Final Project Planning Template: Project-Based Approaches

As a final project for this course, you will outline a project-based activity that you could use in your own classroom. You will revisit this document in each module, adding relevant information as you explore topics in the course. A completed final project will be due to your facilitator by the end of Module Five.

MODULE ONE: Projects Overview Step 1: Evaluating Your Classroom Readiness

In Module One you learned some of the differences between traditional and project-based approaches. Take some time to assess your classroom practice readiness for instituting a more project-based approach. Use the table below to guide your assessment. You may also want to refer to the Project Characteristics chart from the Module as well. In the top row, describe how your current classroom operates in terms of roles and learning structure. In the bottom row, describe how your classroom should look to support PBA based on what you have learned this Module.

Adult and Student Roles Current Classroom Practices Project-Based Classroom Practices

Assignment Structure

Notes

MODULE TWO: Project Design Step 2: Planning Your Project

In Module Two, you learned about the steps involved in planning a successful project. In this section you will begin your initial project planning. The first step in the project design process is to review your standards. Identify several standards that you would like to address.
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Next identify some project ideas that might align with specific standards (like Abe and Maria did in Module One). Use the table below to record your ideas. (Feel free to add additional rows as well!)

Standards

Project Ideas

Step 3: Choose Your Focus Project

Choose one of your ideas from above to focus on for the remainder of the course. It should be a project that both strongly targets your standards and connects to the real world. Use the space below to write a brief description of your project.

Step 4: 21st Century Skills

In addition to content standards, you also learned in Module Two about the importance of 21st century skills. In the chart below identify the 21st century skills that will be addressed in your project. You may want to refer to the 21st Century Skills document as you complete this task.

Category Learning and Innovation Skills Information, Media and Technology Skills Life and Career Skills

Skills

How will these skills be observed?

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Step 5: Curriculum-Framing Questions

In Module Two, you also learned that a major component of project design involves coming up with Curriculum-Framing Questions which help students connect essential concepts in and across disciplines. Using the Curriculum-Framing Questions document as a guide, think through two (or more) Essential Questions you could use as an introduction to your chosen project focus. Then create some supporting Unit and Content questions that will help support the project. Essential Question Unit Questions Content Questions

MODULE THREE: Assessment

In Module Three you considered the role of assessment in project-based learning. In a projectbased classroom, ongoing assessment is not separate from instruction and student activities; it is integrated into the learning process.

Step 6: Planning for Assessment

Take some time to create an assessment plan using the table below. It may also help to review Marias Assessment Timeline and Plan as you work on this part of your final project. Title of Assessment Process and Purpose of Assessment How Assessment is Graded

Step 7: Creating a Rubric

One of your assessments above should be graded according to a rubric. Begin to develop the rubric below by changing the Category names to actual items you want to assess. Then fill in
Copyright 2011 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.Intel and Intel Education are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. *Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

the performance expectations for each of the four grades listed across the top of the table. This process can be repeated for additional assessments. 4 [Category 1] [Category 2] [Category 3] 3 2 1

MODULE FOUR: Project Planning Step 8: Managing the Project

In Module Four, you explored some strategies for managing a project-based classroom. Thinking about the amount of time a project will consume, the availability of resources, and how to handle transitions are all essential for a project-based classroom to work smoothly. In the space below, discuss how you plan to manage your project. You may want to review the case studies of two teachers, Mr. Espinoza and Ms. Frederickson, as you continue your work. How do you plan to launch the project? How will you manage classroom resources during the project? How will you manage student collaboration during this project?

MODULE FIVE: Guiding Learning

In Module Five, you learned that questioning plays a pivotal role in project-based learning because questions drive student inquiry and self-direction.

Step 9: Using Questions

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Six different purposes for questions are listed in the table below. Craft some questions that can help guide your students thinking about the project you are planning, and add them to the table. (Each row should have at least 2 questions.) Purpose of Question Motivate and engage students curiosity and interests Determine student knowledge and understanding Prompt observation and description of phenomena Encourage reflection and metacognition Promote critical thinking and problem solving Encourage creativity, imagining, and hypothesizing Questions

Step 10: Summing it up

As a final piece of your project, give a narrative description (1-3 paragraphs) of the projectbased activity that you have developed. Write in enough detail that a fellow teacher can understand your plan even if he/she is not familiar with the content area that you teach.

Copyright 2011 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.Intel and Intel Education are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. *Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.