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PBL Idea Exploration
PBL Idea Exploration
The first step in the PBL planning process is to craft your PBL idea. Some people like to start with an intriguing concept and find course standards that fit their idea. Others like to start with the standards and develop a PBL idea requiring those standards to solve it.
Before you plan a PBL based on your specific standards and content, it can help to see what is out there. What have others tried? How might you incorporate their idea into your classroom? Below are some sites to start your exploration.
AI chat systems such as ChatGPT, Microsoft's Copilot, or Google's Gemini can also help generate some starting ideas. A helpful prompt might be, "Develop a project-based learning plan for a unit on <topic> for <grade-level> students where students learn <standards>". Use this guide to "Creating Strong AI Chatbot Prompts" to help with creating a prompt to help plan your PBL.
General PBL Collections
General PBL Collections
Various PBL Entry Documents (Math, Science, ELA, Social Studies)
PBL Works - PBL starter ideas around standards; you will need to sign up for their site
Teach Engineering - Cross-curricular lesson plans, activities and Units for various subjects and grade levels
Leading PBL - Some Good starting PBL units (math, science, ELA and social studies, also connecting core content to STEM)
High Tech High - Some good starting points for career-connected PBL Ideas
Learning Review - mostly PBL ideas for math, science, social studies and ELA
10 Ready to Borrow PBL Ideas - an article of good starting points to frame a PBL idea
Kenan Fellows - This site has a lot of good PBL units created by teachers in a variety of subject areas
Ideas for CTE/STEM
Ideas for CTE/STEM
CTE Online - lessons, activities and projects - free login required
Empowered Hub - Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Design lessons and projects - free login required
Alabama CTE PBL Units - PBL units designed by Alabama Educators taking our PBL Master Course
SKY Youth - several projects that connect to engineering and skilled trade jobs
Teach Engineering - Curriculum Units around the Design process with STEM content
Ideas for ELA
Ideas for ELA
How to Build a PBL Unit Around a Novel
Project-Based Learning and The Research Paper
Literature, Deep Inquiry, Makerspace: Memorial Projects for the Holocaust & Other Cataclysmic Events
Sample Project: Lending a Helping Hand - math-english integrated project - login required
Article: PBL and the Research Paper - has a broad overview of an ELA PBL Unit
Ideas for Social Studies
Ideas for Social Studies
Article: Bringing Social Studies to Life with PBL
Article: Moviemaking PBL Brings History to Life
Using PBL to Meet C3 Social Studies Standards
Sample Project: Lost - Global History - free login required
Sample Project: Are You Buying What I am Selling - Economics - free login required
Ideas for Science
Ideas for Science
Teach Engineering - Cross-curricular lesson plans, activities and Units for various subjects and grade levels
Engage Students with Science: 5 PBL Activities
A Project-Based Approach to Teaching Elementary Science
Sample Project: Can You Trust the Water - free login required
Sample Project: Helping Hand - free login required
Sample Project: Healthy Lifestyle (elementary) - free login required
Google Sites
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