Viewing: project based learning
PBL Secret Sauce #4: Tips for Collaboration
esearch has shown that collaboration is one of the most effective strategies in student achievement. But to be really successful, a classroom needs to use collaboration techniques beyond the time period alotted for a any one project. It has to
PBL Secret Sauce #3: Aligning the Standards to Your PBL Unit
Here’s my new screencast showing two ways I ensure that any unit I design or adapt is aligned to our required standards. In a nutshell: Plan around a particular standard and design with that standard(s) in mind from the
PBL Secret Sauce #2: Student-Generated Questions
For Part II in my PBL video series, I thought I’d share how I integrate student-generated questions throughout the sequence of the unit. In other words, the students generate the prompts that help propel them along the PBL journey. This
A Book Review From My Students: Mia Lee is Wheeling Through Middle School
PBL is about meaningful learning, and sometimes that means keeping my antennae up to identify possible ways to bring that authenticity to my students. Sometimes, however, an opportunity falls into my lap. Such is the case with this book review
PBL Secret Sauce #1: The Entry Level Event
I know that when teachers learn about Project Based Learning, many times they walk away with the rationale, the research, and the overview of what a unit might look like. But sometimes teachers still have questions about the day-to-day implementation.
End-Of-Year Reflection: The Epic Poem Haiku
As we’re ending the school year, I know that the tween brains in my classroom are all silently deciding what information will be transferred to long-term memory and what will forever be taken out with the trash. To hopefully avoid
The Internet Research Game & 3D Printing: No Whammies!
So in an attempt to broaden the use of the 3D printers in my room, beyond that of my Maker-themed ELA class, I thought I’d leverage the curiosity for the devices as an incentive for my additional classes. That way,
Alternative Strategies for Assessing Learning: Larry Ferlazzo Classroom Q & A Podcast
“Whether they’re doing a portfolio or a performance task, they still want to see How do I stack up?” I had a lot of fun being interviewed for Larry Ferlazzo’s podcast about alternatives to grading and traditional assessments. The follow-up
Pencils to 3D-Printers: A New Kind of Language Arts Class
“The printers have been ordered. Fingers crossed. Here we go…..” This was the email I received two weeks ago from my principal who is working with me to develop a whole new kind of Language Arts class. The plan
Celebrating the Refugees Already in Our Classrooms: Memories and Advice From a Student
In June 2001, a family of four escaped from the slaughter of Nepal and made their way across the world to safety. They arrived, not in boats dragged up on shore, but in the arms of families who helped them
DIY Project Based Learning for ELA and History
’m excited to announce that my new book, DIY Project Based Learning for ELA and History has arrived and is now available for purchase. The point of the book was to break down the process of PBL into day-by-day chunks
The Full Interview with Dr. Spiros Michalakis
s part of my recent superhero PBL unit, I brought in Dr. Spiros Michalakis to talk to my students about research for their science-fiction based narratives. Spiros is a Quantum Physicist who consulted on the new Marvel movie, Ant-man. Sure,
What do Jeff Wilhelm and Ashton Kutcher Have in Common? : Teaching for Character
Earlier this December, I attended the UCI Writing Project annual conference. Every year, this conference douses a teacher in strategies to teach writing and literacy, and every year I come away with valuable methods and implementation goals. This year, the
New Shakespeare Collaborative Project: Anyone Interested?
Rarely do I hit up my readers for help, but I’m looking for classrooms to participate in, what I believe to be, a cool interdisciplinary Project Based Learning opportunity that combines Shakespeare and the digital era. I was talking to
The Common Core Tabloid: Truth vs. Hearsay
So much is hearsay right now about the Common Core, it feels like the educational system has become a tabloid in their interpretation of what does not even exist yet. In fact, from this level of speculation has sprouted a
New Edutopia post: The Power of Project-Based Writing in the Classroom
It seems like it’s been forever since I wrote an actual post for my beloved Tweenteacher site! But I guess it’s a happy problem as I’ve been writing here and there in the edublogosphere for these past couple of weeks.
Tweenteacher Class on Project Based Writing
Hey all, Guess what? I’m going to be facilitating a class for Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach’s Powerful Learning Practice. The six-week course is on Project Based Writing, a strategic way to bring in authentic assessments and meaningful learning into any Language Arts
Teaching the Executive Summary: Applying Real Life to School Life
OK, so there they are: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. They are in your audience and have their checkbooks out looking for a new cause to fund. Will it be yours? So began my schpeel on writing an Executive Summary
DARPA project con’t: Research and Questioning
As my readers may know, my students are planning for the future of the human species. This year, as I have described in an earlier post, I am dedicating much of the year to Project-Based Learning and trying to make
The Power of Teaching Something You Know Nothing About
This year, I have decided to teach solely in Project-Based Writing. I’m defining Project-Based Writing as a series of constructed units built around authentic assessment, authentic audience, and authentic learning that incorporates the multiple writing genres. That is, it’s all
Connect With Me
Latest Tweets
-
RT @ELmagazine: "Too many schools push reading outside the school day & then use reading logs, incentive programs, & comprehension… https://t.co/ebrj1UP35T
-
RT @edutopia: Do you have students for whom even a small setback is a catastrophe? Try these simple strategies to reduce negativi… https://t.co/oIQsl7Y7Xu
