and is current and relevant to living in the 21st-Century! A perfect way to integrate art into your curriculum. You will get the complete set of instructions on how to teach this lesson, including examples. You get the "iDesign an App" handout as well as the "App Preview" handout. You get all the poster pieces to create a 21" x 28" tablet poster for app logos. The exact size of your iPad poster will depend on your printer settings. Be sure to select "fit to page." I have also included an extension row to the poster so you can add up to 32 apps, depending on how big or small your class is. If you like this lesson, you will probably really like my "Selfie" drawing lesson (your students will enjoy it for sure!). You can check it out here. See all of my Back To School Lessons I hope your students enjoy this project! Please click the "Follow Me" button on this page to keep updated on all my new offerings! Thank you for supporting my work and infusing your classroom with art! Jenny K. Let's Connect My BLOG Pinterest Instagram Facebook Twitter FREE eBOOK: The Benefits of Directed Drawing for Kids Sign up HERE to join my email list, and I'll send you a copy of my free eBook, The Benefits of Directed Drawing. Not to mention, after you join, you'll be invited to enjoy my "Subscribers Library" of freebies. TERMS OF USE: The purchase of this product is for one license and is for PERSONAL USE ONLY. ©Copyright 2020 Art with Jenny K.® ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Permission is granted to copy pages specifically designed for student or teacher use by original purchaser or licensee. The reproduction of any part of this product is strictly prohibited. Copying any part of this product and/or placing it on the internet in any form (even a personal/classroom website) is strictly forbidden. Doing so is a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). If you like my work please help me keep the price low by purchasing additional licenses for any teacher you would like to share this lesson with. Extra licenses are discounted.
Project based learning (PBL) is one of the most engaging ways for students to learn and master concepts. You probably already know about the cross curricular benefits, how it boosts communication opportunities for language learners, and builds essential life skills in our young learners...but in order to reap the maximum benefits, there are few things you need to consider as the teacher. Here are five essentials for PBL success in any classroom.
Are you looking to elevate your Ecosystems and Biomes unit? This 4th or 5th grade project based learning unit for ecosystems incorporates science, nonfiction reading, research, writing, and the arts! Read to find out how I organized the research project, what our launch activity was, the driving que
Hey there, Matt from Digital: Divide & Conquer, and I just wanted to share why you should be pushing project based learning with your students and in your classroom. I’m sure you’ve seen or read plenty of articles about it, but I felt like a little first hand knowledge would go a long way with this. In fact -I’m going to let you know five of my favorite double-secret probation reasons why PBL needs to be in your classroom ASAP. Secret ONE: Picture Books Kick Butt! You know those love affairs you have with books...well, you get to continue them with PBL. Picture books are perfect (for almost every single grade level). No matter the topic or idea, there’s a book for the topic. Books are the "easy button" of PBL. They’ll pull in your learners, give them ideas, and expand their knowledge of subjects. You use picture books for every subject, so why not continue that when there’s project based learning involved. Secret TWO: Pop Culture Happy Hour! Pop culture isn’t just something I have to read about on magazine covers while waiting in line at the grocery store. Nope. Pop culture can be a driving force because nowadays EVERYTHING becomes sensationalized (this is good and bad, don’t get me started). Find those pop culturally relevant moments and turn them into projects and problems for kids to solve. Some of my favorites involve zombies, food trucks, and lost islands in the Pacific that might have dinosaurs. Photo by @shammanaj One of my all-time favorite PBL activities is seeing if students can design their own tiny house. The past couple of years has been a tiny home explosion on television and in cities around the world. If you want your students to understand area, perimeter, and design a house, this is it. Not to mention -you can throw in real-world pop culture from HGTV shows and even have home builders come to school. Secret THREE: BFFs with STE(A)M Science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics....if there was only a way to weave them all together...wait a second... Project based learning extends to this STEM realm because it is the constant force for problem solving. Rather than just hitting each of the identified content areas in STEM, adding PBL portions helps take it to the next level. If you’re already implementing STEM go further and target more than one area of content. This could take a little time, but it’s worth the effort. Secret FOUR: Attack of the Arts Quite possibly my favorite part, the arts play such an important role in PBL because so much of it relies on students using their creativity, imagination, willingness to explore, and opportunities to take chances. I highly encourage my students to draw and design throughout all the stages of PBL (maybe more than most) but I feel it’s necessary and allows students to really get into what they’re working on and learning. When I say "the arts" I'm not just talking about drawing. I'm including visual design, storytelling, music, technology, and so much more. The arts are a crucial and under appreciated part of PBL. Secret FIVE: It Is For All Learners If someone tells you that PBL is just for the talented and gifted, (take a deep breath) and feel free to laugh at them. But maybe not too much. Seriously though, if we’re only giving “top” students a chance at PBL we’re missing out. All kids need opportunities to show off their own differentiated sets of skills. And the chances are pretty great that many kids are craving opportunities to show that they think differently. Give them that chance. As a special education teacher, PBL gives me unlimited abilities to engage my students with the material and concepts AND give them space to create and solve problems in ways I never even imagined. PBL is worth it. So if you're looking to unlock double-secret probation reasons of project based learning that no one ever told you about check out some of my PBL resources to get you started. It's easier than you think. You can find more from me at Digital: Divide & Conquer where I tackle project based learning, technology, and the space in between. SaveSave
Learn all about our Market Day PBL (Project Based Learning) that was focused on creating a business to sell goods and services.
