A Project Based Learning assignment for 4th grade students in the subjects of English Language Arts and Social Studies.

1. Project Based
Learning:
Community
Helpers
Ellene Hartounian

2. Age Group and Subject
 This project is aimed towards 4th grade students
and focuses on the subject of English Language
Arts with elements of Social Studies

3. Project Overview: Part 1
 Students will research specific issues in the community (social,
environmental, educational, etc.)
 From their initial research, they will pick an issue that they find
particularly interesting, and produce a driving question related to
this topic
 Students will form small groups based on similarities among
chosen issues

4. Project Overview: Part 2
 In these groups, students will produce possible
solutions to combat the community issue
 They will do research, including but not limited to:
historical context, interviews with individuals in the
community such as parents/teachers/other
community workers
 When students have collected all their data, they will
peer review and provide feedback on data
collected by other groups
 Final product should be a paper including all data
(interviews, photos, etc.), and a poster presenting the
community issue and solution. Students will give a
presentation in front of the class presenting what they
have learned

5. How does this relate to ELA/Social
Studies?
 ELA:
 Shows students how to produce a piece of writing that
includes data, interviews, opinions, and reflections. They
essentially learn how to create a simple research paper.
 Teaches students to write for a specific audience.
 Social Studies:
 Encourages students to come up with solutions to real
world problems.
 Lets students research the history (local or at a larger
level) behind a specific issue.

6. My Job as the Teacher
 Assist students in the brainstorming process
 Provide a list of local community organizations that students can
communicate with
 Assign small groups
 Do my best to get parents involved. Send home a flyer at the
beginning of this assignment so that parents are aware of the
project and can assist their kids

7. Reflection/Assessment
 At the end of the project, students will write a reflection
paper, including the following:
 How they feel like they helped their community
 What they specifically contributed to the group project
 What they were most proud of
 What they could have done differently
 How the group worked together as a whole

8. Why?
 1. Promotes awareness regarding community
issues
 2. Gives students a chance to come up with their
own solutions to help solve these issues; thus
providing a real world application of information
learned in class
 3. Teaches students that they can make a
difference and their voices can be heard. It is
possible for even a young learner to come up
with a realistic solution to a community issue and
to do their part to help!

9. Elements of PBL: 21st Century Skills
 Collaboration: Students will get into small groups
based on similarities in community issues. They will
complete the entire project in these small groups
 Use of Technology: Students will have to make
use of technological tools in order to record, take
photos, print, or scan data collected.
 Critical Thinking: Students have to be creative
and think about a problem they see in their
community. They must come up with an original
solution to this problem
 Communication: Students must communicate
with individuals in the community involved in the
particular issue they have chosen to research

10. Elements of PBL: Sustained Inquiry
 Students will have to come up with a “driving
question” through research and critical thinking.
They will then have to find relevant resources,
collect useful information, and then apply that
information to their project in a logical manner

11. Elements of PBL: Voice and Choice
 Students are free to choose their own community
issue. This allows them to be autonomous in their
project and to research an issue they are
interested in or feel passionate about. These
factors all contribute to an increase in
motivation.

12. Elements of PBL: Critique/Revision
 Allowing students to revise and provide
feedback regarding other groups’ work
prepares the children to respond appropriately
to constructive criticism and praise

13. References
 Larmer J., Mergendoller, J. (2010). Seven
Essentials for Project-Based Learning. Retrieved
from:
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_l
eadership/sept10/vol68/num01/Seven_Essentials
_for_Project-Based_Learning.aspx