Personalized learning is an instructional approach that allows students to have choice in what and how they are learning. It includes activities and structures that emphasize students' individual needs and allow them to work at a pace that is developmentally appropriate for them.

One example of personalized learning in 7/8 Humanities is our use of self-paced, choice-based learning tools, such as hyperdocs, choice menus, and playlists. Each of these tools allows students to learn and explore at a pace that works best for them and to utilize the learning resources that are most effective for them as unique individuals.

In addition to students' independent learning, they also receive more direct instruction from teachers as they begin working on new skills or learning about new content. This direct instruction sometimes happens as a whole group, but small group work is also common. An example of small group instruction is our daily guided workshop, which typically focuses on learning, practicing, and applying specific reading and writing skills. An example of whole group direct instruction is our daily mini-lesson, which builds on content knowledge and prepares students to use that knowledge when completing an application activity.

According to the Buck Institute for Education, "Project-based learning is a teaching method that engages students actively in learning by asking them to investigate an interesting and complex question, problem, or challenge, and then to create something in response."

Benefits of using a project-based learning approach are:

• students are generally more engaged in learning

• students learn more deeply and remember what they learn

• students build skills that will help them in college and/or on the job

An example of project-based learning in 7/8 Humanities is our Activism unit, which asked each student to choose a cause that was meaningful to them, conduct research about it, and then take action to support that cause. Students created petitions, wrote letters to government officials, teamed up with non-profit organizations, and raised funds to support their cause.