Project-Based Learning In the Mirror

"Reflection helps us to move students beyond focusing on the product of learning and instead, focus on the process and their growth."  - Define Learning

Over the last several weeks, students have been engaging in a project-based learning (PBL) experience related to the Early Civilizations of North America. Throughout the PBL experience, students moved through a hands-on investigative process that helped them to discover how geography shapes how and where people live. They thoughtfully and intentionally reflected on each stage of the learning process to help them construct meaning from their discoveries, correct any misunderstandings, and solidify new learning. It was a process enjoyed by all and one that produced deep and meaningful learning. 

At the end of this PBL experience, we asked students to engage in one final reflection of the learning experience in its entirety and how it helped them to understand the complex aspects of geography. Today's guest bloggers share their reflections. At the end of the guest blog statements are some examples of the creations that resulted from this experience. The first of which are some of the documentaries followed by a video montage of the reader's theater performances (screenplays written and performed by students). In both the documentaries and the reader's theater presentations, portrayals of daily life in the regions accurately reflected how the earliest native people utilized the land, water features, resources, adapted to their climates, and benefited from their soil (or not). These learners truly understood the answer to our PBL driving question: How does where you live shape how you live?

Enjoy!

During the research part of this PBL experience, I felt like I was in the zone and could do it independently and responsibly, and was able to move at my own pace. During the buffalo hide activity, I felt like hearing other people's ideas made my own ideas blossom. That was a good experience because everyone had "ah-ha!" moments by exchanging ideas with each other. When it was time for me to write and produce my documentary, it was HARD. I got writer's block at first and should have asked for help earlier on. Overall, it was a good lesson for me to stay focused and to manage my time better. I do feel like this experience gave me a deeper understanding of how geography affected how the earliest Native Americans lived.   - @PickleKitty

Each part of the PBL process helped to deepen my understanding of the idea that where you live affects how you live. Being able to do my research independently helped me be able to go back and review things that I had learned while taking notes. The buffalo hide activity helped me clarify misunderstandings. For example, I did not know how one could come across a prairie turnip, but then I learned that they naturally grow in groves. Writing the reader's theater script was a challenge, but we all collected research notes that were a little different so we all brought what we learned to the table. Our performance was definitely a team effort. The whole performance revolved around how well we acted out our roles to bring it to life. Overall, these activities gave me a deep and meaningful understanding of the idea that where you live affects how you live.  - @Pineapple

My whole experience with this was awesome. Researching took me a while and it was challenging, but I was able to finish it successfully. The buffalo hide activity was really fun and I got to see what others had learned about our region and how they were thinking about it. Sometimes it was challenging for us to decide who was drawing what, but we were able to work it out. When the teachers gave us choices about what type of final project we could produce, I knew I was going to do the reader's theater performance. It was a lot of work - funny at times and then really stressful. When we finished writing the script, it was fun to get to perform it in front of the class to show them what we learned.   - @Ham 

This PBL experience helped me better understand my learning because I got to work at my own pace and really take in all of the important information I needed to know and understand. There were so many fun activities in this experience. I liked drawing on the buffalo hides too because I learn better when I can draw my ideas. My favorite part of this experience was the writing our reader's theater script and performing it because it was really fun and I loved working together and sharing ideas with my group. I also loved teaching the class about what I learned about the Plains region.    - @G-Money

This learning experience helped me better understand how geography affects how you live. First, the independent research was helpful because I would rewatch, reread, and pause videos and text at my own pace. Second, when we did the buffalo hide activity, I could see how others were thinking, which helped me understand my region better. Finally, writing the script helped me to put all of my thoughts together.   - @Strawberry

Well, when I started doing my independent research, I realized that people in my region were lucky! The longhouse was bigger than a wetu or wigwam (wetus and wigwams don't have room to do anything). Wehen we did the buffalo hide activity, I got to draw about my ideas and share them with my group. When we started working on our reader's theater script, we got to work collaboratively and were able to make some cool props. It was really fun presenting. Overall, I think future 4th grade Hive members should do this PBL experience.   - @Swagger_25

I liked this PBL experience and the fact that we were able to choose the region that we wanted to investigate. I like the format of this PBL for two reasons. One, I was able to go at my own pace (which, admittedly, is quite slow). Another reason is because I got my questions answered. I was not here for the buffalo hide activity, but when it came time to choose between writing a screenplay or a documentary, I chose the screenplay production. I liked this part for a couple of reasons. First, I got to understand the southeast Native Americans a bit better. Second, I could kind of go back in time to write that script. I liked performing the screenplay for, you guessed it, two reasons. One is because I could put myself in their mocassins (ha!). Lastly, I had fun. You won't find that in a worksheet.   - @M&M

The independent research taught me almost everything I know about the southeast region, save for other people's thinking, which I learned about during the buffalo hive activity. The WeVideo documentary project helped me learn how to compile my ideas together and writing my script helped me practice my organization and grammar. This was a really amazing experience and I hope the Hivers next year have as much fun as I did.   - @WaterBottle1

This PBL experience deepened my understanding of my cultural region. During the independent research phase, I learned a lot about my region. When we got to the buffalo hide visible thinking activity, our group spilled all of their ideas onto paper and others picked them up. Writing the reader's theater script gave us all a chance to put our ideas together. Some of my group members even decided to continue working on it after school. The performance part was nerve-wracking but fun. This was one fun month.    - @Chickadee

This experience was different and helped me develop a deep understanding of Native American regions. The independent research was a little hard for me, but I liked that I could look back at my resources and didn't have to rush. During the buffalo hide activity, I like working in a group and it was helpful to put my ideas on paper and see what others thought of them. Writing the reader's theater script helped me have a deeper appreciation for what it might have been like living in North America all those years ago.   - @GoatLover

I had many meaningful experiences during this PBL experience. To begin, the independent research went slow, but for the better. I needed peaceful research time to help me understand what I was learning. Also, the buffalo skin activity helped me understand my region even more. When we got to the reader's theater screenplay, it was hard and went super slow, but again it was for the better. It was a good collaboration. The performance was maybe the most meaningful of all for me because it was fun, cool, collaborative, and organized.   - @21Savage

The independent research was a good introduction to my cultural region. Visual learning helps me learn better and so the research boards that our teachers gave us made a lot of sense. The buffalo skin activity helped me see how other classmates learned the information. I originally planned to do a reader's theater presentation with some people, but I realized how their learning style was different from mine, so I decided to work on my own documentary instead. Writing the narrative for my documentary helped me put together everything that I learned in an organized way. The actual making of my documentary using WeVideo was the best part. This PBL was a very fun experience.    - @WowWriter

The activities in this PBL experience helped me deepen my understanding of my Native American region in many ways. The independent research helped because there was a ton of information and we were able to pause and rewind the videos or reread the text when we needed to. The buffalo skin activity was helpful because we got to see other people's ideas. Writing the script was helpful because we got to work together and merge our ideas and then share them with the whole class during our performance.  All in all, these activities helped me learn a lot.   - @Cheeto111 

I think overall, things went well in the independent research stage. I took my time and went at my own pace and even rewatched some videos and reread some text. It was harder at the beginning, but it got easier toward the end. The buffalo hide activity was super fun and I got to understand more of my region's culture and other things I had not yet learned. Writing the reader's theater script was hard at first, but my partner and I shared what we each learned and we got through it. It was fun making props and presenting to the class was super fun. I want to do it again! It was really cool acting out the parts and feeling what it felt like to live in the Plains many years ago.   - @Soccer101