Project Based Learning

The following lesson plan is for a 3rd or 4th grade class. It is a Gold Standard Project Based Learning lesson that focuses on Webb's Depth of Knowledge. Additional, 21st century skills are embedded in the lesson.

First, I will transform my room into the four major regions of California. The students will enter the classroom that has been transformed into Rodriguez' Rockin' Restaurant where they'll catch their own food. Here is an image of the transformed room:

Since this is a "restaurant," I will greet my patrons (students) outside of my room. Students will read the menu: facts about the different food found in each region. They will then select their entree of choice (Whale from the coast, prickly pear from the desert, or grasshoppers from the mountain region). This will determine the kids groups. This will help get the students connected and excited about what is to come. I also dress up completely as a chef to play the part.  

Now that the students are engaged and eager to learn, I will break this lesson down and explore how it ties together with Webb's Depth of Knowledge and Gold Standard Project Based Learning. 

Background:

Students will be learning about Native American food from our four major regions. In the coast region, students will be catching fish with nets in my son's pool. They'll enjoy goldfish during their meal. ;) In the desert region, they will eat prickly pear from the cactus. They will carefully take the prickly pear from the cactus, rub it in sand, and hold it in the sun to dry it out in order to make it last longer. While they visit the mountain region, they will fill holes with water (blue paper) and move the grasshopper into the hole using sticks. Their last stop will be the valley, where they will gather acorns and mash them to make soup. 

LEVEL 1 (Recall)
After the student's read the menu, they will have to recall which region served the food of their choice. If they forget which region a particular food came from, they will need to locate it in the text in order to state it to me, their server. Based on their selection, they will enter the room and hunt or gather their food depending on the region.

LEVEL 2 (Skills & Concepts)
After visiting each region and participating in each of the tasks, they will be taking what they learned and writing a compare/contrast essay about the different foods found in these regions. On each of the things they hunt or gather, it has a sentence stem that they will need to include in their writing. For example, if they catch a grasshopper with "in contrast to" on it, they'll need to include this in their writing piece. 

LEVEL 3 (Strategic Thinking)
The student will then critique the way the Native American's obtained food in their regions. Students will investigate other ways and possibly better ways to obtain food in these regions. They students will utilize their laptops to research and determine what materials are available in each region. They will then develop a logical argument to persuade others to try their new methods of hunting or gathering food. They will share their opinion and persuade their peers in a iMovie video. 

LEVEL 4 (Extending Thinking)
They will then design a plan and create the tools needed in order to prove their theory. A variety of supplies will be available for kids to create their plans. 

RUBRIC:
Level 1: Below Grade Level
Level 2: Approaching Grade Level
Level 3: At Grade Level

	3	2	1
TOPIC	Fully introduces topic and includes the region and name of food.	Vaguely introduces topic or alludes to which region and/or food.	Does not introduce the topic.
OPINION/REASONS	States both an opinion and supplies a reason for the opinion.	States opinion or a reason for the opinion.	Does not state an opinion or reason for the opinion.
CONTENT	All facts about the region and materials are true.	Some true facts about the region and materials are true.	No facts are true.
CLOSURE	Provides a sense of closure related to the topic.	Provides a sense of closure that is unrelated to the topic.	Does not provide a closure.
CAMERA/IMAGES	Video is steady and focused.	Video has some unclear scenes and blurry images.	Video quality is poor and unclear.
SOUND	Very little background noise.	Some background noise.	Background noise is distracting.