PBL Showcase ~ Spring 2023

DQ: How do solutions impact the world we live in? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: Science, Math, ELA

Instructional Skills Discovered:  activate prior knowledge, compare & contrast, draw conclusions, making predictions, sequencing 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communicate, Collaborate, Creativity, Problem Solving

Task: Students created varying concentrations of sucrose solutions and watched how Colligative properties impact the boiling point of a solution. Using their knowledge of boiling point elevation students tested the viscosity of the solutions using the "cold water test." Noting, that at each temperature, the candy solution created different textures of "supersaturated" sucrose solution. At the Thread Stage, 230° F– 235° F sugar concentration: 80% all the way to the Hard Crack stage, 300° F–310° F where the sugar concentration of the solution reaches 99%. Students calculated percent of sugar in the solution, and were able to mold the sugar solutions into various shaped candies. (We even flavored them yum!) Students were tasked with determining the types of concentrations needed to create hard candies and soft chewy candies.

DQ: What obstacles would NASA engineers face in landing and driving a rover on Mars? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: Science, Math, ELA

Instructional Skills Discovered:  activate prior knowledge, problem and solution, sequencing 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communicate, Collaborate, Problem Solve

Task: Students used coding to land their Sphero on a replica of Mars and followed the real path of the Mars Curiosity Rover. They engaged in computational thinking, used math, estimated velocity and forces, and collaborated to determine the best coding to simulate the rover's journey.

DQ: How can we balance our country’s energy requirements with being environmentally conscious? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: Science, Math, ELA, Social Studies/History

Instructional Skills Discovered:  activate prior knowledge, connect themes, arguments, perspectives, draw conclusions, point of view, sequencing 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communicate, Collaborate, Creativity, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Life Management - time, risk, stress, Self and/or Social Awareness 

Task: As part of the non-renewable energy portion of their energy science unit, fourth-grade students used chocolate chip cookies and toothpicks to simulate and evaluate coal mining techniques and completed a cost-benefit analysis. The students have been studying the pluses and minuses relating to renewable and nonrenewable energy resources.

For the cookie mining activity, the students were given two broad guidelines. The first cookie mining round was to extract as many chips as possible with little regard for the environmental impact. The second round required the students to be mindful of their techniques and perform less damage to the environment. In both cases, there was a fixed amount of time and the students were fined based on the number of broken cookie pieces. Upon completion of the activity, the students created a profit/loss statement and analyzed their profitability. The students presented their findings to the class and assessed how their mining decisions would change if they weren’t fined. Also, they discussed how the environment of the cookie would be affected if there were ecosystems on it. Finally, they brainstormed some ways that they could entice businesses to be environmentally safe. This exercise helped students reflect on the types of decisions governments and businesses are faced with and how difficult it can be to strike a balance between being profitable and protecting the environment.

DQ: How do forces interact?

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Science

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, cause and effect. compare and contrast, problem solution, sequencing, vocabulary development

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communicate, Collaborate, Problem Solving, Creativity, Life Management Skills- time, risk, stress, Social and or Self Awareness 

Task: Students created a device to protect a raw egg from damage when dropped from a second story window onto a cement slab. 

DQ: How can we make a rainbow? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: Science, ELA

Instructional Skills Discovered:  activate prior knowledge, making predictions, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communicate, Collaborate, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking 

Task: The students were expected to use the scientific method to execute an experiment using vinegar, baking soda and food coloring. The students made and recorded their predictions, observations and conclusions.

DQ: Why does an author use FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE in their writing? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, making predictions, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communicate, Collaborate, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking 

Task: Students will be able to:

Locate the important facts and key details in a given statement.

Discuss key details in an article

Collaborate effectively to answer questions

Connect events in an author's life to his or her writing

Identify figurative language in passages taken from the novel, Inside Out & Back Again.

Determine the type, meaning, and author’s purpose for including the figurative language identified in each passage.

DQ: Who built the American West?

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Social Studies/History, Fine Arts

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, analyze text structure, cause and effect, drawing conclusions, fact and opinion, problem and solution, using text evidence, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Collaborate, Communicate, Creativity, Critical Thinking

Task: After reading different genres (articles, memoir excerpts, informational texts and speeches), students designed and made a poster about why settlers should move west. They had to pick one of three reasons to focus on: land, gold or jobs. Students brainstormed and made an outline and sketch in their Read 180 RealBook, and then typed up their final poster. 

DQ: How does one become an entrepreneur?

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, CTE, Fine Arts

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, problem and solution, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Life Management Skills - time, risk, stress, Critical Thinking, Communication, Problem Solving, Creativity

Task: Students worked as first time business owners starting their own small business. They had to research their business idea, the industry, and the competition. Students had to create their own business logos, slogans, and marketing materials. To put it all together students created their own professional business websites. 

DQ: What was life like for an Aztec, Inca, or Mayan person and what would life be like today without these civilizations?

