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Science PBL on Composting: Students incorporate STEAM aspects through their explanations of how composting can affect the United States, specifically Hawaii.
S: Students research the science of composting; what it is and how it benefits the planet.
T: Students research innovative technologies that can improve the efficiency of composting on a large scale.
E: Students will explain a design of their own method of composting after research.
A: Student designs will be portrayed through one of many available art mediums.
M: Students will demonstrate the costs that their project will have (imagine an unlimited budget) as well as the financial impact lowering land fill usage will have on Hawaii and an approximation on the United States.
Leia Villamizar Project Goals and Design:
Learning about the composting process expands their understanding of chemical reactions and develops the skills to explain complex ideas to a wide audience who may not be familiar with the detailed science.
This collaborative learning builds on communication and management skills as they receive weekly feedback from classmates and three times from teachers throughout the process of designing, drafting, and completing a product.
The design aspect is equally important. These new technologies, whether they are practical or not, re-enhanced students' creativity and innovative thinking. Presentations, talks, videos, artworks all provide a creative outlet for them to synthesize knowledge into projects. The Science of Composting PBL: Students incorporate STEAM aspects by explaining how composting affects the United States, especially Hawaii.
STEAM Goals:
S: Students study the science of what composting is and how it can benefit the planet.
T: Students research innovative technologies that could increase composting efficiency at scale.
E: Students will explain their own composting method after research.
A: Student designs will be depicted through one of the many available artistic mediums.
M: Students will demonstrate the cost their project will incur (imagine an infinite budget) and the financial impact that reducing landfill usage will have on Hawaii and the approximate impact on the United States. 3 questions from the audience (peers, teacher and guests)
21st Century Skill Goals:
This project will deepen student 21st century skills of research and data analysis through their detailed research and cost benefit analysis.
Learning about the process of composting expands their understanding on chemical reactions and builds the skill of explaining complex ideas to a broad audience who may not be familiar with the detailed science.
This collaborative learning builds on communication and management skills as they receive weekly feedback from classmates and three times throughout the process from their teacher when designing, drafting and finalizing their product.
The design aspect is equally important. These new technologies (wether they are functional or not) re-enforce creativity in students as well as innovative thinking. The presentations, speeches, videos, pieces of art all provide a creative outlet for the knowledge they are synthesizing into a project.
Evaluation Process: Standards Based Grading out of 4 points.
1 point- Presentation skills. Speaking loudly and clearly to the audience. Minimal use of reading off the screen or project notecards. Effectively answering 3 questions from the audience- teacher, students and special guests.
2 points - Content: Students complete all areas of the STEM requirements above. This is showcased through their speaking, the effectiveness of the design and example of composting they provide, as well as the math involved demonstrates a deeper understanding of the costs involved in being sustainable. These components provide perspective into what methods are possible for the United States and Hawaii.
1 point - A in the STEAM Art section: Students depict their material in a creative way. Effort, not artistic skill, will be graded.
Timeline: 4 weeks to complete.
Days 1 and 2: Brainstorm in groups of 2-4 students for the first 2 days, students may also choose to work individually.
Day 3: Select topics and provide teacher feedback to ensure that the project is long-term and successfully completed within the allotted time frame. The group begins to brainstorm topic names and presentation styles. The draft begins.
Day 4: Prepare a draft, including subject title, subject purpose statement, and intended use of resources (internet, parents, local business name, etc.). Provide feedback, where 2 groups work together, review each other's drafts, provide comments and feedback.
Day 5: Draft submitted to teacher for review.
The next three weeks:
Every Monday: Complete research for the Chrome book on topics, definitions, and financial implications for the U.S. and Hawaii.
Every Tuesday: A local business or recycling company will be contacted for details on the process of composting in their day-to-day functions and operating costs/funding.
Every Wednesday: Design a presentation, edit a video, draw, paint or mock up to best present the message.
Every Thursday: The weekly G group will be paired with a new group to provide feedback and provide comments and questions.
Every Friday: A portion of the entire project is due after Thursday's feedback.
Final feedback on Thursday and Friday is provided through mock presentations, and on Friday, the final presentation will be given to an audience of teachers and local politicians. This is helpful because it provides a high school perspective on the importance and possible cost-effectiveness of composting.
PBL Designed by Leia Villamizar
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