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“I believe that young children can do many, many things and sometimes they just need a little instruction. They’re so excited to try new things. They want to do it so they take care and they really try hard.”
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, Megan Reedy (@kinders_rock) from JCPS (@JCPSKY) in Louisville, KY. Megan’s class at Dunn Elementary completed a Watershed PBL Unit in which her first graders became conservationists in order to raise awareness about the human impact on watershed areas. Between science, reading and writing, and analysis of social impact, this cross-curricular PBL covered just about every subject for Megan’s first grade class. Megan tells our hosts how engaged her first graders became in making a difference in their community and on the environment, and how they were able to push past all expectations of students so young. Enjoy this episode of the PBL Playbook Project Blitz Series!
Stay tuned for more awesome projects as the PBL Project Blitz series continues every month!
Show Notes
*PBL PROJECT BLITZ episode 54 FULL SHOW NOTES
Resources & Links Related to this Episode
School: Dunn Elementary-Louisville, KY
PBL UNIT OVERVIEW:
PBL Unit Name: Watersheds
Grade: First Graders
Subject: Cross-curricular
Standards: Science, Reading, Writing
K-ESS2-2. Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals (including humans) can change the environment to meet their needs.
K-ESS3-3. Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment 2.16 Students observe, analyze, and interpret human behaviors, social groupings, and institutions to better understand people and the relationships among individuals and among groups.
KY.OA1,2,3,4,5- Add/ subtract to and from 20, find missing addends.
KY.1.NBT.1 Count and represent numbers. a. Count forward to and backward from 120, starting at any number less than 120. b. In this range, read and write number KY.1.MD.3 Assign values to time and money. a. Tell and write time in hours and half-hours using analog and digital clocks. b. Identify the coins by values (penny, nickel, dime, quarter).
KY.1.MD.2 Express the length of an object as a whole number of same size length units, by laying multiple copies of a shorter object (the length unit) end to end with no gaps or overlaps.
KY.1.MD.4 Investigate questions involving categorical data. a. Pose a question that can be answered by gathering data. b. Determine strategy for gathering data from peers. c. Organize and represent data in a table/chart with up to three categories. d. Interpret data to answer questions about the table/chart that connects to the question posed, including total number of data points, how many in each category and how many more or less are in one category than in another. RF.1.3,4 RL.1.1,2,10 RI.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 L.1.1,2 C1.1, 2,4,5,6
Summary: Students will be raising awareness of the human impact on the ecosystems in watershed areas by creating literature and brochures for neighborhood residents. They will also participate in cleaning an area of Beckley Creek, designing solutions to control human contaminants, and work with a resource office to introduce natural solutions to enhance the ecosystem.
Driving Question: How do we, as emerging innovators, create a watershed paradigm, greater understanding of environmental impacts, and design solutions so that watersheds and surrounding areas are more protected?
Entry Event: Students will learn about a microscope, slides, and view images of specimens from different water sources. Students will interact with specimens, try to guess what they are and where they might be found. Students will then test/create slides to view under the microscope and guess which is potable. Bob Bates, former Deputy Commissioner of The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, will partner with students to have them think about different conditions of water: potable, environmentally healthy, and poor quality.
Community Partners:
Bob Bates: Former Deputy of Fish and Wildlife Louisville Water Company Beckley Creek Camp Leader
Unexpected bonus: Carman Coleman, Chief Academic Officer for JCPS, came with a team of teachers from Babcock, Florida and one teachers was able to work with my students to help understand why watersheds are important.
Student End Product:
Individual: Students will create teaching literature to distribute to the community. They will follow a rubric to ensure all information is included with an aesthetic touch- can use rubric throughout project
Group: Students will design a contraption to help protect watershed areas. (ie. filters, traps…) Students will follow the points rubric to accomplish this task. Rubrics will be given at the start of the construction process.
