The document discusses using problem-based learning and writing to engage students. It provides background on problem-based learning, noting that it presents students with a problem to solve, and they learn through trying to solve it by interpreting the problem, gathering information, and creating possible solutions. It emphasizes that problem-based learning is about doing, not just writing. The document gives examples of how to structure problem-based writing assignments and have students work through the process of solving problems.

1. Curtis Chandler
BetterLearningForSchools.com
@CurtisChandler6
Engaging Students Through
Problem-Based Writing

6. @CurtisChandler6

11. Social Studies
1.! Choices have consequences.
2.! Individuals have rights and
responsibilities.
3.! Societies are shaped by beliefs, idea,
and diversity.
4.! Societies experience continuity and
change over time.
5.! Relationships between people, place,
idea, and environments are dynamic.

16. 1) an essential body of knowledge
2) the ability to use that knowledge to
solve problems
3) the ability to extend/improve
knowledge in order to solve problems in
the future
(Howard Barrows)

17. Learning naturally results when we give
pupils something to do, not something to
learn; and the doing is of such nature as
to demand thinking, or the intentional
noting of connections...
(Dewey, 1916, 1944)

18. Learning naturally results when we give
pupils something to do, not something to
learn; and the doing is of such nature as
to demand thinking, or the intentional
noting of connections...
(Dewey, 1916, 1944)

19. Learning naturally results when we give
pupils something to do, not something to
learn; and the doing is of such nature as
to demand thinking, or the intentional
noting of connections...
(Dewey, 1916, 1944)

20. — Knowledge of content
— Problem or challenge
that requires
application of skills/
content
— Limited resources
— Multiple solutions to a
single problem
What could that look like at ?

22. PBL a`la mode

23. Problem-based
Learning
•educates students by
presenting them with a
situation that LEADS to a
problem for them to solve

24. Problem-based
Learning
•educates students by
presenting them with a
situation that LEADS to a
problem for them to solve
Writing
_________

25. •NOT just about finding a
correct answer
Problem-based
Learning

26. •NOT just about finding a
correct answer
Problem-based
Learning Writing
_________

27. •students learn THROUGH
the act of trying to solve the
problem
Problem-based
Learning

28. •students learn THROUGH
the act of trying to solve the
problem
Problem-based
Learning Writing
_________

29. •students INTERPRET the
problem, GATHER
information, and CREATE
possible solutions
Problem-based
Learning

30. •students INTERPRET the
problem, GATHER
information, and CREATE
possible solutions
Problem-based
Learning Writing
_________

31. •students EVALUATE options
and PRESENT their
conclusions
(Delisie & ASCD, 2007)
Problem-based
Learning

32. •students EVALUATE options
and PRESENT their
conclusions
(Delisie & ASCD, 2007)
Problem-based
Learning Writing
_________

33. •Is about doing...not just
writing!
Problem-based
Learning Writing
_________

34. PBL a`la mode

43. http://padlet.com/wall/esuwriting

44. http://padlet.com/wall/esuwriting
-Follow basic paragraph structure.
-Include a link to at least one outside
source.

45. Who would win in a battle...a
ninja or a pirate?

46. In the future, I think predict that
______ and _______ will be
extremely expensive.
The reason I
feel this way is
because...
For example...

50. •Transcends disclinplines
Problem-based
Learning Writing
_________

51. How do you keep a small Kansas town
from dying out?

57. How do you persuade others to that your
opinion is better than others?

64. 1. Analyze initial photos.
2. Build a ship.
3. Gather data.
4. Compile and present your
findings.

66. Black hole!
Nuclear
fallout!
Meteor!

67. Black hole!
Nuclear
fallout!
Meteor!

68. 1. Build a ship.
2. Record gather as much data as
you can.
3. Analyze your pictures/data.
4. Compile and present your
findings.

72. S.E.T.I. STONE

73. NAME_______________________ DATE____________ HR____________
Teacher explanation-
I don’t know how many of you have ever heard of the Voyager space crafts.
They were either the coolest or the dumbest ideas that NASA has ever had.
The cool part…these crafts were designed to travel from Earth, through
our solar system, and then out into space. The crafts looked like this.
Many of the coolest things we know about other planets were discovered
from the Voyagers’ trips. We discovered a bunch of new moons, new rings
around planets, etc. Pretty cool stuff.
Now, the other cool part, or the dumb part, depending on how you see it--if you look closely at the picture
you will see this weird, golden disc. You see, some scientists who are convinced that aliens actually exist
attached this giant, golden DVD-looking-thing the space craft. On the “D VD” there were pictures, sounds,
and all sorts of stuff. If you want to see everything that is on it, click here. Don’t believe us? Click here if
you want to read about it on NASA’s site. By the way, one of the messages on the disk was this… “Friends
of space, how are you all? Have you eaten yet? Come visit us if you have time.” So IF aliens do exist
and…IF they intercept the golden disc, they will probably come eat us! Way to go NASA!
Don’t Eat Us...Part 1
Create a P.Y.S.E.U. Stone
Your job is to convince the aliens not to eat us with some
evidence that we are civilized. The catch is... if they see
you, you’ll be lunch! Instead of speaking with them, you
must create you own P.Y.S.E.U. (Proof You Shouldn’t Eat
Us) stone. I have a scientist friend at KSU named Paul

