We started our PBL on Ancient Greece this Monday, and it seems to be off to a great start! For the first time, I feel like we have something that we'd want to use again. For the entry event, we opened with a 30 min clip of 300 and popcorn. We felt that we owed the kids a break from they typical fast pace of the classroom. They were appreciative and the day started off on a positive note. After watching the valiant sacrifice of the Spartans to preserve Greece in 300, we challenged them (via PPT) to "revive the legacy of Ancient Greece" for modern day. The houses are competing against each other in an EXPO on Dec. 20th that will showcase Ancient Greece. The prize to the winning house is bonus points, which appears to be quite the motivator!
For this PBL we grouped students according to their preferences on seven different Greek topics (wars, government, daily life, mythology, etc...). Each group will have their own display as part of the larger EXPO. Grouping students according to preference seems to be working very well. The best part of this strategy is that we don't have to convince them to be interested in the topic they're assigned which is sometimes an imposible task anyway.
We've given students packets consisting of research questions, research materials, a calendar of events and deadlines, a daily work log to gauge progress, and more.
The students are responding well to their challenge, topics, and workload so far, so maybe we (and our students) are starting to get the hang of this whole PBL thing.
I completely agree that the students have responded well to this particular PBL. I think the week before break was tense for the students, between it being the first time they had to present and in-depth proposal to a group of strangers as well as having to resolve issues with their own teams while in the classroom. The entry event was the best one yet and the fact that the majority of students were assigned the topics they were interested in will hopefully help to make this PBL the best one yet, and one than can be used again in the future.
ReplyDeleteWe knew that this shift in our educational approach would be difficult, but I am so proud of all of you for digging in and learning the skills necessary to do what is best for the students! Just hearing about this project excites me, and I can't wait for the Expo!! :-)
ReplyDeleteHere's proof that the kids are interested! An e-mail from a student in one of our sessions.
ReplyDeleteDear Ms.Mullenax,
I was absent today because I am ill and I was wondering If you could please ask my group to share the work sheet we are making to teach the class with me so I can help them .I will get on line while they are working on it in class.