Planting lifelong foundations in early childhood
So what exactly is the difference between Project Based Learning and "doing a project"? We like to say: it's the main course, not dessert!
Projected based learning using quadrilateral robots to engage and teacher students about quadrilaterals while they invent their own robot.
Explore a huge selection of project based learning lesson plans, articles and ideas. Bring arts integration to your classroom with these PBL resources.
Wondering how project-based learning might work in your classroom? This guest post shares five tips for making PBL authentic and engaging for students!
Inquiry-based learning projects and assessment of learning
Do you want to get started with project based learning, but you’re not sure how? Maybe project based learning sounds too complicated, in-depth, and overwhelming to you? That’s how I felt when I first delved into PBL. But now I know there is nothing to be afraid of! In this post, I will give a quick explanation of project-based learning and then give you some tips and ideas to begin to implement it in your own classroom. What is Project Based Learning? Project based learning, simply stated, is an authentic learning experience
Project-based learning is a whole different type of learning activity. Students think outside of the box during PBL, so how do you assess them? A test at the end of the project doesn’t seem sufficient with all of the work they’ve put in researching and problem-solving for their project. This is why I use rubrics […]
The following is a guest post from Jorge Valenzuela . If you're new to Project Based Learning (PBL), the concept of doing projects can seem daunting, overwhelming, and perhaps outright tricky. Moreover, many educators do have some experience with having their students do or create projects.
Learn how Project Pals make it easier for educators to find PBL projects that are just right for their classrooms. Upgrade project-based learning with this powerful platform.
Looking for some fun project based learning ideas? This is the place! From PBL examples, lesson plans, and even a project based learning definition, we've got you covered!
Der smART sketcher-Projektor und die spezielle App zeigen Kindern, wie sie mit ihren Lieblingsfotos und -zeichnungen wie ein Profi skizzieren und zeichnen können. Schritt-für-Schritt-Anleitungen führen Ihre kleinen Hände durch den Prozess. Kinder können Fotos von einem Mobilgerät herunterladen oder integrierte Projekte verwenden. STEAM-Lernen ist ein pädagogischer Spielansatz, der Wissenschaft, Technologie, Ingenieurwesen, Kunst und Mathematik als Grundlage verwendet, um die Neugier, Konversation und das kritische Denken von Kindern anzuregen.
Do you want to get started with project based learning, but you’re not sure how? Maybe project based learning sounds too complicated, in-depth, and overwhelming to you? That’s how I felt when I first delved into PBL. But now I know there is nothing to be afraid of! In this post, I will give a quick explanation of project-based learning and then give you some tips and ideas to begin to implement it in your own classroom. What is Project Based Learning? Project based learning, simply stated, is an authentic learning experience
Note: This is the second post in a two-part series. See the first post here. Now that you know the components of Project-Based Learning, I want to share a step-by-step example illustrating how I walked through a project with my primary kiddos. As a disclaimer, the project I am about to share is not perfect. It's a work in progress (aren't they all?), and I'm sure I'll continue to tweak it in the years to come. That said, I hope this will still provide a practical example of how you can pull off a project of this scale in a primary classroom. Here's how you can make it happen! 1. Present the Essential Question and Brainstorm Solutions As I wrote in my last post, our essential question for the project was, "How can we use economics to bring justice to the world?" I started off by presenting the students with some background knowledge: families in many countries around the world depend upon cows and other livestock for their livelihoods, but they often don't have enough. Next, I framed a central problem. Cows, which can provide extra income, cost around $500 in many countries, and that's often beyond the reach of the families that would benefit most. How could our class earn that much money and help a family develop a more sustainable livelihood? I created a problem and solution chart and had students share their ideas for how they could solve this problem. The teacher is the facilitator in this step, and can guide students towards the idea of creating their own businesses. 2. Brainstorm Ideas Individually A few years ago, I read the book Quiet by Susan Cain. I'm an introvert myself, and this book helped me better understand how to operate well in a group setting. Jumping right into brainstorming without quiet time to think is an incredibly stressful experience for me, and I don't typically feel comfortable processing things verbally in front of others. According to Cain, it turns out that extrovert-oriented brainstorming sessions don't necessarily lead to the best ideas. Everyone, whether introvert or extrovert, has the best ideas when they are given time to think quietly on their own before coming together with a larger group. I see individual brainstorming time as one of the most important steps of the problem-solving process. Giving your students time to think individually before they collaborate with peers will help them prepare their valuable contributions to their group. 