Nicole Schneider
Masters of Science: Educational Technology
Week 5: Mini-Project
Project Based Learning
OVERVIEW:
For this week's project, I chose to focus on a science unit--ecosystems. The students will be completing a project based learning activity and assignment where they will research and create a project. The students will be each be focusing on different ecosystems. The students will be focusing on one of the following ecosystems: desert, savannah, rainforest, deciduous rainforest, tundra, and taiga. The students will be answering the following questions: What is an ecosystem and what are the different types? What impacts do humans have on ecosystems?
Within each ecosystem, they will identify the following: information about the ecosystem, food chains, food webs, human impacts, invasive species, etc. They will need to research each of the above criteria and include it in their project, which they will present to the class. The students will be provided with different resources (technology based and textbook based) to complete their research, which will be assessed in addition to the final project(s). There will be different stages to this project based learning assignment. It will start with overall research about the assigned ecosystem and vocabulary, then it will move onto food chains within each ecosystem, which will transition into food webs within each ecosystem, then move onto human impacts on the food chains/webs and ecosystem, finally the last stage will be finding invasive species in each ecosystem and finding ways that we can prevent/stop invasive species from having such a negative impact.
After creating and finishing the ecosystem project based learning assignment, the students will take turns listening to each others presentations/dioramas to further understand the different ecosystems. The students will be able to make connections among different ecosystems and be able to compare and contrast different information that is presented (for example: human impacts and invasive species). Students will be given creative freedom, which will keep them engaged and interested in the ecosystem that they are focusing on.
MATERIALS FOR PROJECT
Ecosystem Individual Notes Sheet
Biomes Important Unit Vocabulary Sheet
Food Chain Individual Research Sheet/Rubric
Food Webs in Ecosystem Group Project Directions/Rubric
Invasive Species Project Research/Rubric
Final Group Project Rubric: Biome Diorama
STANDARDS:
Science:
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LSIC: Organization of Matter and Energy flow in organisms
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LS2A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
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LS2B: Cycles of Matter and Energy in Transfer in ecosystems
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PS3D Energy in Chemical Processes and every day life.
Technology:
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8.1 Educational Technology: All students will use digital tools to access, manage, evaluate, and synthesize information in order to solve problems individually and collaborate and to create and communicate knowledge.
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1.a.c. Creativity and Innovation: Students demonstrate critical thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology
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2.a.b. Communication and Collaboration: Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others
9 STEPS OF PROJECT BASED LEARNING:
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The teacher-coach sets the stage for students with real-life samples of the projects they will be doing.
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Students take on the role of project designers, possibly establishing a forum for display or competition.
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Students discuss and accumulate the background information needed for their designs.
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The teacher-coach and students negotiate the criteria for evaluating the projects.
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Students accumulate the materials necessary for the project.
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Students create their projects.
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Students prepare to present their projects.
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Students present their projects.
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Students reflect on the process and evaluate the projects based on the criteria established in Step 4.
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