#pbl

Develop a 4-week Project-Based Learning (PBL) unit for middle school science. Driving Question: 'How can we, as student scientists, design a solution to reduce our school's carbon footprint?' Week 1: Entry event (documentary clip), research phase (causes of climate change). Week 2: Investigate local impact, interview school maintenance staff on energy use. Week 3: Brainstorm solutions (e.g., recycling program, energy-saving campaign), form expert groups. Week 4: Develop final product (presentation, proposal to principal, prototype), public exhibition of learning. Assessment: rubric for collaboration, critical thinking, final product quality. Integrate math (data analysis) and ELA (persuasive writing).

Design a service-learning project for a civics class. Project: 'Improving Our Local Park'. 1. Investigation: Students visit a local park, identify problems (e.g., litter, broken equipment, lack of accessibility), and research its history. 2. Collaboration: Students partner with the city's Parks and Recreation department to understand needs and constraints. 3. Action: Students plan and execute a park clean-up day, design and propose a new feature (e.g., a community garden), or create a campaign to raise awareness. 4. Reflection: Students write journal entries or create presentations reflecting on their role as active citizens and the impact of their work. Academic Connection: link activities to lessons on local government, civic responsibility, and environmental science.