Photo Credit: Canva
“Community partners are very important when it comes to the PBL process, because I always tell the kids ‘You can’t be what you can’t see.’ So if I’m not bringing in (different community partners), then the kids aren’t going to know about these jobs...There is a partner for any type of PBL that you’re doing.”
Welcome to the PBL Playbook, brought to you by Magnify Learning – where we put teachers back in their sweet spot. Make sure you follow us on Twitter: @magnifylearning, @askgiebs, @MissB103, #PBLPlaybook.
Josh and Andrea continue the PBL Project Blitz series where once a month, they highlight a PBL project by veterans in the PBL classroom.
In this episode of the PBL Project Blitz, Josh and Andrea have a virtual chat with Justin Newby (@_mrnewbs), a Special Education teacher at T.T. Knight Middle School (@KMSOnTheProwl) in Jefferson County Public Schools (@JCPSKY) in Kentucky. Justin talks about an environmentally driven project, Plastic Trash, he completed with his students in which they analyze the impact of environmental waste in their own community. This project included a river clean up, a recycled art project, and numerous community partners. Justin also reflects on the switch to eLearning due to COVID19 school closures, and the impact this had on the end of his students’ project. Overall, Justin leaves listeners with an inspiring message about the power of students, and the change that they can create when presented with an authentic problem in their community.
Stay tuned for more awesome projects as the PBL Project Blitz series continues every month!
Show Notes
*PBL PROJECT BLITZ EPisode 23 FULL SHOW NOTES
Resources & Links Related to this Episode
School: Knight Middle School -Jefferson County Public Schools, Louisville, KY (@KMSOnTheProwl)
PBL UNIT OVERVIEW:
PBL Unit Name: From Trash to Art
Grade & Subject: Middle School-6th Grade Science & Social Studies
Standards:
ESS3C. Human impacts on Earth System
ETS1.B Developing Possible Solutions
Human activities have significantly altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging or destroying natural habitats and causing the extinction of species.
Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing human impact on the environment.
Authentic Problem: This project was developed for our Recycling Club to address the negative impact of environmental waste in their community.
Driving Question: How can we, the next generation of environmentalists, use plastic to create art, and reduce the usage of plastic in our community?
Scaffolding Activity:
Ocean Conservancy Ocean Trash Data Form (Original)
Modified Data Card for our Community
Community Partners: Kentucky Waterway Alliance (@kwalliance), State Representative, Ocean Conservancy, School Librarian, Art Teacher
Rubric: Sculpture Rubric
End Product: Students were in charge of taking materials that could be recycled and turn them into art sculptures. Our theme was "Saving the Coral Reefs" so students selected creatures from the sea to turn into sculptures.
*This project was featured in the Kentucky Waterways Newsletter.
Community Partner: Virtual call with Ocean Conservancy
Filling out Trash Data Sheet.
Group Planning Session
Seahorse trash sculpture made by students. Sculptures were hung in the school library along with facts about the impact of environmental waste.
Dolphin trash sculpture created by students.
