Blog Post Reflection 3

This week I visited www.edutopia.com and found an article on project-based learning. According to the article, project-based learning is designed to put students in settings where they learn critical thinking, collaboration, work ethic, technology literacy skills, written and oral communication while meeting state and national standards. There are four fundamental elements to project-based learning: 1. Create team of three or more to work on a project for three to eight weeks, 2. Introduce a complex question that students need to know, scaffold the project with activities and information that deepens the work, 3. Calendar the project with drafts and benchmarks, finally the team presents to parents and people from the community, 4. Provide timely assessments of content, critical thinking, teamwork, oral and written communication and other important skills. I think it is a great strategy to involve students in real-world projects that capture their interests yet tackle complex realistic problems. After reading this article, I would like to investigate whether  project-based learning can be used with pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students.