Project Based Learning at Kinetic
Kinetic Academy has adopted the Buck Institute's Gold Standard PBL. Our teachers have been trained in the teaching practices and essential project design elements which are what make PBL different than just a school project. To familiarize you with a few of the terms you will begin seeing in the project summaries throughout the year, we have included a brief description below. You can view the first and second trimester projects for each grade below.
Gold Standard PBL: A Few of the Project Design Elements
Student Learning Goals
The learning goals of PBL go beyond the academic content. You will see specific grade level common core standards listed in a project summary and the general subject areas to be integrated. A PBL unit is expected to integrate several subjects into a cross-disciplined learning experience. Skill development is also key. Often called "21st Century Skills", they include things like critical thinking, problem solving, working well with others, and self management.
Driving Question or Problem (DQ)
All projects start with a challenging problem or question. When the students are engaged by the question it makes their learning more meaningful. We want the driving question to help them keep focus but also to inspire more questions. It is typically an open ended question and should be posted in the classroom at all times where they can see it.
Major Product or Deliverable
The product can be a tangible thing like a piece of art, model, or it can also be a presentation of learning with a suggested solution to the driving question or problem. It can be done as a group or individually depending on the requirements.
Public Presentation
This will include the audience that the product will be presented to. This could be teachers, parents, or even professionals in a field related to the product. For example, a city worker might be invited to hear the presentation for a solution to a city problem.