Lesson Collections / Cross-curricular
_ Intel Project-based Learning Sample Lessons
A list of lessons for grades 6-8 in various subject areas. These are written in the same lesson plan format we are using.
PBL Net – Exemplary Projects
PBL Net – Other Great Projects
Buck Institute PBL Examples
Videos of projects completed in schools. Various topics and grade levels.
A Better List of Ideas for Project-based Learning
A nice list of topic ideas for lessons
Authentic Assessment Toolbox
Examples of lessons in many subject areas. Website has lots of good information about creating authentic tasks.
World Peace Project – Ted Talks Video
My Restaurant Project
Cross-curricular project where students design a restaurant.
Change the World in 5 Minutes Each Day
YouTube Video – students use the first 5 minutes of each school day to change the world
Twenty Ideas for Engaging Projects
Topics in varying and cross-disciplinary areas. Descriptions and links.
PBL Problems from the University of Delaware
Science and one problem in criminal jus
A list of lessons for grades 6-8 in various subject areas. These are written in the same lesson plan format we are using.
PBL Net – Exemplary Projects
PBL Net – Other Great Projects
Buck Institute PBL Examples
Videos of projects completed in schools. Various topics and grade levels.
A Better List of Ideas for Project-based Learning
A nice list of topic ideas for lessons
Authentic Assessment Toolbox
Examples of lessons in many subject areas. Website has lots of good information about creating authentic tasks.
World Peace Project – Ted Talks Video
My Restaurant Project
Cross-curricular project where students design a restaurant.
Change the World in 5 Minutes Each Day
YouTube Video – students use the first 5 minutes of each school day to change the world
Twenty Ideas for Engaging Projects
Topics in varying and cross-disciplinary areas. Descriptions and links.
PBL Problems from the University of Delaware
Science and one problem in criminal jus
Science
_ Don’t
Let the Earth Down
Students create public service announcement about a conservation issue of their choice
Design a Stamp
Students chose a famous scientist or mathematician and design a stamp to commemorate their work.
Highway Design Problem
Students are given a real problem from the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Lunar Outpost
Students explore the challenges of developing an outpost on the Moon
PBL Science Lessons
A blog with lists of sample PBL science lessons
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
Case lists of 402 cases for topics in science
Alien Rescue
Problem with Oil Project
PBL in Science blog. This project takes a look at energy consumption and its implications.
Students create public service announcement about a conservation issue of their choice
Design a Stamp
Students chose a famous scientist or mathematician and design a stamp to commemorate their work.
Highway Design Problem
Students are given a real problem from the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Lunar Outpost
Students explore the challenges of developing an outpost on the Moon
PBL Science Lessons
A blog with lists of sample PBL science lessons
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
Case lists of 402 cases for topics in science
Alien Rescue
Problem with Oil Project
PBL in Science blog. This project takes a look at energy consumption and its implications.
Math
_ PBL
Math Lessons
A blog with lists of sample PBL math lessons. At the Math Matters link – click on login as a guest.
Yummy Math
Math relevant to our world today
Design a Stamp
Students chose a famous scientist or mathematician and design a stamp to commemorate their work.
Angry Birds
Using Angry Birds to study parabolas
Tile My Bathroom
Students learn Area by calculating tile for a bathroom.
Cell Phone Usage
linear equations, graphing, slope intercept
Ticket Sales
linear inequalities
SIAM Moody's Mega Math Challenge
Archive of real-world math problems given in a math competition for high school students
Get the Math
Algebra in real world occupations. Videos introduce math challenges for students.
Authentic Assessment Toolbox: High School Math
Authentic task lessons in various HS math topics
Authentic Assessment Toolbox: Middle School Math
Authentic task lessons in various MS math topics
Algebra Performance Assessments
Six sample assessments
Algebra in the Real World
Videos of experts in fields using mathematics and science
Real-World Math Problem Ideas
The book costs money, but the ideas are listed.
