Published December 21, 2020
Additional project-based learning articles:
Project-based learning (PBL) is generally
defined as a student-centered classroom
model in which students acquire deeper
learning through active exploration of real-world
challenges and problems. A key part of
that definition is “real-world challenges and
problems.” In other words, relevancy. PBL seeks
to engage students in problem-solving that is
both relevant to them and to the world around
them, combining classroom and community.
Pitsco believes that hands on is minds on,
which leads to student engagement. While our
products and programs meet many criteria in
the Gold Standard PBL and Framework for High Quality PBL models, we are still moving closer
to alignment with them. (See related articles for
more on our PBL plans.)
As part of Pitsco’s effort to strengthen PBL
connections, we asked members of our Teacher
Advisory Group (TAG) how they incorporate PBL
into their classrooms. While some examples are
closer to the Gold Standard PBL than others, all
are great entry points for PBL in the classroom.
A GOOD START
For those just starting out, PBL can be a bit
overwhelming. But it doesn’t need to be. Even
if your first few lessons aren’t by-the-book PBL,
just getting students used to project-based
learning is a great beginning. Some TAG
members recommend you start small, perhaps
with hands-on kits that can be easily integrated
into other lessons or by simply teaching
students about the engineering design process.
- “I suggest that you start with one of the
Pitsco kits for flight of fleet. It can be
combined with a reading
and writing unit. I loved
teaching the students
about the careers that can
be a goal for their future.
Have them start by writing a simple
sentence such as, ‘Here are some things
that I know about flight. . . .’ I save these to
give back at the end of a unit so that they
can compare pre- and post-sentences.”
– Lisa Lewis, Fredericksburg, VA
- “I try to give students
opportunities to practice
various math skills with
KUBO. Coding the robot
helps bring abstract math
concepts to life for them. Our
after-school-program students have
loved Code Cube™! It is an awesome
product that allows students to explore
coding in a fun and interactive way!”
– Natalie Vanderbeck, Pittsburg, KS
- “My favorite PBL project was
the Balsa Bridge Building
Challenge. Prior to the
challenge, students
studied different types of
bridge structures and then
used the Pitsco BridgePak to construct
bridge models. The students always
loved testing the strength of their bridges
and competing to make the strongest/most stable bridge.”
– Lauren Freeman,
Houston, TX
- “We use the engineering design process
in our project, so students are using
elements of PBL such as critical thinking,
problem-solving, collaboration,
and communication. . . . I have
initiated themes for each quarter to
increase inquiry and research. This
quarter, we are learning about winter
with a different focus each week: snow,
snowflakes, igloos (we made a milk-jug
igloo), polar animals, the arctic, and the
Antarctic.”
– Emma Smith, Broadway, NC
- “The important thing is to deepen
learning beyond the activity or
kit by allowing students to make
connections to events or problems
that might be explained or solved
through hands-on learning.”
– Teresia
Harrison, Ada, OK
- “I love the Straw Rocket Launcher because it
teaches students the connection between
weight and force, launch angles, rocket
design, and so forth. . . . The CO2 dragster
is another one of my favorites. I have
tools in my STEM lab that allow students
to really get into the role of engineer as
they build their car. Because all students
have the same power, they understand the
weight and force relationship, how friction
affects speed. . . . They live in the engineering
design process by building, racing, evaluating,
and improving their car. . . . I love to see their
reactions when a subtle change they made
pays off by increasing their speed.”
– Dave
Shafer, Indianapolis, IN
ENGAGING HANDS-ON PROJECTS
In true PBL, learning centers around the
project. Our TAG teachers gave us a variety
of project ideas that make learning fun while
keeping it connected to the real world.
- “Right now, students in my Design
and Drawing for Production courses
are working on a bridge-building
competition tied to Brookhaven
National Labs. Students go through
a full engineering design process
including research, AutoCAD drawings,
and building. Bridges get entered to test
for structural efficiency against other local
schools.”
– Matt McGuire, Elwood, NY
- “Every year, we have an
amazing project called the
Astronaut Job Fair (AJF). This
year, it will be located at Rice
University and will feature
a week of project-based
learning activities focused on aerospace
education. We incorporate Pitsco aerospace products as an interdisciplinary approach to
learning where PBL concepts are paired with
real-world lessons as students apply science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics
in contexts that make connections between
aerospace, space science, and STEM,
enabling the development of STEM literacy
and with it the ability to compete in the new
space economy. The AJF is a professional
space job-training workshop for middle
school students ages 9-13.”