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Social Studies/History, Science

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, analyze text structure, compare and contrast, main idea and details, using text evidence, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Creativity, Communicate, Critical Thinking, Self and/or Social Awareness

Task: Students conducted independent research and created a slideshow presentation to showcase their learning. 

DQ: How can we discover the irrational number pi?

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Math, Social Studies/History

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, making predictions,making inferences, problem and solution, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Creativity, Collaborate, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking 

Task: Students discovered pi as the ratio of the circumference to the diameter of a circle. They used paper plates and measured circumference and diameter using string and a ruler. They discovered that no matter the size of the circle the ratio is always, approximately, pi. They then reflected on circles in real life, where this ratio would be true and decorated their plates as these circular objects they thought of. Students also watched a video and discussed the history of the discovery of pi. 

DQ: Which tower design can hold the most coins?

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Math, Science

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, cause and effect, drawing conclusions, making predicitons, problem and solution, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Creativity, Collaborate, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Communicate

Task: Students used team building to create and construct a bucket tower. The students used research, trial and error, and team work to build their towers. They brainstormed, planned, and put their plans into action. The goal was to construct the strongest possible bucket tower to hold the most coins out of all of the groups in the class. 

DQ: Why are so many toys made out of plastic? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Science, Social Studies/History

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, cause and effect, drawing conclusions, making predictions, problem and solution, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Creativity, Collaborate, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking 

Task: In this lesson, students learned about melting, about the solid and liquid states of matter, and then discovered why plastic was invented. In the activity, Candy Melt, students conducted an investigation to determine which types of candy would melt in hot water. Using their observations, they decided which candy is the best choice to bring to a hot summer camp. 

DQ: How does change in mood affect the reader's experience in a story?

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, analyze text structure, connect themes, arguments, perspectives, making inferences, using text evidence, making text connections,  developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Creativity, Collaborate, Communicate, Critical Thinking 

Task: Students will be able to:

Recall the “mood” in a short story as well as the general definition of “mood”

Identify the important facts and key details in a paragraph

Locate and discuss key details in an excerpt from a short story

Collaborate effectively to answer questions in a small group

Connect direct quotes in an excerpt to explain the meaning and “mood” of a passage.

Evaluate how the literary element “mood” affects the reader's experience while reading a short story, novel, or poem.

DQ: How do we use our language skills to make use of better predictors?

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Science

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, cause and effect, compare and contrast, draw conclusions, make predictions, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Creativity, Collaborate, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Communicate 

Task: The St. Patrick's day sink or float experiment was a fun way to introduce predicting during speech sessions. A mini black pot was placed next to the container of green water and pennies. After the students examined all the materials, they were asked to make and write their predictions on the board. First, what does sink and float mean? Does the pot sink or float? Next, do pennies sink or float? What would happen if we added pennies to the pot? How many pennies would sink the pot? The students made predictions and then tested their ideas. Predicting that adding pennies to the pot would make it sink was the easy part. Predicting that it would take 49 pennies to sink the pot was a little trickier.

In the end, all the students agreed that making predictions involved a lot of language! Having the opportunity to define vocabulary, understand cause/effect, ask more questions and formulate sentences to clearly express our ideas, all helped to make us better predictors!

DQ: How can we assist students with disabilities?

Interdisciplinary Studies: Science, Math, ELA

Instructional Skills Discovered:  activate prior knowledge, cause and effect, compare and contrast, problem and solution, sequencing, and developing vocabulary

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communicate, Collaborate, Creativity, Problem Solve, Life Management Skills - time, risk, stress, Self and/or Social Awareness

Task: Students worked together to plan and organize a fundraising event that supports the Life Skills program at Comsewogue High School.  Monies were raised and friendships were made.

DQ: How can we help the environment through upcycling? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: Science, Math, ELA

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, cause and effect, drawing conclusions, problem and solution, making text connections, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Creativity, Collaborate, Communicate, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving

Task: Students worked on thinking creatively about how to use found materials to problem solve removing important items that had been dropped in a "storm drain" before an imaginary Spring Break flight. Students brainstormed solutions before building, testing, and adjusting prototypes to fish out the dropped items. They recorded, analyzed, and presented their results, and we discussed the environmental impact of litter left in storm drains. 

DQ: What makes an animal unique?

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Science

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, fact and opinion, main idea and details, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Creativity, Collaborate, Communicate

Task: The students researched an animal of their choice using PebbleGo and books on their reading level.  They took notes in a graphic organizer about what makes their animal unique such as their physical features, what they eat, where they live, their lifecycle and how their adaptations help them to survive.  Using their graphic organizer and notes they created a written report about their animal.  Upon completion of their report they created a diorama of their animal and their animals habitat.  They presented their report and diorama to each other as well as to other third grade classes.  

