TASK 1

TASK 1: Choose your Project, Create your Gmail Account, and Google Site (e-portfolio)

STEP 1

Choose your year long project from any STEM courses.

You should choose a PBL project (Level II or Level III) from any STEM course. It is strongly recommended to discuss this matter with your teacher to decide the most suitable project topic for you.

Option 1: CTE Courses (Ex: Engineering, Biomedical, Forensic Science, ...)

Option 2: Computer Sciences

Option 3: Elective STEM course (Ex: Environmental Sci)

Option 4: Mathematics

Option 5: Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)

Option 6: AP or Dual Credit STEM Courses (Ex: AP Statistics, AP Biology, ...)

Will you do a group project ?

If your mentor teacher allows you to work as a group, make a team of 2 or 3 students (no more than 3 students in one team). Be aware that each member of the team will have the same website and project so everyone in the team will have the same grades from the same tasks. Also when you participate in a contest there will be only one award for the whole team.

STEP 2

Choose your year long PBL Level II project topic

• • Ask your mentor teacher to share the list of Level II projects.

  • Choose your project from the list. So first come, first served!

  • Ask your mentor teacher for approval so that the teacher will assign that project to you (or your team).

  • Your teacher may ask you to visit him/her to make the final decision. If it is approved you may schedule a time with the teacher to take the materials/equipment.

STEP 3

Sign up for a Gmail account

If you have created a PBL Gmail account from a previous year’s assignment, you do not have to create a new one. However, please make sure you haven't used this account for purposes other than PBL assignments.

Student’s Gmail account must follow a certain format:

firstname initial + lastname.SchoolDomainnameYear@gmail.com

Example:

Name: Sydney Kelly

School website: abcde.org

Your email address would come out as skelly.abcde2016@gmail.com OR

skelly.abcde16@gmail.com

Click here to create a Gmail account

• • Students' Gmail accounts and related services that are associated with this account are to be used ONLY for school related assignments.

  • Students are responsible for providing his/her Gmail account information to the parents.

  • You will use the same Gmail account for years for STEM, ELA and Social Science PBL assignments. After you graduate, the content you produced under this Gmail account (websites, videos, etc. …) can serve as an online portfolio that you can reach at anytime. We may also ask you to present your e-portfolios (Google sites)  as a capstone project when you become a senior. So always keep your Google sites from previous years.

STEP 4

Create a blank Google site

NOTE TO STUDENTS: Do not use the previous sites you have created. You need to start with a new site each year !

• • Log in to https://sites.google.com/ with your PBL Gmail account (Make sure you do not use your school email account).

  • Click "Create a site"

  • Choose BLANK Template

  • Name your site in the following format:

When you create your website, you need to follow this format:

STEMSOS2024 and your shortened project name and two digit number of your choice.

For example: If a student does a hovercraft project, student will create a Google site in this format "stemsos2016hovercraft12" ,so the URL address will be http://sites.google.com/site/stemsos2024hovercraft12

Incorrect URL format: https://sites.google.com/student.harmonytx.org/stemsos2024hovercraft12 (This unaccepted URL format is due to school email usage when the site is created for the first time. In order to use your school email to edit the website, please create the blank google site with your PBL email (skelly.abcde16@gmail.com) and share it with your school email.)

STEP 5

Share your site with your teachers,

Sharing does not mean sending the link by email. This is how you do it;

• • Use the "Share" button located on the upper right corner.

  • stemsos.virtual@gmail.com (first choose the option "editor" and after "done" click on the share button again and "transfer ownership" to stemsos.virtual@gmail.com)

  • Your STEM teacher's email. (choose the option "editor")

  • Your Social Studies teacher's email

  • Your ELA teacher's email

  • Share with your team members if this is a group project.

Great Hint for Students: If your computer(Chromebook) does not allow you to login with your PBL (Personal) email, you can share the website with your student(school) email in order to edit the website through school laptop.

Great Hint for Teachers: If students don't have access to computers at home, teachers can take the following steps to facilitate remote collaboration:

1. Create a blank website using their personal PBL (Personal) email, like STEM.PBL@GMAIL.COM.

2. Share the website link with their students' school email addresses, allowing students to edit the website through their school Gmail on their school laptop (Chromebook).

 Here are some important reminders for teachers during this process:

   a. Make sure to sign out of all Google accounts before logging in with your personal PBL email to avoid accidentally associating the website with your work email.

   b. Use the URL format specified in STEP 4 for consistency.

STEP 6

Email the name of project and website URL link.

• • Send the URL link of your website to your mentor teacher (to whom is grading your PBL tasks).

  • Add the name of your project that has been approved by your mentor teacher.

  • Also add the names of the team members, if this is a group project.

  • Your mentor teacher will add your site link to school roster later.