Scenario / Introduction to PBL: 

You and at least 1 classmate have been selected for an internship in the Mayor's Office (Ufficio del Sindaco) of an Italian town (you may choose the Italian town that is currently classified as "dying"). The town is currently "dying." 

Your task is to help the Mayor 

1) investigate and analyze the cause or causes of the town's "death," 

2) reflect on the issue, 

and 

3) propose creative solutions for saving the town. 

The solution or solutions you propose need to include:

a brief analysis of barriers or challenges to implementation AND

a summary of how the proposal will help revive the town. 

The analysis of barriers or challenges and the summary of how the proposal will benefit the town MUST include a discussion of prevailing cultural perspectives. 

Of course, the analysis and the summary of the proposal MUST be in Italian.

Standards/Learning Targets (based on 1999 MA Foreign Language Curriculum Frameworks; the 2021 updates have yet to be adopted)

Stage 3 Proficiency Level (ACTFL Intermediate Mid-Strong/Advanced)

Communication Strand 

Using sentences, strings of sentences, and fluid sentence-length and paragraph-length messages with frequency of errors proportionate to the complexity of the communicative task, students will:

Interpersonal Mode

1.13 Suggest possible solutions to a problem 

Interpretive Mode

2.12 Read articles in a magazine, journal, or newspaper and understand main ideas

2.17 Comprehend audio and video texts 

Presentational Mode

3.13 Develop and present solutions to problems

Culture Strand (Stage 4 outcome)

4.23 Distinguish among knowledge, informed opinions, uninformed opinions, stereotypes, prejudices, biases, open mindedness, narrow mindedness, and closed mindedness in literature, primary and secondary source documents, mass media, and multimedia presentations about and/or from culture; and discuss how these presentations reflect cultural and individual perspectives*