PBL Showcase ~ Fall 2024

DQ:  How can we utilize the scientific method to explore the role of organic compounds in the nutritional value and flavor enhancement of foods during cooking?

Interdisciplinary Studies: Science, ELA, Math, CTE

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, determine cause & effect, compare & contrast, connect themes, arguments, perspectives, draw conclusions, make inferences, make predictions, sequence, use text evidence, make text connections - to self, text/media, world, develop vocabulary 

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

Task: Students engaged in an independent investigation focused on organic compounds, which are essential components found in all living organisms, including our food. To deepen their understanding of organic compounds and their effects on food preparation and flavor, students conducted thorough research and designed an experiment centered around food. While the project suggestion was to explore the factors that contribute to fluffy pancakes, students had the freedom to pursue any inquiry of their choice.

Ultimately, students presented innovative investigations supported by extensive research. They formulated hypotheses and meticulously planned and executed experiments to test their predictions. Each student authored a comprehensive lab report that included the creation of tables, graphs, and a detailed analysis of their results. They formulated complete conclusions, substantiating their claims with research findings.

Moreover, students received instruction on citing sources using the APA (American Psychological Association) format, which is widely recognized in scientific writing. Additionally, they composed summaries of their work, referred to as abstracts in scientific literature, to succinctly explain their work.

This project allowed students to apply higher-order thinking skills, demonstrating their ability to analyze, evaluate, and create knowledge based on empirical evidence related to organic compounds and their influence on food.

DQ: How do ponds keep a healthy balance that allow fish to survive? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: Social Studies/History, ELA, Physical Education/Health, Fine Arts 

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, determine cause & effect, compare & contrast, connect themes, arguments, perspectives, draw conclusions, determine point of view, connect problem & solution, sequence, develop vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Flexibility, Incorporate and Give Feedback 

Task: We were tasked with creating cartoons that would convince hunter gatherers to leave their nomadic ways of life to embrace technological advancements in agriculture and the domestication of animals so they could settle in one place and unleash infinite human potential. 

DQ: How can you use basic engineering, science concepts, an iterative process, and collaboration to build the tallest sustainable tower? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: Science, ELA, Math

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, compare & contrast, draw conclusions, make inferences, make predictions 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Life Management - time, risk, stress, Self and/or Social Awareness, Flexibility, Incorporate and Give Feedback, Actively Listen and Speak 

Task: Fourth-grade students participated in the Spaghetti Marshmallow Challenge. The purpose of this STEAM activity was to encourage students to brainstorm, think critically, and work collaboratively while exploring science concepts. The students were given a limited amount of uncooked spaghetti, a marshmallow, string, and tape. Their job was to build the tallest free-standing structure they could create within 15 minutes. The participants were presented with some constraints:

• They couldn’t use anything to hold or prop up the structure.

• The tower had to stand for at least 30 seconds before being measured.

• They had 5 minutes to brainstorm and 15 minutes to build.

This exercise helped students experiment with various shapes and structures to see which one (s) was the strongest and most stable. They were able to reflect on why different designs may be more successful. Finally, the activity exposed students to using a trial and error (iterative) process to learn not only from successes but also from failures. This life skill can be applied across multiple disciplines and careers.

DQ: How can you plan a Thanksgiving meal using a budget? 

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

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, compare & contrast, sequence, make text connections - to self, text/media, world, develop vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Life Management - time, risk, stress, Self and/or Social Awareness, Flexibility, Actively Listen and Speak

Task: Students were tasked with coming up with a Thanksgiving guest list, selecting foods, and “purchasing” foods at the store with a budget. They worked in groups to come up with which foods to bring and how much it would cost. After students calculated the total. They also calculated what time they would need to cook each of the foods and how long it would take to cook. 

DQ: How do ponds keep a healthy balance that allow fish to survive? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: Science, ELA

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, determine cause & effect, connect problem & solution 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communication, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Incorporate and Give Feedback 

Task: The students were tasked with the assignment to balance the pond with fish food, producers and consumers in order to help the fish survive.

