1. FOUNDATIONS OF PBL
WORKSHOP

2. “Doing Projects” vs. PBL
Projects: Large activities completed after
the students have been pushed through
homework assignments, lectures, and
readings. Usually a culminating event for
a unit or semester.
Writing Exercise Peer Edit
Lecture Culminating Project
Textbook
Activity
Lecture
Teacher-directed
Activity Writing Exercise
Textbook
Activity

3. In PBL, the “Problem” is front-loaded
Worksho
p
Presentation/Product
Worksho
p
Know/ Need to Know
Rubric

4. 5 STEPS FOR DESIGNING A PBL
UNIT:
1. Begin with the end in mind
2. Craft the driving question &
Entry Event
3. Plan the assessment
4. Map the project
5. Manage the process

5. STEP 1 - BEGIN WITH THE END IN
MIND
History Content Standards Learning Outcomes
11.9 - 3. Trace the origins and geopolitical consequences (foreign & Curricular Literacy
domestic) of the Cold War and containment policy, including:
Written Communication
 The era of McCarthyism, instances of domestic Communism (e.g., Alger
Hiss) and blacklisting Oral Communication
 The Truman Doctrine Critical Thinking
 The Berlin Blockade Collaboration
 The Korean War
Technology Literacy (not assessed)
 The Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis
 Atomic testing in the American West, the “mutual assured destruction”
doctrine, and disarmament policies
Project
11.9 - 4. List the effects of foreign policy on domestic policies and vice
versa (e.g., protests during the war in Vietnam, the “nuclear freeze” Concept
movement).
English Language Arts Content Standards
Literary Response & Analysis
3.5. Analyze recognized works of American literature representing a variety of genres and traditions:
a. Trace the development of American literature from the colonial period forward.
b. Contrast the major periods, themes, styles, and trends and describe how works by
members of different cultures relate to one another in each period.
c. Evaluate the philosophical, political, religious, ethical, and social influences of the
historical period that shaped the characters, plots, and settings.
d. Relate literary works and authors to the major themes and issues of their eras.

6. STEP 2 - CRAFT THE DRIVING QUESTION
Driving Question:
What does it mean to be a Great American
Author, and more specifically, a Great
American Author of the 1950s?

7. OTHER EXAMPLES OF DRIVING
QUESTIONS:
 To what degree should World War I be
praised or condemned?
(World History and 10th Grade English)
 How is biological evidence of a crime
collected and processed to identify the
perpetrator?
(ROP CSI and Biology)
 How do people from different countries and
cultural groups see the world?
(World Languages)

8. DRIVING QUESTIONS ARE…
 Provocative
 Open Ended
 Aligned to standards
 Challenging
 Arise from real world situations
 Act as a lighthouse to keep you on course

9. ENTRY DOCUMENT & PROJECT
GUIDELINES
Great American Author
Entry Document
& Project Guidelines
!
o gle Doc
Lin k to Go

10. PUT YOURSELF IN THE ROLE OF A
STUDENT…
We know… We need to know…
We will be choosing an American author How will the panels be formed?
Author must have been writing in 1950s Will we have a list of authors to choose
We will be on a panel to figure out what from?
is means to be a “Great American Who is Senator Joseph McCarthy and
Author” why is he important?
Our panel will be competing to Who is Joseph Pulitzer & why is he
determine what the guidelines should important?
be for a new award called “Great How will we be assessed?
American Author”
What kind of writing will be doing?
We will need to decide if our individual Essay? Letter?
author meets the criteria that our
panel decides on What will the final product look like?
The country is in confusion and there What was going on in the 1950s in
may be spies or enemies within the America?
country How were authors significant during the
We are experts in American Literature ‘50s?
& History What is the literary landscape of
We will be presenting our America?

11. STEP 3 - PLAN THE ASSESSMENT
Great American Author Project Rubric
Great American Author Presenta
Links
to Go
ogle
Docs
dividual s: !
Addit ional In e Assessment
u mmativ
Forma tive & S  Research Journals
 History Textbook Assignments
 Literature Readings & Assignments
 Journal Reflections & Check-ins
 Film Worksheets & Reflections
 Quizzes & Tests

12. USING EFFECTIVE RUBRICS
 Importance of rubrics in a PBL environment
 When given to students early in a project, it sets the
expectations for student achievement
 Clarifies performance expectations in both content
standards and 21st Century skills
 Crafting an effective rubric
 Focus on the standards being assessed
 Be specific, using objective language when possible
 Make sure there isn’t one right answer or “right
way” for students to address each requirement
 If something isn’t on the rubric, it will not be
assessed

13. District 21st Century Skills Rubric: Presentation/Communication
Communicatio Advanced Proficient Basic Not Yet Proficient
n- Presentation
Skills 4 3 2 1
Stage • Clothing was • Clothing was • Clothing was
Presence very professional appropriate for Clothing was a mix inappropriate for
• Strong eye audience and purpose of appropriate and audience and
Students will
contact with the • Strong eye contact inappropriate for the purpose
articulate
whole audience most of the time with audience and purpose • Little to no eye
ideas and
throughout the most of the audience contact
solutions
whole presentation • Tone and Eye contact was • Tone and
clearly to an
• Tone and enthusiasm is mostly limited and/or was not enthusiasm
audience.
enthusiasm was appropriate to the with most of the inappropriate for
Students use very appropriate to topic audience topic
techniques the topic • Stood up straight • Did not stand up
to keep • Stood up straight and did not fidget for Tone and straight and/or
audience and no fidgeting a majority of the enthusiasm was fidgeting for most of
engaged. throughout the presentation sometimes appropriate the presentation
whole presentation • Speakers are easy to the topic • Speakers were
• Speakers were to hear by most and not heard by most
easy to hear by all easy to understand Stood up straight and not easy nor
and easy to most of the time for part of the understand
understand • Uses very few presentation and/or • Verbal fillers were
• No verbal fillers verbal fillers (“um”, fidgeting was a major distraction
“yeah”, “so”… distracting
Speakers were not

