{"id":581,"date":"2017-07-04T14:33:49","date_gmt":"2017-07-04T18:33:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/edt222-2017\/?p=581"},"modified":"2018-05-24T22:12:47","modified_gmt":"2018-05-25T02:12:47","slug":"bradford-project-based-learning-lesson-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/edt222-2017\/2017\/07\/bradford-project-based-learning-lesson-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"Bradford: Project-Based Learning Lesson Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Project-Based Learning: Design Your Own Desk!\"\"<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Project Overview<\/td>\nFor this project, students will be designing new desks that they would like to see in the classroom.\u00a0\u00a0 These desks could have tops in the shape of \u201chalf donuts\u201d or the traditional desk tops.\u00a0 Students will make a small 3D model of their desk to share with the class.<\/p>\n
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  • Students will need to figure out how much solid material (whether it be plastic, metal, wood, etc.) is needed to make their desks, as well as how much flat material (veneer for the top of the desk, paint, etc.) is needed to cover the desk.<\/li>\n
  • This project could be done individually, or with a group of students.\u00a0 The rest of the lesson plan is structured for individual students, but could be easily adapted for groups.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Unit Overview<\/td>\nThis project corresponds with a unit covering volume and surface area of 3-dimensional figures.<\/p>\n

In this unit, students will be reviewing\/learning the following concepts:<\/p>\n

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  • Volume of Prisms, Pyramids, Cylinders, and Spheres\n
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    • Students learn that the volume for any prism can be found by multiplying the area of the base by the height.\u00a0 They also learn that the volume of any pyramid can be found by multiplying the area of the base by the height and dividing by 3.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Surface Area of Prisms, Pyramids, Cylinders, and Spheres<\/li>\n
    • I will be covering volume with students before covering surface area.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Prior Knowledge<\/td>\n\n
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  • This lesson is intended for students taking 7th<\/sup> grade advanced math, because students in regular 7th<\/sup> grade math are not exposed to 3-dimensional figures with circular bases (i.e. cones or cylinders).<\/li>\n
  • Prior to this unit, students have learned how to find perimeter, circumference and area of 2-dimensional figures.\u00a0 They are also familiar with the surface area and volume of rectangular prisms.\u00a0 Students have also learned how to scale down images, which will become helpful when creating the 3-dimensional model of their desk.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Standards<\/td>\n\n
Project Materials<\/td>\n\n
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  • Pencil, paper, and graph paper<\/li>\n
  • Scissors and glue<\/li>\n
  • Other materials will vary depending on student needs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Project Outline<\/td>\n1. Introduction <\/strong>(Before students have begun studying surface area and volume)<\/p>\n
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  • Posing Question:<\/strong> What would be your ideal desk at school, if you could design it?\n
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    • This posing question will be asked a chalk talk; I would write the question on the board, and have each student write something on the board that they think of.\u00a0 Each student will be asked to go to the board once, but they are welcome to go more than once.<\/li>\n
    • Following the Chalk Talk, students will discuss what they wrote.\u00a0 I will let students know that throughout this unit we will be designing and constructing models of our ideal desk.\u00a0 I will remind them that everyone\u2019s desk will look different, because everyone has specific things they may want in a desk.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Brainstorming\/Drawing Initial Prototypes:<\/strong> \u00a0I will have students brainstorm ideas and will ask students to begin drawing what their desks may look like.\u00a0 I will have students draw a regular perspective of the desk, and then a 2-dimensional image of the top of the desk.\n
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      • Note<\/strong>: If students struggle to think of ideas for their desk, there are resources at the end of the lesson plan that they can use to help them brainstorm.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • As students draw their prototypes, I will circulate the room asking questions to encourage students to think more about the details of their drawings.\u00a0 Some examples of these questions are below:\n
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        • What would be the desktop for you to have space for what you need to work on in class?<\/li>\n
        • What do you wish a desk had that yours currently does not have?<\/li>\n
        • What would be comfortable for you?<\/li>\n
        • What function does this part of the desk serve?<\/li>\n
        • Would you be able to fit your desk in a room with 30 other desks? Why or why not?<\/li>\n
        • I see that you drew four legs on the bottom of your desk.\u00a0 Are those legs rounded, or do they have flat sides?\u00a0 What type of shape would you actually be making?<\/li>\n
        • Do you want to make the edges of your desk square or rounded?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • Class Discussion: <\/strong>Once students complete their prototypes, I will discuss with the class what went into making their prototypes.\u00a0 What functionalities did they think about as they made their desks?\u00a0 I will let students know that throughout this unit, their ideas may change and will become more refined.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          2. While students are studying volume:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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          • Before beginning lessons on volume<\/u>: I will explain to students that their first part of the project will be finding the amount of solid materials (for example wood, metal, and plastic) needed to make the desk.\u00a0 I will ask students what they will need to know before being able to do this.\u00a0 Students may respond, \u201cWhat types of materials we are using,\u201d \u201cWhat the dimensions are of our desks\u201d or \u201cHow to find the volumes of our desks.\u201d I will ask students if it makes more sense to find the volume of the desk as a whole, or break it into parts.<\/li>\n
          • While learning about volume:<\/u> I will give students time to work in class every day or every other day to work on their desks.\u00a0 Their objectives in this first part of the unit are as follows, and guiding questions that could be asked are in parentheses. Depending on if students have learned what they need to know to calculate volume, they may be finding the volumes on different days.\n
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            • Figure out what types of materials you plan to use to make the desk. (What types of materials make sense to use?\u00a0 Think about cost, weight, durability, etc.)<\/li>\n
            • Figure out the dimensions your desk is going to be. (What do you need to be able to put on your desktop?\u00a0 What size should the desk be to fit the average seventh grader?)<\/li>\n
            • Make any changes to your desk as you see fit.\u00a0 Refine the drawing of your prototype to be more exact and to include dimensions.<\/li>\n
            • Calculate the volume of the different materials needed to make the desks. (What types of figures make up your desk? Is the desktop a perfect rectangle? What shape are the legs of the desk?)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              3. While students are studying surface area: <\/strong><\/p>\n

