Project-Based Learning 102 Complete Project Example

“Out of this World”

School: Mount Olive TownshipGrade/Grade Band: 3Time Frame: 6 weeks

Team Members: English, Social Studies, Math, Technology, Science

School: _________________________________Grade/Grade Band: _______________________Time Frame: _____________________________Team Members: __________________________

Big idea BrainstormingCapstone Big Idea:It’s your mission to seek out the unknown!

Summary

Planetary Research NASA has recently sent robotic vehicles to Mars tocollect data and send information back to Earth. Scientists want to know more about whether there was ever life on Mars and whether there is or was any water on the planet.

Astronauts from NASA need information aboutother planets, so they can plan future missions. You have been selected as a Junior Space Camper to gather information for the astronauts. You and your partner will research two planets. Then Youwill compare and contrast the two planets and decide whether you would recommend the planets for exploration. After your research is complete, design a badge that could be used for a mission to your planet. Illustrate and write a postcard or write a letter describing your planet to the astronauts at NASA. Don’t forget to tell them why you think your planet is a good choice or a poor choice for exploration. Finally, create a model of the solar system with all the planets labeled, and present the important information about your planet to your classmates.

Subject Area Learning Opportunities Within each subject cloud write a brief description of what students will be doing that relates to the BIG Idea. These should be based on identified benchmarks. Marking the benchmark code will help you on your next steps.

Essential and Guiding QuestionsBrainstorm several questions for the capstone, including an overarching essential question for the entire capstone and smaller, guiding questions to be used for units and/or specific activities in the capstone.

How can you make the impossible possible?Why do humans feel the need to explore?What’s the new frontier?

End ProductsBrainstorm several possible transdisciplinary end products

Build your own planet

Create a virtual postcard.

Chart using Kidspiration

• Unit Outlines Contain a snapshot of information for the reader.

• From this, the reader what will be taught, why it is being taught, and how it will be assessed

Subject Area Learning Goals (SWBAT)Develop subject matter goals for each unit and end product

SWBAT in

SWBAT in MathStudents will Solve real world and mathematical problems involving perimeters of polygons; including finding the perimeter given the side side lengths, findingan unknown side length, and exhibiting rectangles with the same perimeter and different areas or with the same area and different perimeters.Students will Understand that shapes in different categories (e.g., rhombuses, rectangles, and others)may share attributes (e.g., having four sides), and thatthe shared attributes can define a larger category (e.g., quadrilaterals).

SWBAT in ArtStudents will Demonstrate skill and expression in the use of art techniques and processes.Use appropriate visual art vocabulary during artmaking processes.Find and solve problems of personal relevance and interest when developing artmaking ideas.Create artworks that demonstrate awareness of two- and three-dimensional space.

SWBAT in ScienceStudents will Predict the necessary mass, velocity, and distance from the sun of a planet in order for this planet to make a circular orbit around a sun.What happens when you increase or decrease the mass of the planet, but keep everything else constant? Does this agree with your prediction?Students will understand focuses on Earth’s resources. While resources can be livingand nonliving, within this strand, the emphasis is on Earth’s nonliving resources, such as water, air, rock, soil and the energy resources they represent.

SWBAT in EnglishStudents will Explain how specific aspects of a text’s illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g. create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting).Standard Statement 9: Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series).

SWBAT in Social StudiesStudents will Place events accurately on a timelineorganized by years, decades and centuriesResearch, analyze, organize andpresent historical information about a characteristic of the localcommunity that has changed over time.

Formative Assessments (assessments that occur during the project)

Postcard or letter writingPersuasive writingUsing Kidspiration software to create a comparison chart.Read book on the planets.Read relevant sections of textbook.

Summative Assessments (assessments that occur at the end of the project)

Build your own planet

Create a virtual postcard.

Chart using Kidspiration(Rubric used to grade)

• Subject Area Learning Goals identify the student expectations for each subject area.

• Formative and Summative assessments are defined to show how students will meet those expectations.

Benchmark Alignment/ Transdisciplinary Project Based UnitsContent Standards and Benchmarks that were identified for the CAPSTONE that have natural disciplinary connections and are overlapping in theme, ideas, topics, etc.

• “The procedure asks teachers to collegially analyze standard statements’ explicit, and most importantly, implicit concepts, content, and skills that will be incorporated into units of study, as well as considering formative and summative assessments that accurately measure the designed planned-learning curriculum.”

Curriculum Planning TemplatesDevelop and overview of what the classroom teaching will look like in order to complete the goals of the project.

Subject: Science Capstone: Out of this World Time Frame: 10 Weeks

Classroom Unit Big Idea: Effective communication occurs when all aspects of the process are in place. Effective communication can advance our desire for social change.

Classroom to Capstone Connection: students will build on this knowledge as they research one of the other planets in order to determine whether a manned mission to that planet would be feasible. In the process, students will learn about the geology, composition, and orbit of this planet.

Readings: Various non fictionMaterials: Internet accessage appropriate resources planets-including print and non-printart supplies

Unit Objective: By using various resources and web-based activity, students will develop knowledge about the planets and constellations in our Solar System. students will build on this knowledge as they research one of the other planets in order to determine whether a manned mission to that planet would be feasible. In the process, students will learn about the geology, composition, and orbit of this planet. tudents will determine such factors as: what it is like, whether or not it is habitable, and how its orbit affects planning a trip.