DQ: How can forensic scientists (people who investigate crimes) use their knowledge of light waves to determine if a specific pen was used to sign a document? How can you determine if a signature is authentic? 

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

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, determine cause & effect, compare & contrast, draw conclusions, make predictions, connect problem & solution, make text connections - to self, text/media, world, develop vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Life Management - time, risk, stress, Self and/or Social Awareness, Flexibility, Incorporate and Give Feedback, Actively Listen and Speak 

Task: Forensic Scientists determined what pen could have been used 

DQ:  How did ancient civilizations create homes that withstood the test of time with limited resources?

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

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, determine cause & effect, compare & contrast, connect themes, arguments, perspectives, draw conclusions, make inferences, make predictions, connect problem & solution, sequence, develop vocabulary  

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Life Management - time, risk, stress, Self and/or Social Awareness, Flexibility, Incorporate and Give Feedback, Actively Listen and Speak 

Task: Students recreated ancient mudbrick shelters using materials that would have been readily available in ancient river valley civilizations such as dirt, water, and grass. 

DQ: How do we use word and image intentionally to create and convey meaning? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Fine Arts

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, find author's purpose, analyze text structure, connect themes, arguments, perspectives, draw conclusions, make inferences, determine point of view, connect problem & solution, use text evidence, make text connections - to self, text/media, world, develop vocabulary  

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Incorporate and Give Feedback, Actively Listen and Speak 

Task: Students read and analyzed several memoirs (Tuesdays with Morrie, Rights to the Streets of Memphis, Stitches, and Hyperbole and a Half). Then, they needed to create their own memoirs of an important event that conveyed a central idea through word and image to their classmates. Finally, the students read each others' and responded in writing to a minimum of seven. 

DQ: How can we create an engaging children's book that effectively displays key story elements? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Physical Education/Health, Fine Arts, CTE

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, find author's purpose, analyze text structure, determine cause & effect, connect themes, arguments, perspectives, draw conclusions, identify main idea & details, determine point of view, connect problem & solution, make text connections - to self, text/media, world 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Life Management - time, risk, stress, Self and/or Social Awareness, Flexibility, Incorporate and Give Feedback, Actively Listen and Speak 

Task: Students assumed the roles of authors, illustrators, editors and publishers in a collaborative project to design and produce an original children's book. Working as a team, they crafted a narrative that conveyed an important lesson or message to a younger audience. In doing so, students were tasked with thoughtfully incorporating each story element- characters, setting, conflict, plot, and point of view- into their work. This process allowed them to demonstrate their understanding of these fundamental narrative components within an engaging story. 

DQ: Why are some apples red and some green? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Science, Math

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, determine cause & effect, compare & contrast, make predictions, sequence, develop vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Actively Listen and Speak 

Task: Students learn how the food we eat is a result of selection. In the activity, students taste four different varieties of apples to learn about the traits (color, texture, and flavor) of apples that humans have artificially selected. 

DQ: How can we plan a Thanksgiving meal for our family on a budget of $50? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: Math, Social Studies/History, CTE

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

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

Task: Household economics: Create a shopping list to feed your family for the holidays. You must spend less than $50.

DQ: How can we ensure that our new class pets have everything they need to live happy and healthy lives in our classroom? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: ENL, ELA, Science

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, identify main idea & details, make inferences, connect problem & solution, develop vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Actively Listen and Speak 

Task: Mrs. Rand and Ms. Rubenstein's class just welcomed new class pets: Shelly and Renaldo, two hermit crabs. But the class knew very little about hermit crabs. To ensure Shelly and Ronaldo were happy and healthy, student teams investigated everything about these creatures. They conducted research to answer key questions about hermit crabs, such as: What do they eat? Where do they live? What are their unique characteristics? What are their adaptations for survival? After gathering their findings, they presented their research to the class and created a care plan to ensure Shelly and Ronaldo thrive in their new home. 