Jason Woodbury Tasks
A bit old -- videodiscs... but in the list you can see some ideas for projects in math
A blog with lists of sample PBL math lessons. At the Math Matters link – click on login as a guest.
Yummy Math
Math relevant to our world today
Design a Stamp
Students chose a famous scientist or mathematician and design a stamp to commemorate their work.
Angry Birds
Using Angry Birds to study parabolas
Tile My Bathroom
Students learn Area by calculating tile for a bathroom.
Cell Phone Usage
linear equations, graphing, slope intercept
Ticket Sales
linear inequalities
SIAM Moody's Mega Math Challenge
Archive of real-world math problems given in a math competition for high school students
Get the Math
Algebra in real world occupations. Videos introduce math challenges for students.
Authentic Assessment Toolbox: High School Math
Authentic task lessons in various HS math topics
Authentic Assessment Toolbox: Middle School Math
Authentic task lessons in various MS math topics
Algebra Performance Assessments
Six sample assessments
Algebra in the Real World
Videos of experts in fields using mathematics and science
Real-World Math Problem Ideas
The book costs money, but the ideas are listed.
Jason Woodbury Tasks
A bit old -- videodiscs... but in the list you can see some ideas for projects in math
Social Studies / History
_ A
Jewish Wedding
A study of Jewish and Muslim religions
United Nations Security Council
Middle East geography and culture
Presidential Election Simulation
U.S Government Simulations
Cambodian Peace Simulation
Simulation on the Case of Palmyra
Simulation on Northern Ireland
Conflict Prevention in the Greater Horn of Africa
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
United States Senate Debates: Students become aides to a U.S. Senator and have to give advice and prepare memos over some proposed bills. These bills can easily be changed to mirror current events.
Securing Tomorrow: A U.S. National Security Policy-making Simulation
Constitutional Issues: Civil Liberties During War
This was created by Densho, which is the Japanese-American Legacy Project. This lesson explores the treatment of the Japanese-Americans during WW2. This lesson also has students consider a hypothetical scenario where the President has asked the U.S. Congress to pass laws allowing the administration to increase surveillance in the U.S.
Simulation on Peace Keeping in Kashmir
Civil War Project Class Wiki
New World Survival Handbook
“Some of My best or most loved projects are the ones that started as a simple idea; not complex and easy to articulate by both students and teachers.I now do small focus groups with projects ideas and pitches to get student input before launching them. I visualize the end product and then ask myself, would I keep this? If you ask me what makes a good project now I would say, "If it's not worth putting in my own home or on my coffee table, I don't do it. Projects should make people say wow, students did that?" My latest project took only three weeks to complete; is simple in design, with minimal project guidelines. The expectations were clear; create a worst case scenario book for early English Colonist to the New World. The book students are writing reflects their understanding of the life and challenges of Early English Colonist as well as an understanding of climate, geography and resources of the North Eastern United States. I didn't have to lecture or give long boring worksheets. They students were motivated to find the answers to questions such as, how to remove an arrow from your flesh, how to purify water, how to make candles and how to survive if lost at sea. Many of the students wanted to build the models to gain an understanding of how things really work. We had tee-pees in front of the school, students chipping away at arrowheads and students drying and preserving beef. The writing of this book allowed us to discuss writing clear, concise instructions and how to focus on a particular audience. Over all the class had a great time doing the work. I am proud of the project and the outcome. The student's New World Survival Handbook comes out on Amazon at the end of November. I still ask myself what are good project ideas? But now I know what I want, something I would put on my coffee table.”
A study of Jewish and Muslim religions
United Nations Security Council
Middle East geography and culture
Presidential Election Simulation
U.S Government Simulations
Cambodian Peace Simulation
Simulation on the Case of Palmyra
Simulation on Northern Ireland
Conflict Prevention in the Greater Horn of Africa
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
United States Senate Debates: Students become aides to a U.S. Senator and have to give advice and prepare memos over some proposed bills. These bills can easily be changed to mirror current events.
