What factors are most important to consider as you develop your PBL?
The most important thing I need to do when planning my PBL is keeping my end in mind. I need to develop a driven question that is relevant and interactive. I need to consider what skills I want my students to have when they are finished with this project. From there, I need to create a project that integrates collaboration, higher order thinking skills, and an authentic experience.

Keeping the End in Mind IS critical. Key standards, the final assessment, and the Driving Question form the triangle for a successful project. You're on target!

Based on this module, what project are you considering? i'm currently planning my first project to be a mainly social studies (though both writing and math skills will also be used) that focused on the family history part of the first grade social studies GLECs. Our current curriculum does not cover these GLECs at all, I thought that this projec tcould be a good way to both teach these standards and start the school year on a relevant note. Within the project student's will be learning about their families and the diversity of their classmates families, culminating in each student creating a small book that can be shared with other classrooms. It will be an approximate two week project.

Wow Sounds great! Very relevant, 1st graders favorite topic is themselves.

Based on this module, what project are you considering? The topic I'm most excited about involves how animals are affected by human activity. This addresses our Science unit on Structure of Life, but predominately focuses on literacy, particularily research and presenting findings. Also, this is a relevant real world issue. The project will take a minimum of two weeks. To bring in experts from outside of school, I'd like to try Skyping, perhaps with a staff member at the Toledo Zoo or one of the local wildlife rescue centers.

Based on this module experience, what project ideas are you considering?
I am planning on using PBL at the beginning of the year for students to set up our classroom rules and understand the importance of rules. Hopefully this will set the tone for a caring and considerate classroom for the rest of the year if students have input. I am planning on using Skype to meet with other classrooms as a way to gather data about their classroom rules that we might want in our room.

Q: What factors are most important to consider as you develop your PBL?

A: It is important that the project is truly a PBL project, and not just a "get out of your seat" activity. Students have to collaborate in order to solve a a real-world problem, not just collect data, draw a picture, or make a model.

What factors are most important to consider as you develop your PBL? I feel when I begin to develop my PBL, I will need to first look at the standards that still need to guide my instruction. I also believe making the problem or "driving question" relevant to my third graders. I am also thinking about ways to bring in experts and allowing my students to do the discovering as I guide them through their project.

Question- What factors are most important to consider as you develop your PBL?
Relevance is still an underlying theme for me. Getting and keeping students engaged while participating in learning is key.

Based on this module what projects are you considering? The beginning of the year social studies standard for my second graders includes using an example to describe the role of an individual in creating history. I plan to have the students research historical figures using the internet and books. They will "become" the person by designing a paper bag costume and giving an oral presentation to the class about what the person did to impact history. I am going to video tape the presentations to be shown at the school board meeting. The integrated language art standard involves identifying and describing characters' actions and motivations, setting (time and space), problem/solution, and sequence of events. Although I haven't decided when, I would also like to integrate timelines into the project.

Question: What factors are most important to consider as you develop your PBL?

Answer: To keep the end in mind.....I want my students to answer the Driving Question - I want them to "get it". I want to make sure that they see the relevance, the real world application to math. I want to keep them motivated that they will do the learning for themselves and not for me. I want them to be engaged in the topic by discovering the answer to the question in the beginning.

What factors are most important to consider as you develop your PBL?
The more you read, the more questions you come up with---and isn't that the point with project based learning :)

oops! That wasn't supposed to be posted so quick. My computer is acting alone... I love the idea of beginning with the end in mind (Covey is a hero!) but I really need to stop thinking that the glce's are the end. This seems to be a hurdle for me. I'm working on it!

Question: Using your KWL, what new learning occurred? What important questions remain?

Answer: While I could recognize the difference between activities and projects, what became more clear for me was the way in which broad questions could be posed that allow students to get the deeper meaning concepts have. I understand much better what it means to begin with the end, the project, and then work backward by analyzing what students already know, what they will need to be taught directly, and what they can do on their own.

Based on this module experience, what project ideas are you considering?

I am really excited by our newest science and social studies glce's. I am also just starting a K-1 multiage with another teacher. For Michampions, I wrote an integrated social studies plan for the Public Issue GLCE's, which are very ambitious yet also very important. I like the idea of using that for a project; it would take some tweaking and the addition of a driving question. For my project for this group, I am writing one for science and weather, integrating technology and language arts as well.

Based on this module Experience what project ideas are you considering?
My first project will be focused on the Changing Earth, and its useful properties GLCES for 6th grade. This project will focus on finding a location in the United States that is physically safe from natural phenomena, as well as having land that provides useful resources for themselves and their community. Because of where my students live, and the community mindset, few ever see leaving the eastside and even Michigan as an option. This provides hopefully will provide some insight into other areas of the U.S., and well as teaching them about solid earth, changes and resources. I really want this unit to be owned by my students and encourage them to look beyond the Eastside, and Michigan!

