Project-Based Learning Packs
Tips
Overview
Resources for Guided Inquiry
Develop students' creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and teamwork with Project-Based Learning Packs. Each pack provides a depth of grade-appropriate resources for reading and activities. Packs also support guided inquiry and collaboration with specific planning and organizing tools that help student teams investigate a high-interest topic and answer a Driving Question.
Why Use Project-Based Learning Packs
Project-Based Learning (PBL) Packs provide an instructional framework for students to gain essential language arts and content-area knowledge. At the center of each pack is a Driving Question, which gives students' investigations purpose and structure and helps them to understand what they are learning and why it is important.
The wealth of resources provided with each pack saves teachers time by collecting a core set of materials necessary to support project-based learning as well as ensures team investigations stay on track and individual students learn grade-appropriate content.
How to Use Project-Based Learning Packs
Examine the
Each Project-Based Learning Pack's lesson plan follows a similar structure to establish a familiarity with the project-based learning process. Investigation, teamwork, planning, and presentation resources support students as they formulate an answer to the Driving Question at the center of each pack.
The reading and activity resources in each pack provide students with the content to pursue their exploration of the Driving Question. Copies handed out to each team help students discover and experiment with the key topics of the pack.
When combined each pack's resources connect students with the tools to stay on task, work well as a team, plan investigations and projects, present their findings, and reflect on the work they have accomplished.
Resources Provided with Each Pack
| Investigation (by grade range) |
Teamwork & Presentation (by grade range) |
Reading and Activities Chart (by pack) |
Project Planning (by pack) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ask and Answer Questions KWLS | Team Project Planner | Anchor Text | Project Lesson Plan |
| Investigation Planner | Teamwork Rubric | 3–4 primary sources | Driving Question Project Outline |
| Research Bookmark | Peer Review Sheet | 3–4 secondary sources | Pack Rubric |
| Presentation Rubric | 1–3 activities |
Preview the process for project-based learning.
How Project-Based Learning Packs Work
Entry Event
Entry Event
An entry event provides a spark to interest students in the topic of their investigations, which are structured by a Driving Question that gives a real-world purpose for projects.
Preteach Vocabulary
Preteach
Vocabulary
Each pack contains vocabulary specific to the content areas and academic vocabulary of the project to help students unlock key ideas related to the Driving Question.
Anchor Text
Anchor Text
All students experience the same leveled book to give them a foundation upon which to build their understanding of the Driving Question.
Question & Plan
Question & Plan
Students create investigation questions, form teams, and set a project timeline to frame their team's research of the Driving Question.
Find & Evaluate
Find & Evaluate
Resources
Groups start their research and divide up project tasks. A core set of resources is listed in the Reading and Activities Chart of each lesson, and Research Bookmarks provide tools for evaluating sources.
Organize Information
Organize
Information
Teams organize what they have learned to create their presentations. They choose which information to share that answers the Driving Question.
Choose a Project
Choose a
Project
Teams decide on a presentation format from options suggested in the lesson plan. Presentation formats can be chosen during any Investigate step.
Practice & Review
Practice &
Peer Review
Teams practice speaking and listening skills and review the presentations of their peers to ensure everyone is confident when presenting in front of a public audience.
Present to Audience
Present to Audience
Teams present to a public audience to remind students that their projects have real-world value. Rubrics and other assessment opportunities throughout the project cycle help teachers determine what students learn.
Reflect
Reflect
Students reflect in writing about the project and/or process; potentially identifying further topics of inquiry to start the cycle again.
Resources for All Grade 2 Packs
Investigation
Teamwork & Presentation
Disappearing Coral Reefs Project Pack
Driving Question
How can communities use technology to solve the problem of disappearing coral reefs?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
Coral Reef Food Web
Discover the Great Barrier Reef!
Grow a Coral Garden
Growing Coral in a Nursery
Interview with Mia Adreani
Life in a Coral Reef
Reefs at Risk
Underwater Medicine Cabinet
Follow the Pollution
Healthy Reefs
Coral Reefs Might Be Saved By New Ideas
Let's Change Together Project Pack
Driving Question
How can students persuade others to make changes to the rules or laws in their school or community?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
Advertisements
Make Them Laugh, Make Them Think
School Change Survey
Vote for the Slide
Write a Letter
Kids Make a Difference
Letters to the Editor
Voting Results
Make More Chocolate Project Pack
Driving Question
As producers of chocolate, how can we make more?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
Chocolate-Making Throughout History
Diseases That Affect Cacao Trees
Earl of Sandwich Frozen Chocolate
Selling Chocolate
Soil and Water
Ancient Treat Older Than Scientists Thought
Cacao Tree Habitat
Farming Cacao Done Mostly By Hand
How to Make Chocolate
Valentine's Day Chocolates to Cost More
Show Respect! Project Pack
Driving Question
How does our school demonstrate an understanding of equality and respect for all people?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
Are We Living Dr. King's Dream?
Camp Brookside
Joining Hands as Sisters and Brothers
Show Some Respect
What Makes You Special?
A Better Way to Solve Problems
Brown v. Board of Education
The Girl at the Next Desk
Triple Threat to Trash Project Pack
Driving Question
How can we use the phrase "reduce, reuse, recycle" to create a plan for how our school deals with waste?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
Compost and Heat
How Much Paper?
Recycling and Reusing
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Save Energy, the Earth, and Money
From Plastic Bottles to Clothes
School Energy Costs
The Waste Pyramid
What Can (and Can't) Go in the Recycling Bin
Resources for All Grade 3 Packs
Investigation
Teamwork & Presentation
Food's Global Web Project Pack
Driving Question
How do the foods we eat and where they are grown connect us with people around the world?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
All Kinds of Restaurants!
