MCCS PBL Plan
Name of
Project
Subjects
Teachers
Grades
Content
(VASOLs)
21st Century
Competencies
Project
Summary
The Great Invention
Science, Social Studies, English, Math
Katie Brennen and Jessica Drawdy
4/5
VS.10, VS.9, SCI 4.2,4.3, 5.6, 5.2, 5.3 Math 4.6, 4.9, 4.11, 5.15 Reading 4.5, 5.6, 4.6, 5.8
Collaboration: ____yes____
Communication: ___yes____
Critical Thinking: __yes_____
Creativity and Innovation: __yes____
Other: _______________________
The project will begin its focus with a broad overview of inventions, scientific process and inventors.
Students will research different inventors to understand their thinking process and multiple trials.
Students will be learning about light, sound, motion, and electricity during science this quarter. They
will use this information to create a hopefully working example of their own inventions. Students
will provide feedback and reflections for their inventions. They will provide a reflection of their
project and its effectiveness at the conclusion. Students will prepare a detailed summary of this
process and their inventor(s) aspirations along with the invention to be shown at the end of the
quarter during the “4th and 5th grade World Fair”.
Driving
Question
Within science and history inventions have had made huge contributions to help improve human life
styles in many aspects. As a student at MCCS how and what would you create to improve the culture
at our school?
Entry Event
Use Thomas Edison’s short comings in school to talk about how he was different from his peers and
thought outside of the box which ultimately lead to his difficulties during grade school but led to
great inventions we are using today.
Products
Individual
Public
Audience
Resources
Needed
Reflection
Methods
Assessment
Format (s)
Research Product – inventors, inventions, electric, force, motion, sound and light
Inventions
Concluding Reflection
Research
Team
Tug-of-War (which invention is the most important to us today focus on Virginian
Inventors)
Peer Critiques
Leo Night – MCCS families
Peers/Teachers
Computer Lab, Classroom, Internet, Library
On-site
people,
facilities
Cameras, Computers
Equipment
Construction materials for art projects, journals, recyclable materials
Materials
N/A
Community
Resources
Journal/Learning Log: Yes
Whole-Class Discussion: Yes
Survey: No
Focus Groups: Yes
Other: Tug-of-War
Rubric, Reflection