Dear Parent or Guardian:
I am writing to tell you about an exciting project we are about to do in our class.
As you might know, in our school we use the teaching method of Project Based Learning,
or PBL, to help students learn better. A project motivates students to gain knowledge, and
they remember it longer. Projects give students the chance to apply the skills they learn in
school to personally relevant and real-world situations. Your child also learns skills in
PBL such as how to think critically, solve problems, work in teams, and make
presentations. These skills will help students succeed in the future, both in school and in
today’s work world.
Our projects will be researching and exploring environmental, social and economical
situations that affect our lives in the past and present. We will begin Nov. 19, 2014December 12, 2014. Attached with this letter is your students’ packet of information for
the project and the standards will be focusing on. Students will be involved in
researching on the Internet, possibly interviewing community members, preparing oral
presentation, skiing, creating a technological presentation product, etc. Your child will
work in collaborative groups, guided by me. We will be working with Kristie Love, our
Blended Learning Coach, Angela Hines our School Instructional Facilitator, and Mrs.
Luis ELA Co-Teacher. They may also need to complete some activities for this project at
home. At the end of the project students will make presentations to the class and local
Quilters Organizations. This presentation will take place at West Iredell Middle School
and is scheduled tentatively for December 16, 2014. We hope you will be able to attend.
Some students presentations will be showcased our School District Innovation Showcase.
Your child may need to attend this event to showcase their work. More information will
be coming to you at a later date.
Students will be assessed individually on their content knowledge, their collaboration
skills, and their presentation skills. I have given the rubrics we will use to guide the
creation of the final essay, technological product, and oral presentation. You may find
these helpful in understanding what we are asking students to do, and supporting your
child during the project. As parents or guardians, you can discuss the project at home,
encouraging your child to think hard and ask questions about the topic. You can also
support the project by checking on our child’s progress and encouraging your child to
complete all components of the project. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have
any questions about the project!
Thank you for your support,
Marlene Bryan Scott
School 704-873-2887
Cell 704-253-3188
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