Project-based Learning

Project-based learning engages students in deep thinking while connecting their learning in the classroom to the world around them.


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What is PBL and why do it?

How you can use PBL to help students question, think, and work together to apply learning.

Get Started with Rubrics

Make it matter!

Move from projects to Project-based Learning by focusing on ideas, work, and effort!

Moving toward PBL with Make It Matter model

Implementing PBL with Make It Matter

Specific strategies and examples for using the Make It Matter model (ideas, work, effort) to move projects closer to project-based learning.

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PBL Requires Purpose

Focus on "why" and "where" to move from projects to PBL

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Implementing purposeful design projects throughout the curriculum

Build future-ready skills across content areas with these five design purposes

A great project

Eight elements of great project design

Students making things is better than being passive, but making good things is better still!

chalk on blackboard of question mark, lightbulb and rocket launch

PBL Design: From Essential Questions to Authentic Tasks

How to lead students from prompting questions to deep thinking and taking action.

Authentic Task

How to write a great authentic task

A guide to incorporating collaboration, real-world problems, community connections, and self-directed learning.

Assess student project work.

Assessing student project work

Evaluates content knowledge AND skills like creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, and innovation.

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Formative assessment during project-based learning

Inform learning and practice to support progress and ensure success

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Student Reflection and Self-Assessment

Four ideas for building self-evaluation into the learning process

Collaboration During Student Project Work

Get the most out of collaboration

Working collaboratively prepares students for their future, and builds essential 21st century skills.

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Developing Norms for Successful Collaboration during Project-Based Learning

Set the foundation for a classroom culture that supports effective teamwork

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Your Team is a Gift

Ideas to help learners with a range of skills and styles utilize the strengths of a team to reach their goals.

two colorful question marks highlighted in pile of grey question marks

Developing the Questions for Project-Based Learning

Using big ideas to develop essential questions that guide project design and driving questions that guide student work.

collection of different colored and overlapping question marks

Building student questioning skills

High quality student inquiry is essential to successful project-based learning

Cogs

It's the process, not the product

The learning taking place during project work is more important than the finished product.

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Supporting PBL in Remote Learning Environments

How to support remote learners throughout the process of Project-Based Learning.

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What age is best for PBL?

Benefits and challenges of implementing PBL from high-school through primary

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PBL in Preschool

PBL encourages preschool learners to create to express ideas and experiment to make sense of their world in a way that is deeply connected to each other and the community.

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Interview: Mike Kaechele

How connecting SEL and PBL ensures success for both

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Using Restorative Circles to Build Teamwork

Formats and questions for successful collaborative project work

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Six ideas to get students hooked for PBL

Six ideas to both engage students at the start of project work and firmly establish a culture of risk-taking and inquiry.

PBL Wordle

Transform student project presentations

Transform project presentations into presentations of learning with feedback and reflection.

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Showcase student work during project-based learning

Authentic work requires a real world audience

PBL

Work on projects that matter

Project-based learning motivates students by asking them to work toward an outcome that matters to them.

Student centered cartoon

Less us, more them!

Raise expectations and standards in our classrooms by granting more responsibility to the learner.

Authentic audiences

Give Student Projects an Authentic Audience

If we believe our students have potential beyond measure, we must ask them to produce work for authentic audiences.

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Implementing PBL in PE Classes

Physical Education performances and playing the whole game

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Meet ISTE Standards for Students with a Project-based Approach

A project-based approach to learning helps you meet both the goals of and skills in the ISTE Standards for Students.

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Put ISTE Standards in Action with PBL

How project-based learning provides an authentic context for applying the ISTE Standards for Students

Questioning

Develop shared expectations for project work

Four questions to answer when you are beginning a project with students.

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Get Started with Place-Based Learning

Make learning relevant and purposeful by grounding student work in your local community

Students collaborating

Get students ready for project-based learning

Give students experiences that will help the transition to project-based learning.

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Ditmas Trends - Student Thrift Store

Real students, real community service

Connecting Curricula for Deeper Understanding

Connecting curricula for deeper understanding

Academic disciplines have a lot in common, we should interconnect them.

A good prompt.

A good prompt is worth a thousand words

The richest learning experiences and demonstrations of mastery emerge from situations with maximum flexibility.

Make Stuff

Develop projects that endure

Challenge students to achieve high quality so the value of student projects is obvious.

image of students and community members connected across the globe.

Project-based learning is digital citizenship in action

Use a project-based approach to learning to provide opportunities for students to act as digital citizens

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Taking a Project-Based Approach to STEM Learning

How STEM and PBL go hand in hand.

Professional Development

A project approach to professional development

An approach to staff development that improves teaching and learning by modeling effective strategies.

Rubric

Get started with rubrics!

Rubrics describe what high performance looks like and help establish responsibility for it.

Five habits of coaches

Five habits of great classroom coaches

Effective habits to foster student performance throughout the project process.

Reflection

Reflecting on your PBL implementation

Reflection and refinement is essential to the successful implementation of project-based learning.

Student

Capitalize on the talents of special needs students

Special needs students can flourish in project-based learning environment.

Design

Success starts with effective project design

Before students can create a successful project you have to create a good design or plan for that project.

More sites to help you find success in your classroom

Wixie

Share your ideas, imagination, and understanding through writing, art, voice, and video.

Rubric Maker

Create custom rubrics for your classroom.

Pics4Learning

A curated, copyright-friendly image library that is safe and free for education.

Wriddle

Write, record, and illustrate a sentence.

EDU ToDo

Interactive digital worksheets for grades K-8 to use in Brightspace or Canvas.

Creative Educator

Professional Learning

About Us

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Project-based Learning

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Project-based Learning Professional Development

Creative Educator can help you bring PBL to your school.

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