All resources in BLTPN

Advancing Change through Public Awareness

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As diseases become stronger in nature, currently available antibiotics are no longer strong enough to suppress and cure said diseases. Therefore, what factors contribute to diseases becoming resistant to drugs and what public policies should be developed around them?  In this problem-based learning module, students will work with partners or in groups to first assess the increasing problem of drug-resistant diseases and the toll they are taking on the American public. Additionally, students will work to investigate what hospitals and lawmakers are doing to address this problem. Once students understand and are familiar with the current state of affairs, they will then work to further understand and research exactly why this issue needs to be brought to the attention of the general public, in order to promote change to current hospital procedures and policies. Further, students will determine the current political climate and support (or lack thereof) for policy, and will analyze the interest in keeping, changing or removing said policies altogether. Once the group has a full understanding, students will then work to determine their position on the issues surrounding antibiotic resistant diseases and the policies associated with these diseases. As soon as the group reaches a consensus, students will work to research and determine a professional way in which to present their goals and objectives for curbing the issue of drug-resistant diseases.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

The Mystery Escape!

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“Breakout” or “Escape” rooms have become extremely popular for children and adults as an entertainment option to have fun and use teamwork to solve a puzzle in a designated amount of time.  The Mystery Escape! problem-based learning module leads student groups through designing their own puzzle based on Chemistry and Periodic Table of Elements.  The culmination of the Module invites students to crack codes to unlock 4 locks that give a clear answer. “Can YOU escape peril?”

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

How Can I Promote Healthy Lifestyles in My Community?

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In this problem-based learning module, students will research health issues that are relevant to elementary students k-3. Students will look at perceptions, influences, education, research and discussion.Information will be provided through various ways including direct instruction, small group instruction by the classroom teacher, online research, and real-life research. Students will research media influences on health and develop a student-produced Public Service Announcement that will be shared with their peers as well as k-3 students in the district. Students will also have the opportunity to learn from each other and share their ideas with community stakeholders and plan next steps to promote healthy lifestyles in our community.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

Can YOU save the Roman Empire?

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In this problem-based learning module, students will use their knowledge of the ancient Roman Empire and will work to analyze critical theories historians agree contributed to the fall of Rome. Students will then work to compare the problems faced by the Romans with problems citizens of the United States still largely face today. Through this investigation, students should recognize how modern technology, government agencies, laws and resources help to solve societal problems that could have once destroyed an empire. With this new understanding, students should work to present a solution to a major problem that plagued the Roman Empire during the years leading up to its collapse.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

Digital Footprint

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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).

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

Does your sleep deficit impact your life?

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In this problem-based learning module, students will explore the importance of sleep and the impact sleep has on their lives.  During the launch phase students can choose to record sleep data via downloaded apps or in a sleep diary.  Days 2 through 4 have students explore the concept and necessity of living organisms need to sleep. On day 2 the participants will take a series of cognitive test for baseline data.  Through station rotation and a jigsaw activity learners will become familiar with circadian rhythm and sleeping disorders. Finally, days 5-7 have the students produce a video or infographic to communicate the importance of sleep and its relationship to performance both physically and academically.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

Standing up against a Dystopian Society

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During this problem-based learning unit, students will explore dystopian societies of past and in short stories in order to identify dystopian elements in today’s society.  In turn, students will have a choice between multiple product outputs in which they will apply what they have learned to modern day life and provide ideas of how to improve our society by combating these dystopian elements.*Students will need some prior knowledge of Nazi Germany, Civil Rights America in 1930’s, Present Day China, and Sierra Leone in order to make connections to why these societies have dystopian elements.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

Are we causing the earth to be so unhealthy that not even we can survive on it?

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In this problem-based learning module, students will ‘dig’ for fossils in a digital environment, using the advanced graphing techniques of line-of-best-fit and piecewise functions to look for different kinds of trends in the health of the history of the earth.  They will apply this information to their knowledge of the laws of superposition and index fossils to form a complete analysis in the historical health as well as to predict where we are going in the future.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

Master Your Message through Media

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In this problem-based learning module, students will examine various forms of media and the ways that it can influence personal and social behavior. They first will work in stations to examine different types of media and explore what that media is while also addressing how it makes them feel. Afterward, they will work in small groups to create their own influential piece of media which communicates a problem they feel is facing their school.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

What is the most responsible way to deal with electronic waste?

