John McCarthy, Ed.S.
PBL National Faculty
Buck Institute for Education
jmccarthy@bie.org
bie.org/forums
bie.org/tools
twitter.com/biepbl
youtube.com/biepbl
By the end of PBL 101, you will have
started planning a project by:
O Understanding “Main Course” PBL
O Generating a Project Idea
O Refining a Driving Question
O Balancing Assessment Strategies
O Gathering Tips for Managing Projects
O All of the Above
CLASSROOM CULTURE. Watch the video, and look for some
behaviors by the teacher and students that indicate a culture
of inquiry and independence.
THINK
SHARE
CLASSROOM CULTURE. What was the role of the teacher
and the students? What behaviors promoted a culture of
inquiry and independence?
Publicly
Presented
Product
Feedback
&
Revision
Driving
Question
or
Challenge
PBL
Need
to
Know
Inquiry
&
Innovation
Student
Voice &
Choice
21st Century
Skills
“Shakespeare!”
– No One
EXAMPLE ENTRY EVENTS
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Field Trip
Guest Speaker
Film, Video, Website
Simulation or Activity
Provocative Reading
Startling Statistics
Puzzling Problem
Piece of Real or Mock
Correspondence
o Song, Poem, Art
o Lively Discussion
LAUNCH THE INQUIRY. Watch the video, and look for how
students are engaged. Think about how this activity might
lead to inquiry.
THINK
SHARE
LAUNCH THE INQUIRY. What struck you about the Entry
Event and the students’ response? How would this event
initiate inquiry?
FIRSTDAY
Entry Event
Create Need to Know list
Project teams announced
Discussion of expectations for
teamwork
First team meeting: team-building
activity, contract, initial task list
PROJECT PACKET
o
o
o
o
o
Team Roster
Project Calendar
Rubric & Assessments
Checklist of Requirements
Templates for contracts,
lists, etc.
o Presentation/Exhibition
Schedule
o Resource List
KITTY KARRIER PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
☐ Low Cost Materials
☐ No Metal Parts
☐ Fit Underneath Seat on Plane
☐ Open & Close Access
☐ Comfortable & Breathable
☐ Rigid Structure
KITTY KARRIER PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
☐ Low Cost Materials
☐ No Metal Parts
☐ Fit Underneath Seat on Plane
☐ Open & Close Access
☐ Comfortable & Breathable
☐ Rigid Structure
LASTDAY
Self and Peer Assessment
Project Debrief and
Celebration
Have products due at checkpoints
TEAMING TIPS
o Teacher decides teams
(or manages the process)
o Four is best
o Usually heterogeneous
o “Slacker hardball”
“You’re fired!”
– Advice From SOME Teachers
Meet with team representatives
Ensure individual accountability
Avoid death by repetitive presentations
Team building 4
Collaboration
Communication
Critical Thinking
CRITICAL FRIENDS TUNING PROTOCOL
PRESENTERS
Presentation: Project Title & Idea, Driving Question,
Culminating Products, Entry Event*, and any concerns
you’d like feedback about
7 min
EVERYONE
Clarification: Audience asks short clarifying questions
3 min
AUDIENCE
Good Stuff: Audience shares what they liked about the
project
4 min
Wondering Stuff: Audience shares their concerns and
questions for consideration
4 min
Next Stuff: Audience shares ideas about resources and
ways to enhance the project
4 min
Reflection: Group reflects on useful feedback, next steps
3 min
PRESENTERS
TOTAL TIME 25 min
TO DOs:
 Generate a Project Idea
 Refine a Driving Question
 Determine Culminating Products
DIFFERENTIATED
TO DOs:
 Create an Entry Event
 Write Project Overview for Students
 List Criteria for Major Products
and/or Write Rubrics
 Plan Day-to-Day Activities
 Gather Content Resources
CRITICAL FRIENDS TUNING PROTOCOL
PRESENTERS
Presentation: Project Title & Idea, Driving Question,
Culminating Products, Entry Event*, and any concerns
you’d like feedback about
7 min
EVERYONE
Clarification: Audience asks short clarifying questions
3 min
AUDIENCE
Good Stuff: Audience shares what they liked about the
project
4 min
Wondering Stuff: Audience shares their concerns and
questions for consideration
4 min
Next Stuff: Audience shares ideas about resources and
ways to enhance the project
4 min
Reflection: Group reflects on useful feedback, next steps
3 min
PRESENTERS
TOTAL TIME 25 min
POST IT ONLINE. Keep in mind you might have questions
that others are asking or could help answer, so use our
Need To Know Forum.
John McCarthy, Ed.S.
PBL National Faculty
Buck Institute for Education
jmccarthy@bie.org
bie.org/forums
bie.org/tools
twitter.com/biepbl
youtube.com/biepbl