5 Ways to Use Project

Based Learning
Project Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method that
encourages hands-on exploration of concepts, critical
thinking skills, and sustained inquiry.
Based on the idea that students learn best when they’re participating, PBL engages children in an extended inquiry
process structured around complex questions and carefully designed tasks. At the core of each PBL lesson is a
driving question that is critical to the curriculum and leads to constructive investigation.
There is no one right way to create a driving question. Use these examples and structures as a guide.

1.  olve a real-
S Driving Question: “Design a better menu, payment system, and layout for the school
world challenge. cafeteria.”

Students work in small groups with a set budget to research different food-service partners and
experiment with changing the cafeteria seating to allow for greater volume and efficiency during
lunch. Include mini-lessons to teach economic concepts like supply and demand, and operations
concepts like throughput. Students create diagrams and present their conclusions to the class.

2.  each others a
T Driving Question: “How can you teach second graders to prevent colds from spreading?”
new skill.
Students investigate how infections spread, and the difference between a virus and bacteria. Then,
they create visual representations of how to prevent a virus from spreading. The project culminates
with small-group workshops with a second-grade class to share learning.

3. Make predic- Driving Question: “What if women were never granted the right to vote?”
tions about an
alternate future. Students learn the history of the women’s suffrage movement and the 19th amendment to the United
States Constitution. Then, they research what major elections or issues might have been settled dif-
ferently if only men could vote. Small groups consider questions like: “What other populations have
encountered barriers to voting in the U.S.?” “Is there such a thing as a female voting bloc?” Students
create a storyboard of a hypothetical situation that could only be true if women could not vote.

4. Take on a Driving Question: “Hurricanes are powerful, and at times, potentially catastrophic
fictional role natural phenomena. Why do some communities respond better to them than do others?”
with a mission to
accomplish. Students take on the role of a governor, an engineer, a citizen, a meteorologist, or a FEMA em-
ployee. Then, they research hurricanes from that perspective. In the process, they learn all about
hurricanes, plus how various government and non-profit organization contribute to damage-
prevention and recovery efforts. For example, an engineer would analyze the structure of the
buildings. A meteorologist would study weather patterns. Then, since all of the students present
their unique perspective, the whole class learns more information about the big picture.

5. Research an Driving Question: “Should gym class be optional?”

issue, and then
justify an opinion. What are the health benefits of physical education? What would students use to fill the extra pe-
riod if gym class was optional? After students investigate the pros and cons, they stage a debate
between the opposing sides were, complete with visual aids.
For more information on utilizing project based learning at school, visit: http://additu.de/pbl

www.additudemag.com/download/