Project Based Learning in an elementary classroom is a powerful engagement tool. But after a long break, or several school cancellations, students often forget their excitement about the unit’s topic. A ‘re-entry’ even offers facilitators the opportunity to breathe life back into a PBL unit. When do I need a ‘re-entry’ event? After a lengthy testing window […]
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Spring is an eagerly awaited season for many of our students. It is a time of celebration and renewal. Project Based Learning units channel the excitement of spring into critical thinking and problem-solving. The following books can spark that excitement into an idea for a spring-based PBL unit. Read below for ideas, potential driving questions, and curriculum connections. 1. A House
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People often wonder, is Youtube an effective learning tool for my classroom? In today’s classroom, Youtube can be a valuable resource for instructional strategies, lesson resources, and so much more. The Project Based Learning classroom can utilize many of the traditional YouTubers to help support their PBL units. Here are just a few Youtube channels
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When I first began using the PBL approach in my classroom, I was vigilant about doing making Know and Need to Know lists in my Project Based Learning classroom with my class. But as I progressed and became more experienced they began to fall to the wayside. It wasn’t until two years ago I realized
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Project Based Learning during the summer can be rewarding and engaging. However, with most schools out for summer break and many businesses at their peak times, it can also be a challenge. Whether you are a year-round school, using PBL in summer school, or a homeschool family looking to use Project Based Learning during your
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When planning for the upcoming academic year, creating an authentic PBL unit during the summer can be a challenge. Without our students, it can feel like our planning lacks student input or voice. However, because every project will have two major driving forces, planning a Project Based Learning unit during the summer is not only
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How can Project Based Learning help English Language Learners? With nearly 10 percent of the average American classroom speaking English as their second language, we as PBL facilitators must consider whether or not this methodology is the right fit for all of our students. Project Based Learning vocabulary instruction is a huge component of any
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Community partners play many different roles in Project Based Learning units. As a PBL facilitator and now an instructional coach, I have witnessed firsthand the most effective ways to utilize a community partner in quality and authentic unit. 1. Entry Event When I taught 1st Grade, we loved using community partners to come in and
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Do you dream of a classroom library that would make Belle delirious with nerdy joy? As a teacher living on a teacher’s salary, it is challenging to grow your classroom library. Here are 9 quick tips that helped me gather THOUSANDS of texts for my library. 1. Advertise your quest to ALL Post on your
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How can texts support a PBL unit? Integrating ELA and PBL can feel challenging. But these few examples will help you tackle effectively and authentically integrating texts into your PBL plans. 1. As an Entry Event Texts are a great way to introduce a problem or challenge to students and kickstart a PBL brainstorming session. Possible texts to
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