Curricula

Smart Lab defines project-based learning (PBL) as a student-centered approach that “utilizes real-world problems or challenges in an effort to increase student motivation and engagement based on the theory that students will have a deeper connection to curriculum that directly impacts them and their community” (smartlablearning.com).  In a PBL classroom, the teacher acts as a coach and guides the students to create clear objectives while keeping their essential question at the forefront at all times (Arundel, 2021). Authenticity and relevancy are top components of PBL (Parker, 2020). In PBL classrooms, the students begin with the end in mind and work backward to gather research and collaborate with peers. Questions create more questions and students are engaged in their learning as their research requires support and justification, not just an answer. Students work from the top of Bloom’s Taxonomy and develop keen critical thinking skills.

Community involvement is key to the PBL success. Students must have access to community leaders who will support and encourage them along their journey to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate their essential question. Boss (2011) postulates that students learn best when they are given real-world problems to solve and personal choice regarding how to best solve those problems.

At Greater Things Learning Center, students will engage in and complete one project per quarter.

Each student will choose from the following four categories:

1.     Environmental

2.     Health

3.     Bible

4.     Finance

Students must incorporate all four disciplines in their project (math, science, social studies, and English). Students must have a visual (poster board, power point, etc.) of their findings. Students must present their findings to an audience of at least five people (not including classmates). Students will write a report at the end with a summary of their project, their findings and solutions, and a debriefing of their experience.

Formative and summative assessments are administered often in traditional classrooms. An assessment in PBL is different. Each day, a teacher checks in with the student to ensure he or she is on track. Using a rubric, the student will complete what is expected of him or her and give a 10 minute presentation to a minimum of 5 adults. Often in a community setting, the students dress in their best clothes and present their PBL project with questions from the audience at the end. 

NOTE: Project-based learning does not take the place of grade-level content. The student adds PBL to what is expected from state standards as a way to show differentiation, or in other words, the process of growth and development of each student. 

Project-based learning essential questions are real-world, relevant to the student, questions. Reinholz et al (2018) postulated, “Common features identified include real-world connections, reinforcement of conceptual understanding, a low floor and high ceiling, multiple solutions paths, and building disposition of professionals in the discipline” (37). Low floor, high ceiling questions are ones with simple starts but require rigorous and disciplined research to answer, as problems serve a foundations for students to be engrossed in the practice of a discipline. 

For example, in a mathematical project, the “problem” or essential question should have four features: 1) accessibility 2) multiple solution paths 3) insight into mathematical concepts 4) enough information to further explore the discipline. Principles one and four are low floor, high ceiling for rudimentary beginning but a great deal of challenge to complete (Reinholz et al. 2018, 38). Students should choose projects and essential questions that they are interested in and will have fun exploring and researching. 

Writing across disciplines requires students to form an argument (Walkova & Bradford, 2022). Lee and Deakin’s (2016) definition for an argument is: “developing and defending a position; appealing to a reader’s logic and emotion; anticipating and countering a reader’s reactions and aligning with or distancing oneself from cited sources” (21). The essential question is a claim on what the student wishes to answer. The research is the evidence to support that claim. For example, a claim could be that 15% service charge should be added to a restaurant bill instead of tipping on the total of the bill (Walkova & Bradford, 2022, 24). The student gives evidence to the claim, resulting in counter-arguments, resulting in acknowledging a rebuttal. Based on the final results, a student can articulate or confirm a solution to the question or reject the question all together. The conclusion of any PBL could possibly be that, ‘more research needs to be completed to adequately support the claim.’