Problem Based Learning; Day 1: Team Building 1. Activity starts with hopes, fears and norms about doing a PBL. Get into small groups, designate a writer persons and write about what you HOPE to see or do while doing any PBL. When done the class will share out their HOPES. 2. Second, on another paper, stay in the same groups and write about what you FEAR will happen while you are doing this PBL. When done the class will share out their FEARS. 3. hand our colored DNA squares. Students will place a check in the box if the sentence is about them. No comments, just put a check mark. 4. Add up the numbers in each colored box. If there is a tie, pick a color. Have students with each color go to 4 corners of the room. Once each group is segregated tell them what that color means about their personalities (DNA). Record the names of the people in each group. 4. Put up the PBL PPT. . On their paper write the numbers 1-10. Ask them what they think a VALUE is? Show the Values slide -it will explain how values are related to the roots of a tree. Students will write down their top 10 values from the PPT list. When done students will reduce that 10 to their best 3. They can circle the top three choices on their paper. 5. Hand out name tags and have students write down their name, and the top 3 value choices in the 3 boxes below their name. Then using a green, red, yellow and purple crayon or pencil color each box one of the colors and write in the number they received on the DNA score. 6. In groups, share out what your top three values were and what your DNA profile said about you. (If time create a poster of NORMS for the class. Post this on a large sticky paper to display.) 7. Brainstorm: Show brainstorm slide. 8. Present the Driving Question
DAY 2: 1. Put them into groups based on their name tag groups (see DNA results from Day 1) Put the DNA paper that has Investigator, Brainstormer, Decider or Presenter descriptions on the overhear for all to see. Have people in each group tell their group members which color/definition they had the most check marks in. 2. On large sheet of paper create NORMS for the class. What are the SHOULD'S AND SHOULD NOT'S? Use large sticky paper. 3. Present a stakeholder Map for the Critter Barn or anything they are familiar with. Write this on the board or a large white paper. Ask class about the people at the Critter Barn. Who are the people that effected directly or indirectly. 4. Hand out one large sticky paper to each group. 5. Divide class into two sections and make a stakeholder map for the Saugatuck Community or the Saugatuck Middle School: a. Draw a large circle in the middle of the paper and write: COMMUNITY b. Draw a large circle in the middle of the paper and write: SCHOOL c. HANG ALL POSTERS AROUND THE ROOM
Students are to identify members of Saugatuck community and the members of the School.
6. Give each person two sticker dots. They are to go to their poster and pick the top 2 groups that they would MOST like to invest in or complete a project of service or a way that could better out school. 7. Based on their choices they are to notice the two group/person/place that received the most votes. Split the group into 2 and each group will research who these people are for each group. This should take 20 minutes or so. The purpose is to find out if the choice is feasible or NOT. 8. Report out to class what each group chose to help. 9. Put class into 2 groups COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL 10. These 2 large groups must select ONE project to complete for that group. 11. On a new large sticky paper draw a picture of the ONE person/place to enhance. Off to the sides write THINKING, HEARING, SEEING, SAYING, FEELING, AND DOING. Put answers to the prompt next to the prompt. This should take the rest of the hour. Share out with the class.
DAY 3: 1. Review the Empathy Maps if you did not get it the day before 2. Put into your 6 designated groups from yesterday 3. SILENTLY-NO BULLYING ON HANDWRITING ETC. Hand out sticky notes and brainstorm 30 ideas in 3 minutes. There are no limits on suggestions. ANYTHING GOES!! 3 people in a group means each person has to come up with 10 ideas. 4 people means about 8 ideas per person. Remind them who they choose on the empathy maps. Review the DQ: How can SMS plan activities that will better our school and serve our community? Remember we are trying to BETTER OUR SCHOOL AND SERVE OUR COMMUNITY? 4. Now in the same groups have the students group the stickies into categories WITHOUT TALKING!! 5. You can talk now. When done look at your categories and LABEL the category. Create 3-4 solutions from your ideas. Each person in each group takes one sticky note and comes up with a solution a way to make this happen. 6. Then do the NUF test (Is it New? Is it Useful? Is it Doable/Feasible) based on a scale of 0-10. Hand out a large white paper and create a data table. Put four column along the top: N U F TOTAL. Put a number on the left side for the number of ideas from the categories you just made of your sticky notes. Put the idea by the numbers then rate that idea 0-10 is it new? Is it useful? Is it feasible? Then add across for a TOTAL amount for each idea. 7. Pick an idea to do. Each group has their own choice so there will be 3 about School and 3 ideas about Community. 8. Go through the top choices and decide which 2 you could actually make happen. Start a shared Google doc with your partner and identify the people involved or what you would need to make something chosen actually happen. So if you want to do something for the stores you first have to know which stores there are and then cost our what you would like to do. This is in partners so 2 ideas per group if there is 4 in a group.
Day 4: 1. Make a poster that promotes your idea. Sell it . This will only take 30 minutes. 2. When done make a sales pitch to the class. 2. Using dots vote to pick one idea for community and one idea for school. 3. If time, either make a new poster or add to the current winner's poster. 4. 8th grade class will meet in the pit area at 2:15. Each group will pitch their winning ideas to everyone. The entire 8th grade class will vote on one community and one school event 5. Sometime during the last week of school the 8th grade class will do the 2 winning projects.