PBL Day 4 Lesson Plan

Project Driving Question How can we utilize our knowledge of human impact on the environment to proactively design
sustainable alternatives to urban infrastructures?

Daily Goal towards Project Students will present their proposals to each other for the purpose of obtaining peer feedback
and send their drafts to experts in the field to obtain perspectives.

Standards: ● 13 HS-ETS1-3. Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on

prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints,
including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social,
cultural, and environmental impacts.

● HS-ETS1-4. Use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed

solutions to a complex real-world problem with numerous criteria and
constraints on interactions within and between systems relevant to the
problem. Big Idea: Students will be able to evaluate the impact of human
behaviors on the ecosystem in order to develop a plan for how to minimize the
impacts of these behaviors.

Learning Objective(s) ● Students will evaluate the practicality of their proposed intervention through a
presentation showcasing the constraints and considerations to their plan.

Section of Lesson Description Materials/Resource

s used

Engagement Activity: The ● Students will read an excerpt from the online article Dam Debate article
Dam Debate “The Dam Debate” and then answer questions on the w/questions
10 mins article about the proposed benefits and harms Dame do
to the environment.
● After answering questions, the students are instructed to
debate whether Dams are good or bad for the
environment, one student in the pair arguing for the
benefits of Dams while the other addresses the harms.
● Class will then meet as a collective to discuss the
outcomes from these small debates and how the evidence
either for or against dams being good for the
environment

Content Check Follow up: ● Instructor presents questions from the content check that
5 mins most students got incorrect in order to provide
clarification upon these topics.
● Will present the questions on the board along with the
wrong answer most commonly picked and the correct
answer shown.
● Instructor will attempt to have someone who got the
answer correct explain to the class how they choose that
 answer (briefly). May call upon multiple people who
raise their hand when asked if they got the answer
correct.
● If students look wary or no one feels comfortable
sharing, then the Instructor will briefly explain the
correct answers rationale instead.
● Instructor will ask a random student in class to explain
why it's correct as a double check that the class was
listening to the follow up activity.
○ Limitation: a random student’s understanding
cannot act as a marker for whole class
understanding, but may call attention to the rest
of the class to listen to the student’s explanation
in case they themselves were not paying
attention prior to this action.

Peer Presentation Preparation time for the students to regroup with their project Students use
Preparation partners and conduct the following: computers/own
15 mins ● Finalize the components to their proposal presentation materials for
(does it include slides? How are they choosing to present preparation
the material?)
● Ask students;
○ Who is presenting what in your group (each
member has to present at least one category)
○ Make sure the presentation includes
■ Your identified environmental concern
■ Your Sustainable Solution
■ Your constraints and considerations
● Students should also be addressing anything they want
added/altered to their designs before presenting them.

Presentation with evaluation
and feedback
Estimated 40 to 50 mins
● Instructor gives a quick explanation to class before Feedback
presentations begin about what qualifies as “good” worksheet
feedback
○ Will show students an example of good vs. bad
feedback as a model for students to consider
○ Will explain some key elements of feedback that
differ it from advice or opinion
○ Will emphasize to students to keep feedback
honest and considerate(not insincere and hurtful)
● Instructor directs students and gives instructions to how
the groups will move through the presentation stations.
● There are a total of 10 project groups and 5 stations
● At each station 2 groups will meet to present their
projects to each other for feedback. This will be a total of
10 mins at each station consisting of:
○ Each group presents their project (2 to 3 mins)
○ Followed by a 2-3 minute discussion for
feedback
 ● Students will be writing down the feedback they get
from the other group on their feedback sheet. The sheet
has two sections that they can jot down their notes into
for organization, one column which focuses on
“highlights to the project” whereas the other column
focuses on “places for improvement”.
● Even number group will rotate to the next station
clockwise around the room while the odd number groups
remain at their station.
● Students should, by the end of the activity, receive
quality and detailed feedback from 4 to 5 different
project groups.

Debrief and Closing ● Instructor will bring the class together to focus back up
Remarks to the front by saying “eyes up here” and will tell
10 mins students to return to their original seats.
● Once the Instructor has the whole class’ attention, the
instructor will explain that
○ “peer presentations were conducted to allow you
the time to receive honest and helpful critique
about your proposals, without the stress that
comes with formal evaluation”.
○ “It also was a time for you to learn from your
peers' designs and notice what you may want to
improve upon.”
● Instructor will lead short class discussion for Students to
bring up what they learned from other student’s
presentations
○ This will be done so that students who may have
not had the opportunity to hear some of the other
student’s project ideas will be able to.
○ Previously unheard project ideas may
impact/influence/relate to other student projects.
● Instructor will inform the class that the presentations
they prepared will be sent to the Sustainable Department
at GW so that they can receive feedback to incorporate
into their finalized proposal.
○ Have students share proposal presentations with
Instructor so that they can be sent off.
○ Students should receive feedback from the
department for class period.
○ *Important to note* Final proposals will be
shared with the Sustainable Department as well
upon completion of the project.

Instructor will then close class with a list of encouragement for

students to do before the next class to help them prepare for final
revisions. *since the Instructor will not be allowed to give
homework over the break*