Project Based Learning in Action

Grade 3/4, Fall 2020

A great project begins with the kids. What are they interested in? What sparks their imagination? Our class project this fall was born from both interest and imagination, and just a bit of provocation from me.

Our class materials travel to our various learning sites around Morse Hill in a large, heavy, plastic rolling bin with two small wheels at the back. The plastic is necessary to keep things dry in wet weather conditions, and the rolling part is necessary in saving this teacher’s tired arms. The class quickly discovered that our large rolling bin had a flaw: a big one! It worked just fine when rolling short distances, but failed to roll at all when we tried to bring it down rock- and root-covered trails down to our rain shelter (at the bottom of the affectionately-named Huffy Puffy Hill.)

This problem invited a lesson on generating solutions. How could we improve the bin to make our lives (and the teachers’ lives) easier? We’d resorted to half dragging, half carrying the heavy bin down the hill and driving it back up again in the back of my small sedan. This would not work long term. My third- and fourth-graders surprised me with a wide variety of solutions, drawn under the cover of our rain shelter during a drizzly day. One child suggested we attach the bin to a bike, another drew a complicated ski lift to pull the bin up and down. All agreed that the bin needed more wheels.

At this point, I recognized the foundation of a class project. Could my students design, refine, build, and evaluate a solution they all created to solve this problem? I believed they could.

The next step was aligning my goals for their learning with state standards and creating tangible steps for the process. I reviewed the applicable Massachusetts state learning standards in the areas of Science/Technology, Reading, and Writing for both third and fourth grade, and noted the standards I’d focus on for this project. Then, I sat down with our curriculum coordinator to map out an Inquiry Planner. This document highlights the context for inquiry, maps goals for students’ learning, lists curriculum connections, and defines the evaluative criteria for the project.

Once I had mapped out the project using the inquiry planner, I was able to begin creating steps for my students to follow in completing the project. I used Kath Murdoch’s Student-Friendly Inquiry Cycle as the model for common language throughout the project. Learn at Morse Hill has adopted that framework for ongoing use. With that language in mind, I created templates for students to use as they documented each step of the project.

I also looked at PBL’s Creativity and Innovation assessment rubric for a framework to understand and view each child’s participation.

Each step of the project involved classroom discussion, art opportunities, invitations for writing, and eventually hands-on work. After defining the problem and creating our first drawings, I brought in materials for the students to use for research. They studied chapters on motion, friction, force, and wheels. Then, I posted building plans for small wooden carts and machines around the classroom, for them to refer to as they researched what might work for their own designs.

After the research phase, we discussed the necessity of building prototypes. I provided my students with wooden wheels and small wooden berry baskets/plastic recycled containers and asked them to design their own prototypes. This invited excellent discussions on the necessity of axles, as they all realized they needed to find the straightest sticks possible from the surrounding woods to serve as axles. Once the prototypes were built, I had the children test their designs under a variety of conditions; down a slope, on a grassy field, with a rock inside. The prototype phase was frustrating for several and brought up valuable lessons on the design process which we discussed as a class. Things don’t always work the first time!

Our next step was to generate a materials list; what did we already have, and what did we need? I received several donated sets of tires, and the kids were able to measure them, match up the pairs, and decide which tires might work best. Together, we talked about what we still needed. Once the additional materials were gathered, it was time to build!

We spent several learning blocks on the construction of our bin-mover. My assistant teacher and I, along with a local parent, helped the kids to put together a wooden frame with axles and wheels. We helped each child use various tools including a drill, a hammer, and wrenches to secure the bolts on each tire. The kids also decorated small log rounds with their names and artwork, adding artistic elements and contributing to a sense of ownership of the project.

After completion, we tested the bin-mover to see if it met our criteria for success. It had some issues that we needed to solve! The students discovered two challenges; the wheels were tightening the bolts as they turned, and one donated tire was cracked and going flat. In addition, the plastic bin was slipping through the wooden frame and touching the ground. Back to the design board!

A second visit (okay, third!) to the local hardware store brought to the classroom new materials to complete our project. Together, we were able to remove the cracked tire and replace it. The students were delighted to have another opportunity to attach wheels! I also found a handle for pulling our bin-mover wagon, which the kids put together and attached. Finally, they discussed and decided on adding a wooden deck to the frame, so the bin would not fall through.

We tested our machine one more time and found that it finally worked! Our heavy plastic bin of materials could now be moved from place to place with ease, to the immediate relief of this tired teacher. More importantly, my students were able to design and create something they were proud of, while meeting academic goals across several curriculum areas and contributing to students’ growth goals in our Morse Hill learner profile.

At the beginning of our project, I told my class that I would not be grading them on their work. I would not be giving out A+’s, 100’s, or check marks. Instead, I would be asking them to evaluate their own work. To do this, I created a checklist for the project that each student would use to review the steps of the process. Periodically, we looked at the checklist together to check off which steps we’d completed. The final steps included “discuss this project with your teacher and plan how you will share it with your grown-ups.” We planned to share our work at student-led conferences in mid-November, and this would serve as a final learning opportunity. Discussing the project with others helps cement knowledge, and each child created a portfolio of their work on the project to share.

This project, known as “The Bin-Mover Project,” was the first one we undertook as a class. Overall, I believe it was an absolute success. The kids seemed excited to participate in the various steps needed to complete construction, and I believe they met each of the goals I set for their learning throughout. I am very much looking forward to our next project together!