DQ: How do natural disasters affect Earth and its peoples? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Science, Math, Social Studies/History

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, cause and effect, compare and contrast, drawing conclusions, main idea and details, making inferences, problem and solution, using text evidence developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Creativity, Collaborate, Communicate, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Self and Social Awareness 

Task: Students will be able to study natural disasters during Science, using Mystery Science, and ELA, reading the text I Survived to work through the writing process. Students collaborated on the impact natural disasters has on the Earth and us. Students presented work while others took notes and shared feedback to presenters.

DQ: What is our role of AI in our future?

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Science, Math, Social Studies/History

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, connect themes/perspectives, cause and effect, drawing conclusions, making inferences, summarizing, using text evidence,  developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Creativity, Collaborate, Communicate, Critical Thinking 

Task: Students completed a lesson on the Industrial Revolution. The lesson used the premise that the current Fourth Industrial Revolution got out of control and an Artificial Intelligence system called The Machine took over humanity. They had to complete a series of tasks to save the world. Each task was about the Industrial Revolution. There were in room tasks that used clues such as explaining why a tea kettle whistled considering how a locomotive operated. Some clues were physical in room objects and others had them in a virtual world with avatars exploring data. If they could complete the 7 level puzzle they beat the Machine and saved the world. 

DQ: Can the Oregon Trail be recreated using Ozobots?

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Math, Social Studies/History

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, problem and solution, sequence of events, making inferences, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Creativity, Collaborate, Communicate, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving 

Task: Students explored the early American period of Manifest Destiny and western expansion in our 7th grade Social Studies classes. Students explored the Oregon Trail by coding their Ozobot "wagons" to cross the country on one of the trails taken by pioneers. The Ozobot wagons were zigzagging through the mountains, going slowly through rivers, and performing other movements that the wagons would have done while on the trail. The students goal was to successfully map their route, provide the code and move around obstacles while moving towards Oregon. The Ozobot pioneers were slowly wading through rivers, getting caught up in twisters, falling down the mountains and dancing when they arrived in Oregon! 

DQ: What if coral reefs didn't exist?

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Science

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, cause and effect, problem and solution, fact and opinion, making predictions, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Collaborate, Communicate, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving

Task: Students gained insight into how important coral reefs are to ocean life and our life too. In addition to supporting ocean life, coral reefs protect coastlines from storms and erosion, provide jobs for local communities, and offer opportunities for recreation.

DQ: What pathways can one take to become a teacher?

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, CTE

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Life Management Skills - time, risk, stress, Self and/or Social Awareness

Task: Mr. St. Pierre, Mrs. Rand, and Mrs. Gonias took the high school Introduction to Teaching class and the middle school's Future Teacher's Club students to tour Suffolk County Community College for a "Take a Look at Teaching" seminar! 

DQ: How do you grow native plants?

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Science, Social Studies/History, Physical Education/Health

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, drawing conclusions, making inferences, making predictions, problem and solution, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Collaborate, Creativity, Self and/or Social Awareness

Task: Students completed the beginning stages of a native plant garden. They grew native plants in JFK's greenhouse and realized that many types of native plant species have different requirements for germination and growth. They also learned how to dig, till, rake, and properly prepare a native plant garden. 

DQ: How do we utilize percentage increases and decreases in real life?

Interdisciplinary Studies: Math, ELA

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, drawing conclusions, problem and solution, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Collaborate, Problem Solve, Critical Thinking

Task: Students were asked to use their knowledge of percent increase and decrease and apply it to real-life scenarios. In groups, students spent a day ordering off menus from local restaurants. At each restaurant, students filled out their receipts for the items that were being ordered. This included calculating their subtotal, sales tax, and gratuity.

Students then spent a day going "shopping" at different stores, such as Payless, Stop and Shop, and Costco. Each store was set up in the room and had various items being sold. Students calculated the discount price on items in their carts, given certain discounts and coupons. They then calculated their sales tax on the subtotal of their items.  

DQ: How can we make music using a ukulele?

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Fine Arts, Social Studies/History

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, cause and effect, problem and solution, making text connection, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communicate, Collaborate, Creativity, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Life Management Skills - time, risk, stress, Self and/or Social Awareness

Task: Students learn to play songs of their own choosing on the ukulele. Students learn new chords and strumming patterns, and can perform the song on the instrument while singing. 

DQ: How can you, as a group, showcase your learning from reading a shared text?

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Fine Arts

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, author's purpose, analyze text structure, cause and effect, connect themes, arguments, perspectives, drawing conclusions, main idea and details, point of view, problem and solution, using text evidence, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communicate, Collaborate, Creativity, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Life Management Skills - time, risk, stress, 

Task: Groups were given freedom to create a final project of their choice to showcase their learning, understanding, and enjoyment of a particular shared text. 

DQ: How can literature inspire future authors?

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Fine Arts, Social Studies/History

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, author's purpose, analyze text structure, connect themes, arguments, perspectives, drawing conclusions, main idea and details, point of view, using text evidence, developing vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communicate, Collaborate, Creativity, Critical Thinking, 

Task: After reading Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, inspired authors created their own versions.  Chaucer's piece was a collection of 24 stories with over 17,000 lines.