Essential Question for This Unit
How has the development of society influenced the
evolution of microorganisms?
Unit Summary
In this unit, students will explore the emergence and
impact of communicable diseases on society. Students
will investigate the role of microorganisms in causing
disease. They will study the impact of a public health
infrastructure, along with medical and pharmaceutical
advances, on the evolution of microorganisms.
Projects are generally teacher-directed, universal, and tangent to the learning, while project-based learning is student-centered, personal, and the learning pathway itself. Put simply, it is an approach to learning rather than something to complete.
Everyone thinks that Project-Based Learning has something to do with "authentic" learning. But not everyone agrees what this means.
Use these guiding principles to pull together projects with the time and resources you have.
Small adjustments in the learning environment will better accommodate the various tools and patterns of interaction that come into play during projects. Let's look more closely at a few patterns you can expect during projects, along with affordable solutions to accommodate them.
This post offers 23 ways that the iPad can be used in your classroom laid out in terms of the kind of workflow a learner might encounter in a 21st century, K-20, project-based learning environment.
You can transform your classroom. While there are many approaches to project-based learning, we have had the most success with the model our team developed -- a model called "The Seven Phases of a Project Cycle".
This web tool allows teachers to create student checklists to support Project Based Learning and evaluation
Project Based Learning's professional development and teacher resource site
Everyone thinks that Project-Based Learning has something to do with "authentic" learning. But not everyone agrees what this means. There is a sliding scale of authenticity for projects, which goes from "not authentic" to "somewhat authentic" to "fully authentic.
Resources and tools for project-based learning from educators from Manor New Technology High School in Manor, Texas.
BIE’s highest priority is to help teachers prepare students for successful lives. We do this by showing teachers how to use Project Based Learning in all grade levels and subject areas. As a mission-driven nonprofit organization, BIE creates, gathers, and shares high-quality PBL instructional practices and products and provides highly effective services to teachers, schools, and districts.
Tools for understanding the process of planning and building Project Based Learning lessons.
Just as the significant content is at the foundation of any class, PBL is at the heart of creating an engaging classroom. Integrating Web 2.0 technology enhances collaboration and critical thinking, and promotes creativity within the project.
You may have never tried project-based learning, or you may teach in a purely PBL environment. Whatever your background, you'll find that PBL can be a powerful instructional approach.
I like the PBL framework. However, I see a subtle danger in pushing PBL as something that should be happening in every classroom with every student all the time. Most often, the reason behind this is that in "the real world" we learn through inquiry, problem-solving and projects.