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One of the most challenging and most vital parts of the curriculum design process is planning your teaching schedule. For Coast Connections projects, both foresight and flexibility are key. Below are some tips for planning.
Give each activity purpose
Give each activity purpose
When drafting your teaching schedule, be sure that each of your planned activities directly relates to the Driving Question (DQ), the topics at hand, the Authentic Project, and your audience. In your planning document, it helps to include details beyond the planned activities for each day, such as:
Learning objectives for the lesson
How activities relate to the DQ
How activities relate to the project
How activities relate to upcoming or completed field trip(s)
Build in variation
Build in variation
Intersperse learning activities with field trips, community partner or expert classroom visits, and project work days. Having some variety throughout the school week helps prevent boredom and encourages ongoing student interest and engagement. For example, if you've had students working on their projects for two days in a row, allow them to "take a break" with a fun activity. See the Sample Implementation Schedule below for more ideas on this.
Don't forget spare time
Don't forget spare time
You should always include 1-2 extra unplanned days, at least, as part of each unit. This will help avoid stress and pressure, allow for flexibility as student interests and needs emerge, and ensure you don't miss important product deadlines or Community Partner events. If you have leftover days at the end, these can be used for vitally important reflection time. See the Assessing Student Learning How-To Guide for more on using reflection exercises.
Utilize all your resources
Utilize all your resources
Each Coast Connections unit has numerous activity options, field trip sites and sometimes multiple project ideas. Be sure to consider and explore these and other possibilities when planning your unit - don't feel limited only to the content provided by this curriculum!
Sample Implementation Sample (example only - adapt as needed for your project!)
Sample Implementation Sample (example only - adapt as needed for your project!)
DAY 1: Entry Event
This introduces the Focus Ecosystem, Essential Concepts, and engages student interest.
DAY 2: Question Selection
Students select their Driving Question from the options provided. Depending on student age and abilities, you may choose to have your entire class answer the same Driving Question and do the same Authentic Project, have small groups each work on different Driving Questions, or have one Driving Question for the class while small groups work on different Authentic Projects.
DAY 3: Authentic Projects selection and intro
Students select their project(s) based on interest and community opportunities.
DAY 4: Need To Know List
Students generate a list of concepts they'll need to learn about and questions they'll need to answer in order to complete their projects.
Prompt your students to brainstorm a list together. The goal is to identify a host of "sub-questions" that need to be addressed before students can answer their Driving Question. Depending on the DQ and Authentic Project chosen, these questions will vary.
click to enlarge
DAY 5: Intro to Partners
The teacher secures participation by an authentic community partner with a vested interest in the topics being investigated. If possible, the partner should visit the classroom to introduce him/herself. If this isn't possible, introduce students to the partner(s) by exploring their website, asking the partner to provide a video or bio, researching what it takes to become a professional in the partner's field, etc.
DAYS 6-12: Classroom activities and field trip(s)
Depending on scheduling, teacher preference, student interest, and logistics, the teacher facilitates activities at school and outside school to guide students in learning about their topics.
DAYS 6-12: Project time
Meant to be interspersed with the activities and field trips above, this is when students are researching and developing their Authentic Projects.
DAY 13: Peer presentations
Students present a draft version of their projects to the class and solicit feedback from students and the teacher.
DAY 14: Final presentations
Students share their work with the Community Partner or other authentic audiences.
DAY 15: Reflection
The students and teacher work together to reflect on their experience, identify learning goals met, and explore future learning opportunities.
Authors Suzie Boss and John Larmer, along with several teachers, discuss the Project Based Teaching Practice of "Designing and Planning", with scenes from K-12 classrooms.
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