74. around planets, etc. Pretty cool stuff.
Now, the other cool part, or the dumb part, depending on how you see it--if you look closely at the picture
you will see this weird, golden disc. You see, some scientists who are convinced that aliens actually exist
attached this giant, golden DVD-looking-thing the space craft. On the “D VD” there were pictures, sounds,
and all sorts of stuff. If you want to see everything that is on it, click here. Don’t believe us? Click here if
you want to read about it on NASA’s site. By the way, one of the messages on the disk was this… “Friends
of space, how are you all? Have you eaten yet? Come visit us if you have time.” So IF aliens do exist
and…IF they intercept the golden disc, they will probably come eat us! Way to go NASA!
Don’t Eat Us...Part 1
Create a P.Y.S.E.U. Stone
Your job is to convince the aliens not to eat us with some
evidence that we are civilized. The catch is... if they see
you, you’ll be lunch! Instead of speaking with them, you
must create you own P.Y.S.E.U. (Proof You Shouldn’t Eat
Us) stone. I have a scientist friend at KSU named Paul
Verhage who sends monstrous weather balloons into the top
of near space to take pictures, video, and to record data. He
has agreed to send your projects up into space, attached to
one of his crafts, just like NASA did as long as we can get
them all on a single DVD.
Each of your projects will be two sided and look something like this:
FRONT (pictures) BACK (paragraphs)

75. around planets, etc. Pretty cool stuff.
Now, the other cool part, or the dumb part, depending on how you see it--if you look closely at the picture
you will see this weird, golden disc. You see, some scientists who are convinced that aliens actually exist
attached this giant, golden DVD-looking-thing the space craft. On the “D VD” there were pictures, sounds,
and all sorts of stuff. If you want to see everything that is on it, click here. Don’t believe us? Click here if
you want to read about it on NASA’s site. By the way, one of the messages on the disk was this… “Friends
of space, how are you all? Have you eaten yet? Come visit us if you have time.” So IF aliens do exist
and…IF they intercept the golden disc, they will probably come eat us! Way to go NASA!
Don’t Eat Us...Part 1
Create a P.Y.S.E.U. Stone
Your job is to convince the aliens not to eat us with some
evidence that we are civilized. The catch is... if they see
you, you’ll be lunch! Instead of speaking with them, you
must create you own P.Y.S.E.U. (Proof You Shouldn’t Eat
Us) stone. I have a scientist friend at KSU named Paul
Verhage who sends monstrous weather balloons into the top
of near space to take pictures, video, and to record data. He
has agreed to send your projects up into space, attached to
one of his crafts, just like NASA did as long as we can get
them all on a single DVD.
Each of your projects will be two sided and look something like this:
FRONT (pictures) BACK (paragraphs)
Launch

76. must create you own P.Y.S.E.U. (Proof You Shouldn’t Eat
Us) stone. I have a scientist friend at KSU named Paul
Verhage who sends monstrous weather balloons into the top
of near space to take pictures, video, and to record data. He
has agreed to send your projects up into space, attached to
one of his crafts, just like NASA did as long as we can get
them all on a single DVD.
Each of your projects will be two sided and look something like this:
FRONT (pictures) BACK (paragraphs)
Launch

77. must create you own P.Y.S.E.U. (Proof You Shouldn’t Eat
Us) stone. I have a scientist friend at KSU named Paul
Verhage who sends monstrous weather balloons into the top
of near space to take pictures, video, and to record data. He
has agreed to send your projects up into space, attached to
one of his crafts, just like NASA did as long as we can get
them all on a single DVD.
Each of your projects will be two sided and look something like this:
FRONT (pictures) BACK (paragraphs)
Launch

78. Why do other
countries hate the
United States of
America?

80. PBL a`la mode

83. Social Studies
1.! Choices have consequences.
2.! Individuals have rights and
responsibilities.
3.! Societies are shaped by beliefs, idea,
and diversity.
4.! Societies experience continuity and
change over time.
5.! Relationships between people, place,
idea, and environments are dynamic.

86. •Is about doing...not just
writing!
Problem-based
Learning Writing
_________

87. Curtis Chandler
BetterLearningForSchools.com
@CurtisChandler6
Engaging Students Through
Problem-Based Writing