An Instructional Approach
for the Classroom
“You can memorize your way through a
labyrinth if it is simple enough and you have
the time and urge to escape.
But the learning is of no use for the next time
when the exit will be differently placed.”
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A learning/teaching methodology based on
the principle of using problems as a starting
point for the acquisition of new knowledge.
A learning/teaching methodology designed to
create learning through experience and the
reinforcement of existing knowledge.
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Problems are “real world” in nature for the
learners: they can see the need to know the
information in their future
Problems activate prior knowledge: learners
are able to “hook” new content on some
existing experience or information.
Problems mimic ways in which new
information will be applied later, either in
assessment or practice
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Learners prefer to participate in decision-making
about their learning.
Learners bring lots of information to new
learning (no blank slates here.)
PBL reinforces existing knowledge and creates a
starting point for acquiring new content
PBL problems enhance the integration of new
information.
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A student reads the problem aloud in group
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Students identify the facts, “What they know”
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Students identify Learning Issues, “What they
need to know”
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Students identify what could be going on, their
ideas to move them forward in exploration
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Students make decisions about how to proceed.
 Cont.
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Students acquire new information through
research or additional resources
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Students test their ideas against new
knowledge, re-rank ideas as needed
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Students continue to acquire new information
and integrate it with what they know
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Students arrive at most viable and defendable
hypotheses/solution.
ASK:
• Students ask, What is the challenge? What are my limits? How can
you solve it?
IMAGINE:
• Students imagine what others have done, start thinking of new
ideas, and play with materials to help think of something new!
PLAN:
• Students choose a direction and begin to sketch, model, or write
about their ideas.
CREATE:
• Students use their plan to make create, build, and solve
IMPROVE:
• Test your final design and decide how to make it better. The
process begins again!
Too often we give children
answers to remember rather
than problems to solve.
Roger Lewin
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The problem must be authentic, relevant and
connect with the students’ world.
The problem must be rooted in the subject
matter of the curriculum.
Good problems “hook” the learners.
What do we know?
What do we need to know?
(Learning Issues)
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Students develop possible hypotheses and
their action plan.
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Students test their hypotheses as a team.
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Students record results.
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The teacher is a facilitator and resource
provider.
The teacher is observing, looking, listening,
stimulating, and provoking student learning.
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Products
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Debriefing
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Performance
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Rubrics
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Science Journaling
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Self-evaluation
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Motivating students to learn (student-centered)
Linking theory and practice
Facilitating students learning how to learn
Students required to use higher levels of Revised
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Incorporates 21st century skills: critical thinking
and problem solving, collaboration,
communication
Mirroring the interdisciplinary process used in
work and research
Acquiring subject matter knowledge
Having fun!
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Teamwork- it must be taught, practiced, and
expected. Give everyone a role whenever
possible. Organize teams carefully.
Assessment- Good problems begin with the
end (learning goal) in mind. Students must
be required to demonstrate their learning
individually.
STEM Supplies: In the Media Center
STEM Lab: 1st Grade Hall
Mary Ferguson: STEM Coordinator
Brenda Eason: STEM Coach
Steven Bookhart: STEM EXPERT 
Bridget Jones: CCS STEM Coordinator
Hurricanes
Katrina approaching New Orleans
August 2005
What is a hurricane?
 A large rotating storm
– centered around an area of very low pressure
– strong winds blowing at an average speed over
74 miles per hour
 The whole storm system may be up to 10
miles high and on average 500 miles wide
 It moves forward like an immense spinning
top, at speeds up to 20 mph
How do hurricanes form?
For a hurricane to form, you need two things:
1. Warm, moist air
2. Just the right wind conditions
http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/A15.html
Engineers protecting people
 Ways that engineers can protect people
from hurricanes:
– Early warning systems
– Strong buildings, bridges and roads
– Flood prevention
 Levees
 Pumps
 Floodwalls
All About Levees
 Protect people from the
flooding of a river or lake.
River or Lake
Levee
 Made from piled dirt that is
wide at the bottom and level
at the top. Sometimes extra
sandbags are used at the top
for reinforcement.
 Some areas that see a lot of
flooding may have not just
one, but several levees.
Side View
Levee
Top View
What happened in New Orleans?
Brief New Orleans history
 Founded in the 19th century
 Mississippi River seasonal flooding was always an issue,
with additional occasional floods from the lake during
severe storms.
 Levee construction began along the Mississippi soon
after the city was founded.
 Small lake levees were built and then expanded in the
1920s as the land near the lake was developed.
 A pump and canal system was built to keep water out.
 New Orleans sits
between Lake
Pontchartrain
and the
Mississippi,
below sea level.
 As hurricane Katrina moved over land, the water it
brought poured into the lake.
 The levees could not hold back the water. They broke
in three places, letting water pour into the city.
 The lake is usually 1 foot above sea level, and it peaked
at 8.6 feet above sea level.
Katrina’s impact..
 At first, it seemed that N.O. had
missed the brunt of the storm.
 Industrial Canal levee breach,
major breaches at 17th and
London Street levees.
 In a portion of the city's 9th
Ward, reported 3 pump failures.
 A 200 ft. breach in the 17th
Street Canal levee flooded the
area under 25 ft. of water.
 Smaller breaches and
“overtoppings” throughout the
city.
Researching what happened..
 Several groups of engineers and scientists have been
researching exactly what happened in New Orleans
— and why.
 Hurricane Katrina storm surges resulted in numerous
breaches that flooded approximately 75% of the New
Orleans metropolitan area.
 Evidence indicates that most of the levee and floodwall
failures were caused by overtopping, however other factors
were the reason for failure in the 17th Street Canal and
London Avenue Canal breaches.
What happened, cont...
 Data suggests that structural failure due to seepage and
piping and even weak soil layers within or under the
earthen levees combined to contribute to the levees and
walls to giving way against the shear force.
 Additionally, investigators have not ruled out other
contributing factors, such as trees growing near the levees
that may have undermined fills or weak soil layers.
 The wider debate still continues on with evidence that the
sheet piles were not driven to sufficient depth, perhaps
allowing entire sections of earthen levees with wall to shift.