7 elements* of a “gold-standard [inquiry] project” - Larmer et al. • A challenging problem or question Students need to solve the problem or answer the question, which is posed at an appropriate challenge level • Sustained inquiry Students are engaged in a rigorous, extended process of asking questions, finding resources, and applying information • Authenticity The project includes a real-world context (or a good simulation), tasks and tools, and impact – or it speaks to students’ personal concerns, interests, and life issues. • Student voice and choice Students are asked to make some decisions about how they work and what they ultimately create •Reflection The projects build in opportunities to think about the effectiveness of learning experiences and products and how obstacles were overcome (or not overcome) • Critique and revision Students get detailed feedback on their process and products based on known standards and rubrics • Public product Students present, display, and explain their work to an audience beyond the classroom
*Not all projects have all these elements. “The Gold Standard is meant to be aspirational, not a barrier, especially if teachers are new to project-based learning.” - Larmer
DIVE INTO INQUIRY - Pro D BOOK - PRO 371.3 MAK - 3 copies @ Killarney
IDEAS FOR PROJECTS
A debate, speech, social media campaign, or multimedia presentation on an issue or current event – the more local and personally relevant the better
A museum exhibit about a historical time, place, person, event, or development
A proposal for a invention / monument to explain an event or development
A simulation of a situation in which people in the past or present have to solve a problem, make a decision, or advise a leader
A podcast, guided tour, field guide, or annotated online map about local history / a concept / a theory
An action or service learning project to benefit the community. Source: “Project-Based Learning in Social Studies” by John Larmer in Social Education, January/ February 2018 (Vol. 82, #1,p. 20-23), www.socialstudies.org Larmer can be reached at [email protected]