Project-Based Learning Archives - Classical Education Books

Problem-Based Learning in Your Classroom

sarah — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 02:23:21 +0000

For teachers who want more in-depth information about how PBL originated, why it is effective, and how best to implement PBL strategies that will ensure that students have a successful experience, this book is a practical guide and a helpful resource.

The post Problem-Based Learning in Your Classroom appeared first on Classical Education Books.

Ferret Ecology – Unit Study

sarah — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 02:17:20 +0000

The black-footed ferret is the most endangered mammal in the United States. In this unit, the child is placed in the role of a member of a recovery team whose job it is to assess whether Fort Collins, Colorado, is an appropriate site to reintroduce ferrets that were bred in captivity. However, there are an array of potential problems that could make reintroduction difficult.

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) units immerse children in real-world, complex situations. While searching for a solution to the problem, students simultaneously develop a deep understanding of a variety of subjects and improve their skills in research, higher-order thinking, decision making, and more.

Each unit consists of a Teacher Manual of detailed instructions on how to implement the unit and a student Problem Log, in which the students find necessary materials for the unit and also where they record their work. In addition, many of the units have a Resource Book that contains primary resources and supplemental materials (such as photographs) that are also available online so that instructors can download them, print them out, and, if necessary, make copies of them to distribute to the students. The units that do not have Resource Books tend to deal with current issues and offer suggestions for websites where both instructors and students can find the supplemental information they need; these are listed in the Teacher Manual.

Each Teacher Manual also describes how to conduct the project, how to develop problem-solving skills and awareness, and how to lead students into considering all sides of a situation. These are enduring life skills that children will use well beyond the completion of the unit.

The post Ferret Ecology – Unit Study appeared first on Classical Education Books.

Plague! – Unit Study

sarah — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 02:02:46 +0000

Plague! is based on the plague that devastated Europe in the mid-fourteenth century. The child, in the role of a local government official, must decide what to do to keep the town’s residents safe as the Black Death marches toward them. Children who work through this unit must assess the level of risk the townspeople face, determine when the plague might arrive in the town, consider what might happen if it does, and decide what to do to try to prevent that from happening.

The post Plague! – Unit Study appeared first on Classical Education Books.

It’s Electrifying! – Unit Study

sarah — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 01:48:30 +0000

It’s Electrifying! presents the problem of whether Virginia Beach, Virginia, will accept alternative energy supplies and which source of energy would be most beneficial with the least environmental impact: wave energy, tidal energy, or offshore wind farms. Students are placed in the role of engineers whose job is to select new, innovative options for energy production. However, they must consider a variety of social and environmental impacts that could affect their recommendation.

The post It’s Electrifying! – Unit Study appeared first on Classical Education Books.

Mosquito Coast – Unit Study

sarah — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 01:30:37 +0000

Mosquito Coast explores the problem of West Nile virus, which has infected a student in a local school. Students take on the role of medical entomologists whose job it is to assess the level of risk that the other students face and to make recommendations either for remediation of the school grounds or for a way to raise awareness about the true risk students face of contracting the disease.

The post Mosquito Coast – Unit Study appeared first on Classical Education Books.

Ferret It Out – Unit Study

sarah — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 01:17:09 +0000

The black-footed ferret is the most endangered mammal in the United States. In this PBL unit, students are placed in the role of members of a recovery team whose job it is to assess whether Fort Collins, Colorado, is an appropriate site to reintroduce ferrets that were bred in captivity. However, they must consider an array of potential problems that could make reintroduction difficult.

The post Ferret It Out – Unit Study appeared first on Classical Education Books.

Excluded! – Unit Study

sarah — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 22:46:03 +0000

This unit focuses on the Chinese exclusion laws, which were enacted in the 1880s to prevent further Chinese immigration in the United States. Students take on the role of government officials trying to decide whether to support the Geary Act. They must investigate a variety of issues related to immigration and decide what to do to solve the problem of the influx of immigrants to the U.S.

The post Excluded! – Unit Study appeared first on Classical Education Books.

All Work and No Play – Unit Study

sarah — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 22:14:15 +0000

In this unit, students take on the role of members of the National Child Labor Committee in the Progressive Era. They must prepare for a congressional hearing, during which they will ask questions and make recommendations to protect child labourers. To do so, they must learn about a variety of issues related to child labor, including complicating economic factors for families.

The post All Work and No Play – Unit Study appeared first on Classical Education Books.

Hull House – Unit Set

sarah — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 21:58:50 +0000

Jane Addams, co-founder of the landmark settlement house known as Hull House, has lobbied for labor reform, and a prominent Chicagoan has threatened to withdraw financial support. Hull House had been planning to start several social programs, but now there is funding available for only one. As members of the Board of Directors, students must learn about the social issues of the era and decide which project to fund.

The post Hull House – Unit Set appeared first on Classical Education Books.

A Final Appeal – Unit Set

sarah — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 00:19:06 +0000

A teacher has been fired for using To Kill a Mockingbird in her class. She sued the district and lost. Now she is appealing to a district court. In this PBL unit, students take on the role of members of the court of appeals who must decide the case. Based on an actual court case, A Final Appeal instructs students in the First Amendment, how court decisions are made, and the structure of the U.S. court system.

The post A Final Appeal – Unit Set appeared first on Classical Education Books.

Fit to Print – Unit Set

sarah — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 23:43:20 +0000

In Fit to Print, students assume the role of newspaper editors during the late 1800s who work for the struggling New York Times. Their competition, the New York Journal, has begun practicing yellow journalism. The students must decide how to cover the news—particularly the the impending Spanish-American War—without sensationalizing it and yet still maintain enough of an audience to keep the paper solvent.

The post Fit to Print – Unit Set appeared first on Classical Education Books.

The Great Debates – Unit Set

sarah — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 23:12:30 +0000

The Great Debates puts students in the stakeholder role of media consultants for Richard Nixon in his 1960 election bid for president. John F. Kennedy has surged in the polls after his success in the first-ever televised presidential debates. The students are tasked with learning about both candidates’ campaign messaging strategies, conducting research on messaging, and presenting media messaging techniques to Nixon to help him win the presidency.

The post The Great Debates – Unit Set appeared first on Classical Education Books.