Project-Based_Learning



Here at Lawrence Road, the library is constantly buzzing. All year long, classes in nearly all subject areas are scheduled to complete research projects based on a topic being discussed in their curriculum. That's where I come in. Teachers meet with me to let me know exactly what the topic is and what they want their students to learn and create. It's then my job to prepare a project and corresponding lessons that meet their needs while incorporating technology skills and information literacy standards.

This year, several projects were completed which not only met NYS and information literacy standards but also introduced several new and innovative technologies from the world of Web 2.0. (Because the technology involved in all things web-based has so drastically changed, the Internet or "World Wide Web" was given the new nickname of "Web 2.0.") Students in 8th grade classes created movies using a program called Animoto; students in 7th grade created wikis, or webpages; students in 6th-8th grade created Animoto book trailers; and still other 8th graders created PSA's about bullying using either of two movie-making programs, Animoto or GoAnimate.

Each of these lessons and the corresponding finished student work can be found on our library wiki's Class Project Pages at the links below. For each project, I used Web 2.0 technology (movies, wikis, etc.) to introduce the assignment, demonstrated how to use the programs, allowed for hands-on time to work and ask questions, and allowed each student to present his/her finished project on the "big screen" on the last day of their library week. I could not be more proud of our students' diligence and enthusiasm! Their finished products are all the proof needed to see that our kids are truly on the cutting-edge of 21st century technology and learning!


 * Animoto Commercials: Persuade the Settlers to move West or not (8th grade Social Studies)
 * Great Depression Wikis: Research the Great Depression and create a 5-page wiki, or website, that includes text and images to summarize this time period
 * Social Issues Wikis: Research a social or environmental issue and create a 5-page wiki, or website, that includes text, images, and video to summarize the chosen issue
 * Bullying PSAs: Use either Animoto or GoAnimate to create a PSA (public service announcement) to raise awareness of either bullying or cyberbullying
 * Book Trailers: Use Animoto to create book trailers (advertisements) of a recently read book