Standards Addressed:Earth and Space SciencesStudents demonstrate an understanding abouthow Earth systems and processes interact in thegeosphere resulting in the habitability of Earth.This includes demonstrating an understanding ofthe composition of the universe, the solar systemand Earth. In addition, it includes understandingthe properties and the interconnected nature ofEarth's systems, processes that shape Earth andEarth's history. Students also demonstrate anunderstanding of how the concepts andprinciples of energy, matter, motion and forcesexplain Earth systems, the solar system and theuniverse. Finally, they grasp an understanding ofthe historical perspectives, scientific approachesand emerging scientific issues associated withEarth and space sciences.

Rubrics Required: Build your own planet (model)Build your own planet (essay)

Driving Question: What is out there and how do we get there?

Unit - Performance Criteria (Rubrics): You can use a holistic rubric or a criterion rubric to measure your performance assessment. Insert your rubric below the samples provided. The scale is an example, but you can design the scale

and criteria that best fits your intended outcomes. Template Task: Task 23: What’s your message? After researching a problem in your local community that you feel strongly about

write a/an argumentative or persuasive essay that explores a community problem and a plan for addressing that problem. L2 In your discussion, address the credibility and origin of sources in view of your research topic. L3 Identify any gaps or unanswered questions. (Informational or Explanatory/Comparison)

Subject Areas that will assess: History and English

Benchmarks Mastery Learning Goal: 4 3 2 1

SCI ERT & SPACE 3-5 A

Use researched knowledge of space, earth, and atmosphere to create an original model planet

Student showed large amounts of creativity. All planets are the correct color and imagination has been used when designing the model. All planets are accounted for.All of the planets are roughly proportional to each other.All planets are correctly and clearly labeled.All the planets were in the correct order.

Thought has been put into the project. The planets are close to the correct color and there is evidence of student effort.One planet is missing.Most of the planets are proportional to each other.All planets are correctly labeled, but are difficult to read or find.One or two planets are out of order.

Some thought has been put into the project. There is some color and a few planets are colored incorrectly.Two planets are missing.There a couple of mistakes with the proportions of the planets.Planets are incorrectly labeled or the labels are almost impossible to read..

Very little or no creativity. No color is used or the planets are all colored incorrectly.Three or more planets are missing.Planets are not correctly proportioned. (Pluto should not be larger than Jupiter.)Planets are not labeled or the labels are impossible to read.

ENG 9-5 WRT A

Use knowledge of solar system and NASA programming to create a postcard that will be sent to someone living on another planet

• Able to combine sentences that are interesting, express aclear message, and are easy to understand• Follows the postcard formatting and gives a personal responseto the concert• Addresses intended audience appropriately• Includes illustration that matches message content• Demonstrates positive attitude and excellent participation

• Able to combine sentences that express a clear message, butare not very interesting• Follows the postcard formatting, but does not give a personalresponse to the concert• Addresses intended audience suffi ciently• Includes illustration that somewhat relates to message content• Demonstrates positive attitude and suffi cient participation

• Able to write simple sentences only or combine sentences thatdo not express a clear message• Makes mistakes when following the postcard formatting• Has diffi culty addressing intended audience• Includes illustration that does not match message content• Demonstrates poor attitude or little participation

• Not able to write complete sentences or express a clearmessage• Does not follow the postcard formatting• Does not addresses intended audience• Does not include an illustration• Does not participate

Entry Event: Launch inquiry, kick-off event, "the

hook"

NASA Tour at GLSC Astronaut Speaker

Lunar Lander Activity

)

PHASE 4:Choreography of Learning

Community Resources and Partnerships:

Mentors, speakers, authentic assessment

NASAGLSC

)

Facilities / VenuesGLSCBus

Resources Needed

EquipmentPrinterCopier

Saw

Supplies40 rulers

100 flash drives (can be as low as 1g) 100 notebooks50 protractors50 compasses

200 AAA batteries40 9volt batteries

2 dry erase erasers

Budget: $1400

Capstone VocabularyAtmosphere, Capacity , Climate, Conservation of Matter, Crust, Cycle , Earthquake,

Erosion, Landslide, Natural , Nitrogenm, Non-Renewable, Orbit, Oxygen, Petroleum, Planet, Solar System, Star

)

Roles Supplies

Engineering Teacher

SpeakersSocial Studies

Teacher

EventCampus

Coordinator

DocumentingEnglish Teacher

Other Other

PHASE 4:Choreography of Learning Activities Calendar

Subject Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday FridayDate April 1 April 2 April 3 April 4 April 5

Math Points, Lines, and Angles Topic:Introducing proof. Three theorems complement

Topic:Introducing proof. Three theorems complement

Topic:Introducing proof. Three theorems complement

Topic:Introducing proof. Conditional (if...then) statement.

Science Static Electricity Electrical Field Calculations Insulators and conductors Electrical Current Ohms Law

Social Studies Compare / Contrast - Animal Farm book vs Film

Compare / Contrast - Animal Farm book vs Film

Compare / Contrast - Animal Farm book vs Film

Design Animal Farm book Cover

Test / Essay - Animal Farm

English Persuassive essay - outine. Persuassive essay - outine. Drafting persuassive essay. Drafting persuassive essay. Peer review of 1st draft.

Art Inside/Outside: Working in selected medium to complete finished art.

Inside/Outside: Working in selected medium to complete finished art.

Inside/Outside: Completing final work/embellishment. Writing up artist statement.

Inside/Outside: Completing final work/embellishment. Writing up artist statement.

Self-Portrait: Iintroduction

Engineering Forms of power Mechanical power Fluid power Electrical power Energy storage: Intro to batteries

Subject Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday FridayDate April 8 April 9 April 10 April 11 April 12

Math

Science

Social Studies

English

Art

Engineering