Securing Tomorrow: A U.S. National Security Policy-making Simulation
Constitutional Issues: Civil Liberties During War
This was created by Densho, which is the Japanese-American Legacy Project. This lesson explores the treatment of the Japanese-Americans during WW2. This lesson also has students consider a hypothetical scenario where the President has asked the U.S. Congress to pass laws allowing the administration to increase surveillance in the U.S.
Simulation on Peace Keeping in Kashmir
Civil War Project Class Wiki
New World Survival Handbook
“Some of My best or most loved projects are the ones that started as a simple idea; not complex and easy to articulate by both students and teachers.I now do small focus groups with projects ideas and pitches to get student input before launching them. I visualize the end product and then ask myself, would I keep this? If you ask me what makes a good project now I would say, "If it's not worth putting in my own home or on my coffee table, I don't do it. Projects should make people say wow, students did that?" My latest project took only three weeks to complete; is simple in design, with minimal project guidelines. The expectations were clear; create a worst case scenario book for early English Colonist to the New World. The book students are writing reflects their understanding of the life and challenges of Early English Colonist as well as an understanding of climate, geography and resources of the North Eastern United States. I didn't have to lecture or give long boring worksheets. They students were motivated to find the answers to questions such as, how to remove an arrow from your flesh, how to purify water, how to make candles and how to survive if lost at sea. Many of the students wanted to build the models to gain an understanding of how things really work. We had tee-pees in front of the school, students chipping away at arrowheads and students drying and preserving beef. The writing of this book allowed us to discuss writing clear, concise instructions and how to focus on a particular audience. Over all the class had a great time doing the work. I am proud of the project and the outcome. The student's New World Survival Handbook comes out on Amazon at the end of November. I still ask myself what are good project ideas? But now I know what I want, something I would put on my coffee table.”
Language Arts
_ School Archive
Project
8th grade students document their histories and write letters to themselves to be opened in 10th grade.
Project-based Learning Language Arts Projects
Blog listing with links to Language Arts projects
The Alice Project
Student analysis of the Adventures of Alice in Wonderland
PBL in Language Arts Blog
What makes PBL so promising in LA is when we create situations where students read and write for an authentic purpose on a topic they are passionate about. One year, a group of Grades 9's got kicked up about a teenage pregnancy centre where girls received maternity care, were able to continue their schooling, make use of daycare services, etc. The Grades 9's (as part of their LA class) decided to champion this centre. They came up with the idea of holding a silent auction and set about making it happen. They wrote business letters to community organizations explaining the value of this centre and requesting donations for the auction. They created a program, invited guests, tracked the donations and organized the silent auction, etc. In the end, it was a huge success and all students had a role in making it happen. The teacher never envisioned that one little presentation would spark such a project like this, but the kids got excited about it and it took on a life of its own. So rather than design a project that seems interesting to you (e.g. the Dream House project), maybe you could explore the interests of your students and see what sparks
8th grade students document their histories and write letters to themselves to be opened in 10th grade.
Project-based Learning Language Arts Projects
Blog listing with links to Language Arts projects
The Alice Project
Student analysis of the Adventures of Alice in Wonderland
PBL in Language Arts Blog
What makes PBL so promising in LA is when we create situations where students read and write for an authentic purpose on a topic they are passionate about. One year, a group of Grades 9's got kicked up about a teenage pregnancy centre where girls received maternity care, were able to continue their schooling, make use of daycare services, etc. The Grades 9's (as part of their LA class) decided to champion this centre. They came up with the idea of holding a silent auction and set about making it happen. They wrote business letters to community organizations explaining the value of this centre and requesting donations for the auction. They created a program, invited guests, tracked the donations and organized the silent auction, etc. In the end, it was a huge success and all students had a role in making it happen. The teacher never envisioned that one little presentation would spark such a project like this, but the kids got excited about it and it took on a life of its own. So rather than design a project that seems interesting to you (e.g. the Dream House project), maybe you could explore the interests of your students and see what sparks