Have you heard about project-based learning? Have you ever taken the time to engage your students in a project-based learning (PBL) example? Maybe you’re wondering . . . what is PBL? In this post, we’ll learn more about PBL. I also have a project-based learning example to share with you that was a huge hit with my students.
First . . . What is Project-Based Learning?
Do you have students who are not motivated, struggle to articulate their thoughts, are not engaged in lessons, and wonder why they are learning the content . . . then project-based learning is for you.
According to PBLworks, project-based learning is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world, personally meaningful projects.
This method of teaching not only increases academic skills, but also work-related skills. Those four work skills are embedded in all project-based learning examples: collaboration, critical thinking, communication, and creativity.
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Today I will share an introductory unit to a PBL example that is shared over several posts. Since this is the first PBL unit my students participated in, you’ll find this is a teacher directed unit. My goal, as we go throughout the year, is to scaffold student learning where students end up finding problems they can solve.
Maybe this is the first time you’ve heard about project-based learning. Let’s unpack this topic and read more about a fabulous project-based learning example you can use right in your classroom. This PBL focuses on dinosaurs!
Engaging Students with Project-Based Learning Example
This year, I teach a multiage third and fourth-grade class using a blended learning pedagogy. This means half the day students engage in learning using an online platform. The other half of the day, students use a project-based learning unit to reinforce academic and work skills.
This project-based unit was our first opportunity to engage students in a real-world personally meaningful project.
Therefore, my goal with this PBL unit was to engage students in developing the academic and work skills needed to further their learning.
When I planned this unit, I focused on fourth and fifth-grade standards. The online learning platform for the main academic lessons was individualized; therefore, this project based learning example provided differentiated learning opportunities.
I taylored lessons to fit a variety of intelligences along with lots of experiential lessons. As a result, this unit easily engaged all students with several opportunities to collaborate, communicate, think creatively, and critically think.
An Introduction Engages Students in Learning
To launch this unit, I dressed up in my paleontology gear and set the classroom up with a paleontology work station. As I greeted my students on the first day, they passed through a decorated doorway and into the Mesozoic time period. I decorated the classroom with palm trees, dinosaur skeletons, and tools to “dig”.
The students were quite excited to enter into a time machine and go back to the Mesozoic period. Have you ever taken your kids into the past with a time machine? The students really get “into” the thought about going back in time, especially, when the classroom is decorated for the theme. We certainly used our time machine to help us on this adventure!!
After the first day of learning, we headed on a field trip to the state fair.
A Field Trip Launches Learning
We launched our learning with a field trip to the Alaska State Fair! This year, one of the educational displays was about dinosaurs that roamed the earth in our backyard . . . yes . . . Alaska . . . the time when dinosaurs roamed the land we call home!!!
At this exhibit, we met with an artist, who works with paleontologists. He was our tour guide. Since we just started our learning, the students prepared and learned how to ask interview questions before our trip. With notebooks in hand, students were ready to fill it with answers to their questions, drawings, labels, and more questions. In this notebook, students were able to carefully write accurate responses as they began their second day of dinosaur research. Great little notetakers they were that day!
Part of our learning involved being a paleontologist. During the tour, students had fun digging for dinosaurs, looking at “the real deal” fossils as well as some replicas.
Students also had opportunities to engage in interactive displays, view more presentations, ask questions, gather data, and continue learning.
At another point on the trip, students were able to learn how the mechanical dinosaurs operate – like in the movies. Along with the dinosaur scenes, picture opportunities were available at each station.
After the trip, we returned to school and students had time to reflect upon their learning, engage in peer discourse, and attend to our learning board where we could clarify learning and pose more questions. They were able to experience a “Day in the Life of a Paleontologist” on this trip and learn how a paleontologist would uncover fossils.
An Introduction to Research
This was an exciting opportunity to begin our research about the prehistoric period, focusing on the Dinosaurs! With our initial learning opportunity behind us, we were ready to continue uncovering clues to answer the essential questions, which will lead us to uncover our driving question: What happened to the dinosaurs?
In the classroom, I had a variety of learning stations set up for students to utilize, investigate, answer questions, and continue learning. There were lots of books, both fiction and nonfiction, for students to read and learn. Of course, I used books to teach content including literacy skills. Several STEM tasks provide opportunities for students to practice those math skills and four employment skills: collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking.
I can’t wait to write about the next phase of our adventure as I share some of the lessons students engaged in during our five-week journey. Do your kids like dinosaurs? Are you looking for a way to teach literacy skills through a science and social studies lens? Give project-based learning examples a try. Your students will be very excited to learn!! I promise!!
Related Resources
This post is the first of several posts about a project-based learning example. Continue the journey with these related links.
What is 21st Century Learning?
Great resources about PBL
Below are some of my favorite PBL teacher resources. These are all available on Amazon. Simply click the picture to learn more about each resource.
Final Thoughts About Project-Based Learning Example
Although this project-based learning example was an introduction, the focus was to foster skills needed for upcoming PBL units. Students use higher-order thinking skills when they collaborate, communicate, critically think, and work creatively. These are essential skills that will be used in any future career. It was very exciting to watch the students not only learn and develop skills, but have so much fun with this introductory unit.
Looks like a great place for kids to learn.
This was such a great learning experience. We totally lucked out that the exhibit was at the fair.
Thanks for stopping by!
~ Annette
My little guy loves dinosaurs and would have loved this field trip. What a fun day!
Thanks, Cassie!! I’m sure he would have had soo much fun learning!! I hope there is an opportunity for him to see dinosaurs in a museum. Also, there is a National Park in Utah called Dinosaur National Park. Perhaps a family field trip, if it isn’t too far away.
~ Annette
This looks like so much fun!
Thanks, Nina. Yes, it was FUN with all the bells and whistles!
Have a great week!
~ Annette
So great! My kids are too young to be into dinosaurs, but my husband (young at heart) loves visiting our hometown museum where they have similar fossils and archeology exhibits – fun for kids of all ages!!
That is wonderful Jessica! Anytime you can get out into nature or visit a local museum to learn, it certainly brings the kid out in all of us.
Have a great week!
~ Annette
My little baby cousins would love to be on this field trip! They love dinosaurs so much they know all of the names. I’ll be sure to make this as a bucket list for my little ones to visit. Thank you so much for sharing!
Hello Allison! That is great!! I didn’t know there were soo many different dinosaurs. I learned quite a bit on this trip and learning unit, too. Any museum is certainly a place to visit and learn
Have a great week!
~ Annette
This is interesting, I would like to know more detailed information!
Hello Melissa, I’ll be posting more of the learning and fun. If you have specific questions, do not hesitate to ask.
Thanks for stopping by!
~ Annette
Our kids love dinosaurs! What a fun post.
Thanks, Dennis!! My children are grown, but this would have been a great place to take them. I’m glad I was able to take my students!
Have a great week!
~ Annette
That look like so much fun! A great way to learn!
Thanks, Nicki! You bet – it was a fabulous learning adventure.
Thanks for stopping by!
~ Annette
This looks like such a fun field trip! Dinosaurs are awesome no matter how old you are, in my opinion.
LOL! I totally agree, Jocelyn! I learned so much on this trip, gathering resources, and being a learner with the students. It was a great way to begin our school year and learn together.
Have a great week!
~ Annette
I love field trips! I think I get more out of them than my kids because I’m always so interested in what we are learning – it’s a great way to see a place with a whole different mindset.
I love that your brought up the “different mindset”! Yes, I totally agree. Sometimes we have to get out of our comfort zone and learn alongside the kiddos. It was a great experience!
Thanks for stopping by!
~ Annette