Generative AI , such as Chat GPT or Google Gemini,can be used to generate a rough draft of activities, driving questions, voice and choice options, units, and assessments, based on the Massachusetts STE frameworks.
The response should be edited as needed, and connected with lesson plans and videos from age-appropriate sources such as Science Buddies and the Exploratorium.
Sample prompt: For a PBL unit for a Pre-K classroom, outline hands-on activities based on the following MA Framework: "PreK-ESS2-1(MA). Raise questions and engage in discussions about how different types of local environments (including water) provide homes for different kinds of living things.
PreK-ESS2-2(MA). Observe and classify non-living materials, natural and human made, in the local environment.
PreK-ESS2-3(MA). Explore and describe different places water is found in the local environment. "
Result(Google Gemini):
Driving Question: What can we learn about the living and non-living things in our local environment, and how do they interact with water?
MA Frameworks Addressed:
PreK-ESS2-1(MA): Raise questions and engage in discussions about how different types of local environments (including water) provide homes for different kinds of living things.
PreK-ESS2-2(MA): Observe and classify non-living materials, natural and human made, in the local environment.
PreK-ESS2-3(MA): Explore and describe different places water is found in the local environment.
Unit Overview: This PBL unit is designed for a Pre-K classroom and focuses on hands-on, experiential learning. Students will become "Environmental Explorers," investigating different habitats, classifying materials, and observing the role of water in their immediate surroundings. The unit culminates in a "Community Showcase" where students present their findings to families and peers.
Phase 1: Sparking Curiosity & Initial Exploration
Activity 1: The "Wonder Walk"
Objective: To introduce the concept of local environments and encourage initial observations.
Hands-on Activity: Take a short walk around the schoolyard or a nearby park. Provide students with small magnifying glasses and collection bags.
Discussion Prompts:
"What living things do you see? (e.g., plants, insects, birds)"
"Where do they live? Do you think they have a 'home'?"
"What non-living things do you see? (e.g., rocks, sticks, pavement)"
"Is there any water here? Where is it?"
Follow-up: Back in the classroom, create a large chart with the headings "Living Things," "Non-Living Things," and "Places Water Is." Have students use drawings and dictated words to record their findings from the walk.
Activity 2: Sensory Bins & Habitat Jars
Objective: To explore different types of environments in a controlled, sensory-rich setting.
Hands-on Activity: Set up several sensory bins, each representing a different environment (e.g., "Forest Floor" with dirt, leaves, and twigs; "Pond Life" with blue water beads, toy frogs, and lily pads; "Garden" with soil and small flower pots).
Exploration: Allow students to freely explore the bins. Encourage them to use tools like scoops and tweezers to manipulate the materials.
Follow-up: After the free play, introduce "Habitat Jars." Provide clear plastic jars with lids. Students can choose materials from the sensory bins to create their own small habitats, describing what they included and why.
Phase 2: Deepening Understanding: Focus on Living & Non-Living
Activity 3: Classifying Natural & Human-Made Materials
Objective: To practice observing and classifying non-living materials.
Hands-on Activity: Create two large hoops on the floor, one labeled "Natural" and the other "Human-Made." Provide a variety of objects for students to sort, such as a rock, a leaf, a twig, a plastic bottle cap, a crayon, a shell, a button, and a piece of cotton fabric.
Discussion: As students sort, ask them to explain their choices. "Why is this a 'natural' object? Did a person make it, or did it come from nature?" This activity directly addresses PreK-ESS2-2(MA).
Activity 4: Creating a "Living Things" Diorama
Objective: To connect specific living things to their environments.
Hands-on Activity: Provide shoeboxes and a variety of craft materials (e.g., green paper for grass, blue paper for water, cotton balls for clouds, small plastic animals).
Project: Guide students to create a diorama of a specific local environment (e.g., a forest, a pond, a garden). Encourage them to place the appropriate animals in their "homes." For example, a fish would go in the pond, a squirrel would go by the tree.
Connection: This activity reinforces the concept of different environments providing homes for different living things, a key part of PreK-ESS2-1(MA).
Phase 3: The Role of Water
Activity 5: "Where Does Water Go?" Experiment
Objective: To explore and describe different places water is found.
Hands-on Activity: On a sunny day, take a few different non-living materials outside, such as a rock, a piece of wood, a cotton ball, and a plastic lid. Pour a small amount of water on each.
Observation: Ask students to observe what happens. "Where did the water go? Did it stay on top? Did the material soak it up? Did it roll off?"
Discussion: Use this as a springboard to talk about different places water is found in nature (e.g., in puddles, in a pond, in the ground). This directly addresses PreK-ESS2-3(MA).
Activity 6: Puddle Painting
Objective: To creatively explore how water interacts with other materials.
Hands-on Activity: On a rainy day, or by creating a puddle with a hose, provide students with large brushes and watercolor paints.
Art Exploration: Encourage them to "paint" the puddles and observe how the colors mix and spread. This is a fun and sensory way to engage with the concept of water.
Culmination: The "Community Showcase"
Event: Invite parents and other classrooms to a special showcase.
Student Presentations: Each student or small group can present their Habitat Jars, dioramas, or a drawing from the Wonder Walk.
Discussion: Encourage students to be the "experts," explaining what they learned about living things, non-living things, and water in their local environment. This is the final step in the PBL process, where students share their knowledge and demonstrate their learning.