Bananas: From Jungle to Table
Favorite Fruits and Vegetables
Imports and Exports
The Origin of the World's Food Crops
Comfort Foods
The Cost of Food Distribution
Famous Food Cities Around the World
How Prepared Are We? Project Pack
Driving Question
How can our school be better prepared for severe weather, such as a thunderstorm, tornado, or hurricane?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
Be Prepared!
Common Paths of Hurricanes
Interview with Henry Snow
Interview with Weather Solutions, Inc.
Ping-Pong-Ball Anemometer
Safety Space
Thunderstorms and Tornadoes
Firefighters Rescue Four- Legged Friend
How Lincoln Elementary School Staff Prepares for Severe Weather
Tornado-Safe Rooms in Schools
My School, My Castle Project Pack
Driving Question
How are modern school communities similar to and different from European castle communities of long ago?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
Castles in Communities
Cheney Elementary School
Harlech Castle
Jobs at School
Schools in Communities
The Ten Best Cities for Families
Five Castle Jobs
Five Jobs for the Future
Technology vs. Mother Nature Project Pack
Driving Question
Can the technology to predict earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis help keep us safe in places where these events are likely to happen? Why or why not?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
Are You Prepared?
Benefits of Volcano Monitoring: Mount Pinatubo
Earthquake, Tsunami, and Volcanic Eruption Safety
How a Tsunami Happens
The Pacific Ring of Fire & World Population
Don't Unplug During Disasters
Early Warnings for Natural Disasters
FAQs: Occurrences of Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Tsunamis
Visitor or Invader? Project Pack
Driving Question
Should we persuade people to go to places such as Alaska, which is called the "last frontier," to live or vacation? Why or why not?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
Biodiversity of Alaska
Effects of Tourism in Alaska
Experience the Wonders of Denali National Park
How Many People Live in Alaska?
Interview with Katie Sanders, Alaska Resident
Two of Earth's Last Frontiers
Do Visitors Affect Southeast Alaska?
Effects of Tourism in the Alps
Population Concerns in Papua New Guinea
Successful Ecotourism
Resources for All Grade 4 Packs
Investigation
Teamwork & Presentation
Crack the Codes Project Pack
Driving Question
How do codes affect our lives and the ways we communicate?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
Alphabet Symbols
The Curious History of @
Images and Symbols in Art
Images and Symbols in Crafts
School Map
Editorials
Helpful Reminders in Mathematics
One Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
Recipe for Granola
Environmentally Friendly Cars Project Pack
Driving Question
How can we persuade car buyers that some cars are more environmentally friendly than others?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
Comparing Cars
Energy Costs per Vehicle
Our Mailbox
Plan a Trip
The Tesla Model S Sedan
Testing the Power Charge in Batteries
Electric vs. Gasoline Vehicles
How Do Fuel Costs Compare?
Energy Sources
Looks Greek to Me Project Pack
Driving Question
How is the culture of ancient Greece reflected in modern-day art and architecture?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
Ancient Greek and Roman Architecture
English Words with Greek Roots
Greek Keys
Greek Orders
Vanishing Point
The Artistic and Stylish Greeks
Greek Idealism
Masks
Monticello and Greek Revival Architecture
Money Games Project Pack
Driving Question
What kind of game can we create that teaches students how to be responsible with their money?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
Bank Statements
Customer Reviews
Interview with a Bank Manager
Money Games for Kids Catalog
Who Saves Money?
Advice Column
Classroom Economy Experiment
What Can You Do to Earn Money?
Will They Have Enough Money?
Resources for All Grade 5 Packs
Investigation
Teamwork & Presentation
America's Army Project Pack
Driving Question
Why did the United States establish an army, and how can we show how that army has changed over time?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
Army Jobs
Army Ranks
The Face of the Army - Yesterday and Today
History of Battle Uniforms
Interview with Sergeant First Class Penny McInnis, USA, Retired
Join the Army
Lee's Difficult Decision
Letters Home
The Army: By the Numbers
Changing Uniforms
Establishing an American Army
Food for the Troops
Military Transportation
Explore History with Technology Project Pack
Driving Question
Why is it important for historians to try to solve mysteries about the past, and how can current technology help?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
Archaeology Tools Today
Come Dig With Us!
Egyptian Hieroglyphics
Interview with Matthew Senn
Secrets from a Pharoah's Tomb
Technology Changing the Work of Archaeologists
Tools Then and Now
What Does an Archaeologist Do?
Who Was Otzi?
Hero's Journey Project Pack
Driving Question
How would you develop characters, setting, and plot in a hero's journey story?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
Characters and Settings in Heroes' Journeys
Crow Brings Light
Heroes and Villains
Movie Reviews
Analyzing Heroes
The Hero's Journey
Plot Sequences in Heroes' Journeys
Stages in a Hero's Journey Story
How Revolution Led to Republic Project Pack
Driving Question
How can understanding the causes and effects of the American Revolution help us understand the way government is set up today?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
Common Sense
The Declaration of Independence
King George III's Speech to Parliament
Political Cartoons Past and Present
The Stamp Act--from Beginning to End
Articles of Confederation vs. Constitution
British Actions and Colonists' Reactions
Checks and Balances in the U.S. Government
Compare Governments Then and Now
Federalist vs. Anti-Federalist
How the President of the United States Is Elected
Rethink Farming Project Pack
Driving Question
How are farmers today using the lessons of the Dirty Thirties?
Lesson Plan
Driving Question Project Outline
Pack Rubric
Reading & Activity Resources
The Dust Bowl
Dust Storm Disaster
Farm Equipment Advertisements
Interview with Melt White: A Dust Bowl Survivor's Tale
Preventing Soil Erosion
Changing Farms
Cover Crops
Dust Bowl Causes
Modern Dust Storm Risks