3. Collaborate as a Group After students have written down their individual business ideas, it's time for them to share their concepts with their group. Before your students break off into groups, review and model appropriate social skills for collaboration. I can't say this often enough: assume nothing and model everything. It's easy for adults to take for granted the skills we've mastered for working well with others. Don't forget, though, that learning how to speak is a relatively recent event in your primary students' lives. They've only been using complete sentences for a few years! It's completely reasonable and absolutely necessary to set aside time to practice how to respectfully disagree and make compromises with others. When your students do break off into their teams to share their individual ideas and come up with a group concept, remind them that they'll be allowed to tweak their ideas in the future. This isn't set in stone after the first group meeting! 4. Explore the Topic in Other Content Areas This is the fun part for me. I love referring back to my Curriculum Map and bringing the economics theme into other subject areas. Take this opportunity to cover your measurement and data standards on the value of money, hit your language arts standards on persuasive writing by creating advertising for stores, and address reading comprehension standards by reading books and articles about finances and businesses. ReadWorks is a fabulous resource for leveled articles, and you can search for resources about economics by your students' grade level. There is a wealth of quality children's literature with this theme, too. Here are some titles to help you get started! 1. A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams 2. Pedrito's Day by Luis Garay 3. A Day's Work by Eve Bunting 4. Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst 5. Once Upon a Dime by Nancy Kelly Allen 6. Chicken Sunday by Patricia Polacco 7. A New Coat for Anna by Harriet Ziefert 8. Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts 5. Develop a Prototype and Revise Learning how to make a plan before diving into a project is an invaluable skill that will benefit your students throughout their lives. (It's something I'm still working on myself!) Before handing over any project materials for making store products, have your students work with their team to draw a detailed plan or build a prototype out of inexpensive materials. That way, when you hand over the real supplies for creating the products to sell, your students will have a clear end goal in mind. This also helps to resolve disputes about product designs before they even start! 6. Create a Final Product Now the fun part: give your students time to create their final products! Don't be shy about asking for help from parent volunteers, and I would recommend distributing only a few supplies at a time. For example, if you have a group painting toy cars, don't give them all 20 cars at once. Give them just a few to work on initially so that there is a higher quality of workmanship. Discuss with your students the importance of offering quality products in your store. 7. Share Learning with the Community After all of that work developing their businesses, your class will be ready to celebrate! As a culmination of the project, host a market on your school campus to sell the products the students made. Again, don't be shy about recruiting volunteers! After the market, help your students calculate their earnings, pay back their loans, and use the profits to buy a cow for a family in the developing world. 8. Reflect on Learning A final, critical component of Project-Based Learning is allowing your students to reflect on their experiences. Remember, you built in room for failure, and your students learned a lot through the process of fixing those mistakes or revising their plans. That's the whole point of Project-Based Learning. This reflection step will solidify for your students what they would like to do differently when you take on your next big project together as a class. Do you feel ready to get started? If you are looking for a resource to make your first experience with Project-Based Learning a breeze, I have good news! I've included ALL of the printable materials you'll need for this project, as well as a more detailed daily pacing guide, in my Marketplace Economics packet. Click here to see more! This post contains affiliate links. This means that Amazon awards me a small referral fee when people visit their site via the links in my blog posts and purchase something (even something other than the linked product!). This doesn't affect the price you pay, and you can be confident that I only recommend products and teaching supplies I believe in and use myself. Thank you so much for your support in making this blog possible!
If you are getting started with inquiry, you may wonder where to start and how to prepare for something that is student-led. Although using an inquiry
There's still a wide range of understanding of what high quality PBL is and how to plan for it. Here's a step-by-step guide.
Can creativity be cultivated in our current school system?
Transform craft time into a screen-free learning adventure with the STEM Explorers Pixel Art Challenge set from Learning Resources. Inspired by nostalgic 8-bit video game graphics, this STEM toy offers over 40 art challenges that blend math and coding to create vibrant 2-D pixel art. From ladybugs to smiling watermelons, each project enriches STEM skills, turning STEM into STEAM by integrating art. This set comes complete with 400 colorful pixel cubes, challenge cards, and a 10x10 base, making it perfect for both home and classroom environments. Each cube measures 1cm, with the tray at 5_ x 5_.