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The growing number of electronics that are becoming obsolete is staggering. The responsible disposal of these materials remains to be a highly debated topic and is one that does not have an easy answer. In this problem-based learning module, students will research this growing issue and provide them opportunities to determine what actions to take. Students will then take their findings and use their research data as evidence to support their position. Groups will create a finished product in the form of a speech, radio broadcast, presentation or persuasive essay to help solve this problem.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

Why Do I Judge a “Life” Book by its Cover?

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This problem-based learning module is designed to bring “Awareness” to students about being judgemental and pre-judging people.  Students will become aware of their own judgmental issues and develop a presentation that will bring awareness to their audience on the topic.    This module is developed with instruction based on whole group discussions, station rotations, partner research as well as final presentation. This module is created with the ELA standards of W.7.6, W.7.2 , SL.7.1 and the history standard of 7.16 as the focus.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

How can classrooms be redesigned to better accommodate technology and student needs?

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Throughout this problem-based learning module students will address real world skills. Students will be asked to brainstorm ideas and think innovatively both independently and collaboratively in addressing a real-world problem that is relevant to their daily lives and surroundings.  Students/teams will be encouraged to use the internet for research purposes in their design phase. What components should be included for a modern, updated classroom? Students will utilize various online platforms to design an ideal, modern, 21st century “dream classroom”.  Students will incorporate components that would meet the needs of all learners and a classroom that would be able to integrate technology. These classrooms can be shared with relevant individuals in the community and others in the school building.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

Is genetic diversity important?

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In this problem-based learning module, students will investigate the importance of genetic diversity will be explored by examining several case studies revealing consequences that can occur in individuals within a limited gene pool and how a variety of genes can lead to the survival of a species. Students will be able to create and interpret information from pedigree charts.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

How can I innovate the future by designing solutions to real issues through the use of technology and creativity?

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In this problem-based learning unit, the Class will discuss what it means to be empathetic. Then, situations in which empathy is necessary will be role played. Students will then roll 2 dice, one die will determine their audience and the other die will determine the task they are to create a solution to. Sample audience and tasks include creating a tool to access an out of reach object for a child, vision impaired, or person in a wheelchair. Students will hand draw prototypes and then utilize a free online 3D modeling application to design their solutions for sharing.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

What do my numbers say about my health?

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This problem-based learning module is students will be collecting their personal health numbers in a station rotation format.  After choosing their health numbers to compare, the students will create a scatter plot and line of best fit using class data. Students will do a gallery walk to compare their health numbers with their peers. The students will then create a presentation for a health fair to bring awareness to health numbers based on their personal findings and facts.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

Why Do People Move?

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In this problem-based learning module, students will investigate the following question: Does the state of Ohio suffer from “Brain Drain?”If so why is this, where are people going, & what can be done to stop it?If not, what is keeping/bringing people here?After researching and learning about some of the push-pull factors that drove 19th century European immigration to the United States, student groups will be formed in order research, create, and share their findings to determine whether or not Ohio is a “push” or “pull” state.After the launch activity, students will spend the first two days gaining background knowledge on the historical components and content related to the topic.  Beginning on Day 4, students will be grouped into teams to begin research and development of the “BIG IDEA” question of: Does the state of Ohio suffer from “Brain Drain?”If so why is this, where are people going, & what can be done to stop it?If not, what is keeping/bringing people here?Once the groups have determined their position on the problem, they will begin researching information to be able to share out their findings.The final products will be presented to an authentic audience consisting of District Administration (i.e., media relations), Local Administration (elected officials), and possibly, local Chamber of Commerce members

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

Your world is erupting, how will it change?

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After researching and learning about the possible devastation that would ensue if the Supervolcano at Yellowstone National Park were to erupt, students will work together in this problem-based learning module to use the information to create a news report to inform American citizens of the effects that would ensure in the event of an eruption. When creating the news report, students will be asked to think of a way to capture their audience attention about the topic while still explaining the science behind what is happening at this site. Students will also take the role of a number of different characters (i.e. experts in the field, scientists, concerned citizens, news caster etc.), and show at least one powerful image to aid in telling the story. After the Launch of the activity, students will take time to explore a variety of resources about this topic that will aid them in answering the “need to know” questions needed to create their News. These items should be shared with the students electronically in a collective folder,  and students will be asked to gather the information at their own pace.Once students have completed their news story, students will present their final products to an authentic audience consisting of district Administration, and building staff members.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network

Creating Peaceful Change

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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.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Blended Learning Teacher Practice Network