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              • Before beginning lessons on surface area:<\/u> I will explain to students what we have finished on the projects so far, but then will ask them what we still need to figure out.\u00a0 We will discuss how surfaces often times are covered with a veneer or with paint.\u00a0 I will ask students what we use to find how much of something covers the surface, and this will lead into a discussion on surface area.<\/li>\n
              • While learning about surface area:<\/u> I will give students time in class every day or every other day to work on their desks.\u00a0 Their goals in this portion of the unit are as follows, and guiding questions that could be asked are in parentheses.\n
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                • Students will find the surface area of all their desk surfaces. (What parts of the desk are you covering with that material?)<\/li>\n
                • Students will construct a 3-dimensional scale model of their desks.\u00a0 (What is the scale of your model? What dimensions do you need to think about when creating your model?\u00a0 Does that look like what you drew on your scale drawing?)<\/li>\n
                • Students will finalize their projects, making adjustments as needed, and will plan their presentations. (Questions at this point would be on a student-to-student basis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  4. Presentations, Reflection, and Revision<\/strong><\/p>\n

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                  • Students will present their projects to the class, and explain why they made them how they did.\u00a0 Other students can ask questions to the student presenting about the details of their desks. \u00a0The teacher should encourage students to think about each others’ designs and what may be difficult about them when asking each other questions.<\/li>\n
                  • Following presentations, students will reflect on the experience of making their desks: what they would\u2019ve done differently, improvements they would make, and what they learned.<\/li>\n
                  • Students will be asked to refine their projects and correct mistakes based on teacher and peer feedback.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    Note:<\/strong> The teacher should use formative assessments to gauge student progress on the project, and should use these assessments to determine the amount of time allotted for students to work in class. \u00a0In order to decrease the potential for lack of engagement or effort, the teacher should only give students the time needed to work on the project in class. \u00a0Students who do not finish their daily tasks in class will be required to finish outside of class for homework.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Formative Assessment<\/td>\nFormative assessment is extremely valuable in PBL to ensure that the level of rigor remains high, and to assess student understanding and deficits.\u00a0 The following formative assessments will be taken during this unit:<\/p>\n
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  • Exit slips:<\/span> Exit slips will be completed every day that I give students time to work in class.<\/li>\n
  • Daily Observations:<\/span> I will ask students questions and make observations as they work in class.<\/li>\n
  • Progress checks:<\/span> Progress checks will occur after studying surface area, and then again after studying volume.\u00a0 I will check students\u2019 calculations and will make sure their drawings and scale models look accurate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Summative Assessment<\/td>\n\n
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  • Students will be assessed on the final product of their desks, their volume and surface area calculations, and the presentation of their models to the class.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Project Extensions<\/td>\n(1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Students could decide which desks would be best for the school to invest in.\u00a0 Some factors to consider would be the cost of materials, the space that the desk takes up, and the functionality of the desk for the average student.\u00a0 Students could brainstorm these factors through a chalk talk and class discussion.\u00a0 Students or groups of students will create a proposal for which desk they think the school should buy, and submit it to the principal.<\/p>\n

(2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Individual students could use their presentations to persuade their fellow students to buy their desks.\u00a0 They could include the factors mentioned in extension (1) above.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Online Resources<\/td>\nIf students are struggling to think of ideas for their desks, here are a few websites that may help them:<\/p>\n