One lesson I’m taking away from this module is the idea of authenticity. Students need authentic issues to study and authentic audiences for their work. This raises the stakes and gives them a purpose for digging deeper and refining their projects. It’s also a very “real world” model that will carry them along in many different lines of work and study as they grow and develop as learners and (someday) employees. As I develop my solar energy project, I will be “beginning with the end in mind”. I am thinking about having a solar fair that students, parents, and community members can attend, where students share the information they learned from creating solar cookers and offer presentations about the possibilities and challenges of using solar energy as an alternative energy source in the state of Michigan. I’ve sent out emails to some faculty members at U of M who are listed as experts on alternative energy topics, inviting them to collaborate with my students through email or videoconference. I hope to hear back from at least one of them!

Project ideas I am considering involve teaming up 8th graders with first graders to benefit the reading vocabulary of the first graders, while at the same time, using technology with the 8th graders to do so. Both groups benefit!

Based on this module experience, what project ideas are you considering? I am considering a project related to the importance of patriotic music in our lives. My music standards cover a variety of genres, however, I think students need to have the performance skills necessary to sing a short list of standard Patriotic songs. With so many people being affected with family member serving in the conflicts overseas, I think making a connection to service to our country and real world impact of music can create a sense of relevance for my students to learn this valuable genre of music.

What factors are most important? I go back to keeping the end in mind. What is it that I really want my students to learn from this project. To really stay focused on the big picture. Also to pre-teach the skills my students will need to complete and really understand the concepts taught.

What factors are most important to consider as you develop your PBL?
I found myself taking notes during this lesson when I read "poor" examples of PBL and when I read components that make PBL quality. One idea I generated was to bring the outside in....trying to connect the students to experts or resources outside of the classroom. I am beginning to formulate a project on natural disasters. I have decided to add a component where students interview a person who has experienced a natural disaster first-hand. They can interview a friend or family member, or I have also started a list of my own connections with people from around the country and world that are willing to communicate to my students via email if my students choose to interview outside of their personal circle of candidates.

What factors are most important to consider as you develop your PBL?

This module made me think more about my project idea. I found myself jotting down notes and ideas as I viewed the samples provided in the module. It is critical to have a wealth of resources that connect the students to the world around them as well as make the project they are working on authentic. I began to focus on how I can bring outside experts in to enhance my project, whether it be through technology or face to face. My project is based on reading books and the different writing styles that author's use to hook the reader. Luckily we have a parent in our school community who just published her first book last year. I plan to contact her to see if she would be willing to talk with the students about writing and publishing books. The other component that seems critical is the driving quetion...it is so important that this question be worded so that students feel compelled to answer it in their own way.

Based on this module experience, what project ideas are you considering?

My project idea involves Digital Storytelling using PhotoStory3, but also incorporating other software programs such as Paint, Kid Pix, and PowerPoint and other technology such as scanners and cameras. I am focusing on combining ELA and technology goals. I am keeping the end in mind, a driving question and real world application.

Based on this module experience, what project ideas are you considering?

My project idea involves using Photostory or Powerpoint, and would also include research about folktales.

What factors are most important to consider as you develop your PBL?

When I was trying to come up with a PBL project initially I had a hard time because I did not start with the end in mind but once I started with that it came together so much easier. I was able to picture what my students would be capable of at the end of the project and what standards it would address. Another thing that helped me create my PBL project idea was what would all my students be interested in learning about, what would motivate them. I had to start thinking like a third grader and it helped.

After viewing these modules, I'm seeing a common thread woven throughout many projects; global intelligence and understanding. This definitely helps to reinforce my project idea for students to learn about a country in the eastern hemisphere and look at the differences and similarities between the other country and their own surroundings. Further, the five themes of geography may help them to understand the similarities and differences and why they exist. Project based learning really seems like a great way to bridge the distance and differences between students in suburban Michigan and students all over the world.

What factors are most important to consider as you develop your PBL?

I always begin my planning by asking myself, "What should my students know at the project's end?" The problem is answering that question. The glce's give you something to follow, but there are other skills to consider in a project that go beyond the glce's. I teach 4th grade so it is nice to include life skills when possible.

What factors are most important to consider as you develop your PBL?
I think that it is critical to the success of the PBL experience to be consistent and keep the ending and the ultimate goal we set for our students in our minds at all times. It is so easy during teaching to become sidetracked and to veer off onto something different, but by constantly keeping in mind that there is an ending and to know where the ending will be, is so crucial to a project’s success.

What factors are most important to consider as you develop your PBL?

The biggest factors for me in developing my PBL project is keeping in mind the willingness of the teachers I am working with to stretch into new comfort zones. Their teaching styles are very different from mine, and helping them make a change in what a "project" is in their mind adds a layer to creating this that I wouldn't have if I were in my own classroom.

based on this module experience, what project ideas are you considering?

Our first science unit as required by the district is earth science- rock and soil formation. Our eastside community is in terrible condition, as is the infrastructure of our school. For many years there have been rumors circulating that Kearsly park would be an ideal site for a new school. Also, given the economic conditions, it would also be ideal for a community garden to provide food for the community.
Students will need to learn about rocks. rock cycl, rock formation, soil compositions and formation.
They will need to apply this knowledge to a soil sample from the park and make recommendations for its use