Challenge: High-quality PBL requires significantly more upfront planning than traditional lessons. PBL planning asks teachers to anticipate what students know and what they “need-to-know”, which requires the thoughtful planning of supports, while preserving student voice and choice. In addition, balancing real-world relevance and inquiry with curriculum demands can be tricky.
Solution: An effective project-based learning lesson plan includes several essential elements and New Tech Network created the Project Design Checklist to highlight those elements:
Begin with the End in Mind
Determine high-impact standards and skills for the foundation of your project’s design.
Design the Project Scenario
- Design an authentic scenario that will require students to meet proficiency in the standards and skills you chose, keeping in mind relevance to students, the audience, and the impact the work will have. To learn more about authentic scenarios and project ideas, read: What is Authentic Project-Based Learning?
- Create a driving question/problem statement.
- Create an entry event that will introduce the project, generate student curiosity and interest, and elicit need-to-knows. Tip: Bringing in community experts on project themes can boost the authenticity of the entry event.
Create the Path
Determine benchmarks with scaffolding (workshops, graphic organizers, templates, investigations) that will support student mastery of standards and skills and lead to final products. Read: Scaffolding in Education to learn more about scaffolding and benchmarks in PBL.
Plan the Assessment
Create rubrics that allow you and your students to assess progress towards mastery of standards and outcomes.
To download a template for a project planning toolkit and learn more about PBL lesson planning, read the Guide to Project Planning Toolkit.
For NTN events that support PBL Design Professional Development visit our events page for upcoming events in your region.
