While studying the Articles of Confederation government and the Constitutional Convention in this problem-based learning module, the students will determine the benefits of peacefully changing an inept government.  They will deduce the crucial steps needed for peaceful change to happen within a society.  An area of research will be chosen to help solve a problem critical to the students’ middle school lives.  Feedback will be gathered through a video interview or a Google Form survey of crucial stakeholders.  Students will research the alternatives to improve upon their selected problem.  Students will present their findings to a decision maker and wait to receive feedback.

Using books by Ezra Jack Keats as inspiration, students explore problems and solutions through read-alouds, discussion, and an interactive bulletin board.

Social media has become an increasingly popular and convenient platform in recent years. However, it has also given rise to opinions often perceived as factual and reliable, despite being misleading or false. According to two studies conducted by the Pew Research Center, in 2018, 14% of social media users claimed to have changed their views due to the content they saw on social media. This percentage increased to 23% in 2020, representing a significant surge of 60%.

A rubric used by teachers to monitor student progress and assess final products that incorporate data.

Learn more about the decision making process, and how you can make informed decisions. Footage: pexels.com

Learn more about the decision making process, and how you can make informed decisions. Footage: pexels.com

Learn more about the decision making process, and how you can make informed decisions. Footage: pexels.com

Learn more about the decision making process, and how you can make informed decisions. Footage: pexels.com

This activity is a classroom experiment where students make observations, state hypothesis and carry out an investigation to draw conclusions.

This activity was created by Molly Clare Wilson, it is a quick introductory design thinking exercise.

This lesson aims to introduce students at the top of the K-12 ladder to the concept of Design Thinking via Common Core Literacy Standards recently introduced

This lesson aims to introduce students at the top of the K-12 ladder to the concept of Design Thinking via Common Core Literacy Standards recently introduced

How do we prepare K-12 students and learning communities to be as successful as possible? If future jobs require creativity, problem-solving, and communication, how do we teach these skills in meaningful ways? How do we bring together passionate school leaders to create systemic solutions to educational challenges? Come explore these questions and more in Design Thinking for Leading and Learning.
The course is organized into three sections that combine design thinking content with real-world education examples, as well as opportunities for learners to apply concepts in their own setting.
This course is part of the Open Learning Library, which is free to use. You have the option to sign up and enroll in the course if you want to track your progress, or you can view and use all the materials without enrolling.

Students are given a biomedical engineering challenge, which they solve while following the steps of the engineering design process. In a design lab environment, student groups design, create and test prototype devices that help people using crutches carry things, such as books and school supplies. The assistive devices must meet a list of constraints, including a device weight limit and minimum load capacity. Students use various hand and power tools to fabricate the devices. They test the practicality of their designs by loading them with objects and then using the modified crutches in the school hallways and classrooms.

This activity was designed for blind learners, but all types of learners can use it to understand the design process and produce a design for a product meant to solve a specific problem.

The students will be able practical critical thinking skills evaluating different problem solvingtechniques used in the field of manufacturing

In this field lab activity, students will determine the density, pH and water content of prairie soil, transition soil, woods soil, and riverbed soil and compare their findings.

This lab activity is a paper fossil dig where students discover skeletal characteristics of humans, primates and hominids and are asked to make a short oral presentation to the class.

Why is it important that students be careful what is posted for everyone to see? Students will investigate and discuss these questions during this module that directly relate to their daily life. Students will work cooperatively in groups to design an infomercial to be presented to elementary students and/or parents and community members. Key Learning Targets: I can use technology to produce and publish my work, and link to sources.I can include multimedia projects or visual displays when they will be helpful in clarifying and emphasizing information.I can actively participate and contribute to a discussion with my teacher and my peers. I can present my findings to a group or audience in a clear and concise way.I can create a storyboard to prepare a public service announcement. I can compare contrast trends of technology. I can write an explanatory paragraph to examine a topic (present and future digital footprint).

In this problem-based learning module, students will investigate why is it important that students be careful what is posted for everyone to see. Students will investigate and discuss these questions during this module that directly relate to their daily life. Students will work cooperatively in groups to design an infomercial to be presented to elementary students and/or parents and community members. Key Learning Targets: I can use technology to produce and publish my work, and link to sources.I can include multimedia projects or visual displays when they will be helpful in clarifying and emphasizing information.I can actively participate and contribute to a discussion with my teacher and my peers. I can present my findings to a group or audience in a clear and concise way.I can create a storyboard to prepare a public service announcement. I can compare contrast trends of technology. I can write an explanatory paragraph to examine a topic (present and future digital footprint).