Project Based Learning

“Project Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge.” www.bie.org

RESOURCES: DVD- Rearview Mirror: Reflections on a Preschool Car Project

Articles & Links:

• Experts stress Project Based Learning for All Day Kindergarten
• PBL Summary from 2018 Early Release Day PD

Project Based Approach/Project Based Learning

WHY: Develop 21st century skills to support inquiry, higher-level thinking, problem- solving and collaboration

Project based learning promotes process skills:

Creative Curriculum Volume 1 The Foundation: p. 32-33, p. 131

Tools to plan activities for each interest area that will help children answer the investigation questions:

Beginning the Year Interest Area Overview

Tree Study Interest Area Overview

Clothing Study Interest Area Overview

Building Study Interest Area Overview

Balls Study Interest Area Overview

RRR Study Interest Area Overview

“Project Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge.” www.bie.org

Essential Project Design Elements:

• Key Knowledge, Understanding, and Success Skills - The project is focused on student learning goals, including standards-based content and skills such as critical thinking/problem solving, communication, collaboration, and self-management.
• Challenging Problem or Question - The project is framed by a meaningful problem to solve or a question to answer, at the appropriate level of challenge.
• Sustained Inquiry - Students engage in a rigorous, extended process of asking questions, finding resources, and applying information.
• Authenticity - The project features real-world context, tasks and tools, quality standards, or impact – or speaks to students’ personal concerns, interests, and issues in their lives.
• Student Voice & Choice - Students make some decisions about the project, including how they work and what they create.
• Reflection - Students and teachers reflect on learning, the effectiveness of their inquiry and project activities, the quality of student work, obstacles and how to overcome them.
• Critique & Revision - Students give, receive, and use the feedback to improve their process and products.
• Public Product - Students make their project work public by explaining, displaying and/or presenting it to people beyond the classroom.

From Illinois Projects in Practice

(Choose the link above to read more.)

http://illinoisearlylearning.org/illinoispip/lesson-planning/topicwebs1.html

SUMMARY of ARTICLE:

Introduction: Topic Webs in Project Work

A topic web is a kind of visual organizer. A topic web is one way to represent the understandings and questions that the class has about a topic (Figure 1).

Lesson Planning Suggestion: Making a Topic Web with Children

When you make a lesson plan for creating a topic web with the children, it’s a good idea to consider three basic questions: What materials do you need? What preparations are important? What procedures do other teachers recommend?

Materials

Preparation

Procedure

• Introducing the Topic Web Lesson.
• Generating Ideas for the Topic Web.

Extending the First Experience

Ideas for Later Activities

Documenting What Children Know, Do, and Understand

Planning to Include Children with Special Needs

Planning for Children with Home Languages Other Than English

Rearview Mirror: Reflections on a Preschool Car Project

Tina:

After doing some research I found the link (listed below) and I contacted the school that did the research and the film. I send them an email and inquired about the DVD. I am including the response she sent me regarding the DVD. You might want to contact them and see if they will share the digital link – especially if you share with them why you are wanting to use it.

Here is the Link:

http://ecap.crc.illinois.edu/eecearchive/books/rearview/index.html

(Scroll all the way down to the very bottom and it will give the address and a link to send “Comments” to them. That is what I used.)

Here is her response to my email that I sent –

Dear Ms. Huxster,

Thank you for contacting the Early Childhood Collective at the University of Illinois. The Rearview Mirror DVD is no longer available for purchase. There are a few copies available for loan through the library system. If you need a hard copy of the DVD, you can find one by visiting your local library and asking for the DVD to be sent through the interlibrary loan system.

We have received a couple of requests in the recent past for this DVD. We have made a digital copy of the DVD, but because of the permissions we got to film the children in the schools in the video, we will need you to agree to some restrictions before making it available to you:

1) You will show the film only in classes, lectures, and other forms of professional development or in other interactions with students.

2) You will not post and/or share the film (in whole or in part) in any form on the Internet.

3) You will not copy and/or distribute the video file to anyone else, such as fellow teachers or your students.

Once you agree to these conditions, I can send you a link to the folder where you can download the file. A PDF of Dr. Benekee’s book “Rearview Mirror: Reflections on a Preschool Car Project” is also available in this folder.

Please reply that you agree to the terms above and I will send the link to you. Thank you for understanding.

Sincerely,

Jill Tompkins, Research Information Specialist

Early Childhood Collective

Department of Special Education | College of Education

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

51 Gerty Drive

Champaign, IL

877-275-3227