14. QUICK NOTE:
 All of the pieces of ELO Unit Outline are still used when creating
a PBL unit.
Select Standard & Unit Name
Write Essential Learning Outcomes
List Prerequisite Skills
Select Content and Academic Vocabulary
Develop Timelines
•Unit Start Date
•Summative Date
•Formative Date
•Re-teach Date
•Extension Date
•Assessment Analysis
Write Summative Assessment
Write 1 or 2 Formative Assessments
Teach, Give Formative Assessment
Analyze Formative Assessment Results
Develop Re-Teach and Extension Plan
Re-teach/Extend/Continue Teaching
Give Summative Assessment
Analyze Summative Assessment Results ~ Decide what to build into next
unit based upon results

15. STEP 4 - MAP THE PROJECT
What will scaffolding activities look like to support
students in their understanding of both the content
and the key skills necessary to complete the
project?
Sample Scaffolding Activities from Great American
Author Project:
 PowerPoint Presentation, Lecture & Discussion on
American Literary Periods
 Annotated Bibliography Workshop & Sample Entry
 Scholarly Article Workshop
 History Films, Discussions & Reflections
 Journal Check-ins & Progress Reports
 Guided Literature Circles

16. STEP 5 - MANAGE THE PROCESS
Questions to consider…
What’s the role of the teacher during the project?
What’s the role of the students during the project?
How will individual student accountability be ensured?
What are the different stages of the project?
What does a typical day look like?

17. Group Contract
Why do
we need a
contract?
• Hold group members accountable for work
within a project
• Divide up responsibilities
• Set due dates within the project to make
sure work can be turned in on time

18. NEW ROLES
Teacher Students
Project manager Team members
Coach Active learners
Guide Researchers
Advisor Investigators
Mentor Apprentice
Teachers and students are working
collaboratively to complete the task

19. HERE’S WHAT THE PROJECT MIGHT LOOK LIKE
OVER THE COURSE OF THE UNIT:
Beginning Stage Middle Stage Final Stage
• Read entry doc and • Group meetings / • Rough drafts
create know/need to progress checks using • Peer reviews
know list pacing chart • Self evaluations
• Problem statement • Research • Practice presentations
development / prioritize • Warm-ups / Journals • Presentations
tasks • Class discussions
• Establish group roles • Practice tests
• Workshops and mini-
and write group • Tests
lessons
contracts • Collaboration
• Reading assignments /
• Review rubric and fill evaluations
skill building practice
out project pacing chart • Reflection and debrief
• Guided activities
• Begin preliminary
• Quizzes
investigations
• Collaboration evaluations
• Rough drafts

20. HERE’S WHAT A DAY IN THE LIFE OF
THE PROJECT MIGHT LOOK LIKE:
1. Silent Reading (10 min)
2. Digitally Submit Yesterday’s History Assignment (5 min)
3. Literature Circles (30 min)
4. Workshop: Writing an Effective Nomination Letter (30 min)
5. Project Work Time (40 min)
- Individual Research Journal due Today
- Rough Draft of Nomination Letter due
Tomorrow

21. Quick Tip:
Draft a Tentative Project Calendar
 Helps you to visually map out the
course of the project
 Allows you to plan project
activities effectively and in the
appropriate timeframe
Link
to
Grea Google D
 Once the project rolls out, it will t
Proje American oc with
ct Ca A
lenda uthor
help students manage the project for r!
themselves and plan ahead

22. Here is an example of a student’s final product for Great
American Author Project:

23. HOW WOULD YOU RATE THIS
PROJECT?
The Six A’s of PBL
Authenticity
Academic Rigor
Applied Learning
Active Exploration
Adult Connections
Assessment Practices
Link to The Six A’s Project Idea Rubric

24. A quality project will…
Establish a Need to Know or Do
Students are brought into the project by an entry event that captures interest, and begins the inquiry process
Develop Learning Outcomes
Project activities invoke, teach, and assess skills like collaboration, oral communication, and other learning
outcomes adopted by your school
Engage Students in Inquiry
Students ask questions, consider several options, and proceed with answering questions independently and
interdependently.
Require Innovation
Students generate new answers to complex, open-ended questions or problems.
Organize Activities Around a Driving Question or Challenge
Students find the Driving Question a meaningful focus for their work
Encourage Student Voice and Choice
Students, with teacher supervision and guidance, make decisions that affect the course of the project
Conclude with a Public Presentation
Students explain their findings an activities to others and respond to serious content- and process-focused
questions
Confront Significant Content and Authentic Issues
Students focus on content centered around state standards and address problems and issues from the world
outside the classroom
Incorporate Critique and Revision
Students use feedback to improve their work and create high quality products.

25. LAST THOUGHTS?
 Did we answer your need to knows?
 Additional questions or comments?
 What “ah-ha” or “take-away” do you have from
this workshop?