DQ:  How can we use our understanding of weather patterns to prepare for different types of weather conditions in our community? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Math, Science 

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, determine cause & effect, compare & contrast, draw conclusions, make inferences, make predictions, make text connections - to self, text/media, world, develop vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Life Management - time, risk, stress, Self and/or Social Awareness, Flexibility, Incorporate and Give Feedback, Actively Listen and Speak 

Task: The students were tasked with becoming professional weather forecasters and they used their critical thinking skills to design and execute a Port Jefferson Station weather forecast for a week in December. 

DQ: How can creativity and engineering transform a simple idea into a beloved tradition, like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons?

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

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, find author's purpose, analyze text structure, determine cause & effect, compare & contrast, connect themes, arguments, perspectives, identify main idea & details, make inferences, make predictions, connect problem & solution, sequence, make text connections - to self, text/media, world, develop vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Problem Solving, Life Management - time, risk, stress, Self and/or Social Awareness, Incorporate and Give Feedback 

Task: Students were tasked with becoming engineers in planning, designing and creating prototypes of a Macy's Day Parade balloon based off of the text Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet. Students learned about the origin of the Macy's Day parade through text and compared the parade when it first started to present day. 

DQ: How does raising awareness of the water crisis help others?  

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

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, find author's purpose, analyze text structure, determine cause & effect, compare & contrast, connect themes, arguments, perspectives, draw conclusions, identify main idea & details, make inferences, make predictions, determine point of view, connect problem & solution, sequence, use text evidence, make text connections - to self, text/media, world, develop vocabulary 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Life Management - time, risk, stress, Self and/or Social Awareness, Flexibility, Incorporate and Give Feedback, Actively Listen and Speak 

Task: Fifth grade students were tasked with becoming environmentalists and raising awareness about the ongoing water crisis occurring in many places around the world. Students began by brainstorming ways to raise awareness in their school community. They did this by creating Canva slideshows and presenting them to classes throughout the school, writing awareness speeches (author's purpose to inform) and giving persuasive speeches during the morning and afternoon announcements, as well as writing persuasive pieces to convince the school community to donate money to the cause. Students organized and facilitated a culminating schoolwide activity, an "H2O for Life" walk during recess periods around the perimeter of the playground, which simulated the challenges many face because of the current water crisis (trekking long distances while carrying heavy backpacks to transport clean water - SEL pillar of the month empathy). 

DQ: What is needed in a cow shelter to keep them safe? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: Science, ELA

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, develop vocabulary, problem and solution, draw conclusions 

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

Task: Students were tasked with collaborating with one another on what is needed in a shelter to keep our class pet Eva safe and warm. Students created a sketch to plan out their design. Students then chose materials that were needed and worked with their table to build their own shelter. 

DQ:  What ingredient causes the ghost eggs to “glow”? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: Science, ELA

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, determine cause & effect, draw conclusions, make predictions 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Actively Listen and Speak 

Task: Students are conducting a science experiment involving an egg, white vinegar, and tonic water. They are instructed to place the egg in a cup, pour equal amounts of vinegar and tonic water over it, and observe any changes. They are asked to note what they see and feel as they examine the egg throughout the process. After removing the egg, they further observe its appearance and texture. Finally, students are directed to use a blacklight to observe how the tonic water causes the egg to fluoresce, creating a "ghost egg" effect. 

DQ: How can we show our Veterans respect and appreciation? 

Interdisciplinary Studies: ELA, Social Studies/History, SEL

Instructional Skills Discovered: activate prior knowledge, identify main idea & details, connect problem & solution, sequence 

Life/Career Skills Enhanced: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Life Management - time, risk, stress, Self and/or Social Awareness, Flexibility, Incorporate and Give Feedback, Actively Listen and Speak 

Task: The students organized a ceremony in which veterans who were related to students were recognized. They were welcomed by student greeters who presented them with handmade buttons, while our student orchestra quartet played in the main lobby. Student ushers then escorted our veterans to their seats. Our student choir opened our ceremony by singing the Star Spangled Banner. Student technology helpers then played their Canva presentation which included music, veteran slides with photographs, along with student video messages of appreciation. Our student choir sang patriotic songs throughout the ceremony and to close it as well. Patriotic photos with a flag wall display were taken of all veterans and guests by Mrs. DeLuca with assistance from student helpers.