#project-based-learning

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).

Replace a traditional research paper with a podcast project. Subject: US History. Task: Students work in groups of 3-4 to create a 15-minute podcast episode on a historical event. Process: 1. Research Phase: Students gather information from primary and secondary sources. 2. Scripting Phase: Students write a collaborative script, including narration, sound effects, and potential interview segments. 3. Recording & Editing Phase: Students use tools like Audacity or Soundtrap to record and edit their podcast. 4. Publishing: Episodes are uploaded to a class website or platform like SoundCloud. Assessment Rubric: historical accuracy, narrative structure, audio quality, collaboration, and source citation. Allows for creativity and develops 21st-century communication skills.

Facilitate a low-tech makerspace project inspired by 'Caine's Arcade'. Challenge: 'Design and build an arcade game using only cardboard, recycled materials, and simple craft supplies.' Process (1 week): Day 1: Brainstorming and sketching game ideas. Day 2-3: Prototyping and building. Encourage iteration and problem-solving. Day 4: Peer testing and feedback. Students play each other's games and offer suggestions for improvement. Day 5: 'Arcade Day'. Invite another class to come play the games. Learning Objectives: engineering design process, creativity, collaboration, resilience (learning from failure). Connect to physics concepts like gravity and simple machines.