– David Lockett,
Lake Wales, FL
- “As a high school science instructor, I loved
involving my students in project-based
learning. In physical science, students
designed marble races with Rube Goldberg
principles that exhibited a minimum
of three types of simple machines and
were able to continually circulate without
touching the marble. Some machines were
as small as a student desk while some were
built on plywood backing that would not
fit in the building. The last week of school,
each elementary classroom rotated through
the displays as students described their
designs and discussed the simple machines
involved. Displays were spread out over
three classrooms as well as outdoors. This
was always one of my favorite days, and
while school was ‘over’ for most classes, my
students, as well as elementary students,
left the school year with an excitement for
science.”
– Teresia Harrison, Ada, OK
MEETING THE GOLD STANDARD
Gold Standard PBL takes the hands-on activities,
the student engagement, and the cross-curricular
learning to another level. To meet the Gold
Standard, PBL lessons must incorporate seven different design elements: Challenging Problem
or Question, Sustained Inquiry, Authenticity,
Student Voice and Choice, Reflection, Critique and
Revision, and Public Product.
A large majority of PBL lessons include most
of these elements, save the last one: Public
Product. True and complete PBL includes a
public or community aspect that enables
students to see the real-world connection
behind their projects while simultaneously
teaching them how to interact with the real
world. The following projects by TAG members
are great examples of Gold Standard PBL.
- Local conservation – “PBL is my life in the
gifted intellectual classroom. Students are
able to create and explore real-world action
plans for any unit of study. Recently, they
created boats and land vehicles to help
with a problem from a local conservation
site. Students made boats to remove
algae, collect trash, and feed animals. I
was amazed at the creative process and
ingenuity that transpired during the lesson.
We are planning a field trip to the site to
share our inspired solutions with the land’s
owner.”
– Lisa Lewis, Fredericksburg, VA
- Venus flytrap – “I won a grant to study
an indigenous plant to our area: the
Venus Fly Trap. The students use
technology to study soil pH, organic
material, moisture, and nutrients.”
– Denise Wright, Myrtle Beach, SC
- Winning turbines – “For fifth grade,
students use TETRIX® MAX products to
design and build model wind turbines
that they then collect data on to see who
can make the most power. The biggest
success I had [with that] was last year. I had
students win first place in two regional
KidWind competitions, with the student
turbines producing more power than
any other team in the history of the
regional competitions. . . . Two teams
traveled to Houston last year to
compete in the national competition,
and both placed in the top six in the
country. A majority of the turbines’ pieces
from both teams were made from TETRIX
MAX parts.”
– James Brown, Albany, NY
Resources for starting PBL
Wondering where to begin when it
comes to PBL? Not to worry. Our TAG
members have some suggestions.
- Arduino and TETRIX® – “The
computer science-bound students
and their parents like the legitimacy
of the Arduino programming and
find it to be a great experience for
future, more advanced studies.
The robust nature of the [TETRIX]
platform allows for the study of
compound gear trains in our power
transmission unit. This furthers
the depth and authenticity of our
hands-on projects in mechanical
engineering.”
– Everton Henriques,
Staten Island, NY
- Robotics and coding sets galore –
“I use all kinds of Pitsco products such
as TETRIX PRIME and MAX and CTC Go! Arduino sets. I choose Pitsco for
their quality products and the best
customer service anywhere! I have
never been disappointed in what I
received from Pitsco, and my students
love the robotics and coding sets.”
– James Jones, Orlando, FL
- Student-approved products –
“We use several of the Pitsco products,
specifically the TETRIX lines. We use
several robotics systems within the
classroom, and the majority of my
students really like the Pitsco products
compared to some of the others we
use.”
– Sam Warwick, Maryville, TN
- Prototyping equipment – “Many
times in our projects, we use
equipment such as 3-D printers
and laser cutters to rapid prototype
students’ designs before full-scale
products are made. This allows
for cheaper and quicker testing of
ideas that can then be evaluated
and redesigned as needed. . . .
Throughout the year, we use [several]
Pitsco products such as Delta Dart airplanes; bottle rockets; CO2 cars,
cartridges, and timing systems;
Scaled House Framing Kits, and
more.”
– Matt McGuire, Elwood, NY