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edcampstl - PBL! (guest post by Katie)

The first session I attended at Ed Camp this year about Project Based Learning specifically for gifted students. PBL is a way of teaching where students learn by working on a project over time to investigate and respond to real-life problems.

The person leading the session shared an example where his 5th graders build dog houses for the local shelter that was in need. The students researched how big the dogs were, made a plan, built a paper prototype, made a cardboard revised model and then actually build real dog houses out of wood.

Eventually, our conversation shifted to giving all students PBL options. Here are the tips and resources that I took away.
Resources



-Collaborate with librarian and other teachers

-Invite community members in to speak about issues in the community

-Prompt the presenter to ask your kids for help

Tips
Look at grade level standards and incorporate as many as possible into projects
Questions to start PBL
  • 50 things that elementary students can make 
  • 50 ways students can do community service 
  • 50 things elementary students should have to do that they shouldn’t/what do we ask students to do that we wouldn’t ask adults to do
  • 50 ways students can demonstrate their learning outside the classroom




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