Students were interested in zombies and survival. Their teacher incorporated this interest into project-based learning by having the students build projects within this theme to practice skills like using map elements. For one project, students created a physical environment and went above and beyond the assignment expectations.
We’re gonna talk about integrating an interest or narrative into your current PBL practice
Using ZBL as our example.
PBL geography, using a zombie apocalypse theme
Why add a theme?
narrative is a powerful method for retention, skill application, critical thinking to ADD to PBL
GEO= memorization of capitals and places.
Put it in a context that they understand and can engage in.
SEGUE: Addition of theme does not
--Based on National Geography Standards and some Common Core
- Designed for all learners
SEGUE: SO, HOW DO YOU SELECT AN INTEREST?
Interest should be personally meaningful
A way to give them VOICE AND CHOICE, their skills and be ASSESSED on it
- Interests can be from REAL LIFE or FICITONAL
Hunger Games-tackles poverty and food issues = tackle on a small scale
SEGUE: CHOOSE AN INTEREST WITH ENOUGH DEPTH
We want to choose interests deep enough
David’s favorite example: if a student would want to continue the conversation about the learning objective in the car ride home, it’s deep enough! (Learning outside the classroom)SEGUE: Here’s the example of how we used it
Encourages a long conversation about what YOU would do and also express your own ideas and creativity.
SEGUE; SOME OTHER IDEAS
Some ideas: In Hunger Games, communication across districts
Economics through settling on Mars
Management through football teams
Addition and subtraction through dance
SEGUE: BUT WHAT IF YOU CAN’T COME UP WITH A DEEP STUDENT INTEREST?
Show why YOU are passionate about a subject, and why. Break it down. PASSION IS CONTAGIOUS.
SEGUE: YOU HAVE THE IDEA ABOUT INCLUDING AN INTEREST. WHAT’S NEXT?
Start with what you want them to learn at the end, then work backwards. Standards will naturally fall into place.
SEQUE: WITH THE LEARNING OBJECTIVE, ADD IT INTO THE DQ WITH THE INTEREST
“How do you use geography to survive a zombie apocalypse?”
“How does our physical environment influence our survival?”
SEGUE: HOW DO DO YOU APPLY ASSESSMENTS?
It will blow your mind how much students will think they need to know. They will bring in way more than you can use. It’s great buy in to the project. If they know they need to know something, then they are willing to learn it.
-Be sure to match the rubrics to the skill. If it’s a CREATIVE skill, make sure rubrics measure the CREATVITY
Also helps students self-regulate to the skills that everyone agreed on in the NEED TO KNOWS
SEGUE: BUILDING THE PROJECTS
“In the zombie apocalypse, choose the best place for our survival”
Defend your choice with evidence
One Need to Know Per Day
Multiple paths leading to one objective.
Multiple objectives risks students losing students and having to continually play catch up
Teachers try to do three concepts each day. 33% learned one thing and only that.
One concept with different entry points, then everyone will get something from that objective> Then everyone is ready to build on that
This student was practicing using map elements (Legend, symbols, grid, scale, orientation) to display data. This student applied a zombie theme to all elements.
This actual piece is a formative assessment of the project where students are practicing using mapping elements. The final project is when they create a whole map identifying zombie attack data, spatial relationships between those attacks, and predictions on where the attacks will go next.
Sample of student’s settlement report (7 page report by 7th grader).
Student explained their choice for where to build a settlement in the zombie apocalypse based on:
Weather, natural hazards, and constraints and opportunities of the physical environment.
Mention that teachers using ZBL have been asked to present their own experiences.
Build opportunities for them to succeed
Don’t try to tackle everything at once
Scaffold yourself
Scaffold public audience