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?

Dino-Mite Infused Fun!

STEM Dino-Egg Drop

Escape from Dinosaur Park

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.

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