American Revolution PBL

How did the major battles, leaders, and events of the American Revolution affect the outcome of the war?

This will be our driving question for this project.  All of your work in this unit should be based on this question.  As a culminating task, you will create a slideshow about this with your Google account.

Your slideshow should include:

1. A cover slide that includes the driving question.
2. Five to seven slides with information about the battle, leader or event.
• What happened?  Why?  (Or who was this person and what did they do?)
• Who won?  Why?  (Or what did the leader accomplish?)
• How did this person or event affect the outcome of the war?
• How did this battle/leader/event change history?
• How did this person or event change the war?
3. A bibliography slide with links to resources that you found useful.
4. Relevant pictures and images that support your information.

Useful resources:

Battles and Events of the Revolution

People of the Revolution

Land of the Brave -- Revolutionary Battles

American Revolution for Kids

Weather Project Introduction -- Weather PBL 2018

How does weather affect the lives of human populations throughout the world?

This is our driving question for this project.  This week you will be creating Google Slideshow presentations on this question.  You will need to pick one climate or weather problem that has an effect on humans.  We will be presenting these slideshows to the class.

Suggestions:
Climate Change
Blizzards
Droughts
Floods
El Nino
Hurricanes
Tornadoes
Thunderstorms

Your Google Slideshow will need to include the following:

1.  A cover slide with your topic and the driving question.

2.  At least 10 slides which explain the following:

• What causes your weather event?
• What are the characteristics of this weather event?
• What kind of damage can be caused by it?
• How does it affect people?
• How do humans react and respond to protect themselves?

3.  A final slide with a list of links and resources that you used to gather information.

Check out your project groups here.

PBL Unit -- Native Americans -- Create a Slideshow

How did Native Americans adapt their way of life to the resources available in the environment?

This is our driving question for this project.  Everything you add to your slideshow should be based on this question.

1. Please create a slideshow with your group that is between 6 and 10 slides long.
2. Make sure you include the driving question on the first slide.
3. Choose one Native American tribe from North America.  Research and read about them online.
4. Create slides that show how they used their resources to survive.  Make sure you explain what they did and how they did it.
5. Use pictures and images that are related to the information on your slides.
6. Include at least one slide that talks about what region your tribe is from.
7. Proofread your slides.

Here are some resources to get you started:

Native American Facts for Kids.

Kid Info:  Native Americans

List of Native Americans

Native American Regions

You may need to use Google for more information on a specific tribe.

Please ask for help if you are not sure that the tribe you picked was from North America.  I can also help you if you are having trouble choosing a tribe.

Three Branches of Government Extra Information Post -- Civics PBL

How is our government outlined in the Constitution?  How was our government designed to protect the rights of ordinary citizens?



Watch the informational video above and the fun song below as a supplement to what we are studying in our Civics PBL unit.

Three Branches of Government Project -- Civics PBL

How is our government outlined in the Constitution?  How was our government designed to protect the rights of ordinary citizens?

Watch this slideshow as part of our PBL unit on Civics.
Please post a comment stating the main idea of the the slideshow.

Follow this link to begin the webquest that goes with this project.
The link above also has information outlining what you will be expected to do for your slideshow.

Find your group here.

Be the Plant Professor -- Resources

How did plants develop photosynthesis?

Plant Basics

Why leaves change color

Photosynthesis for kids

What is pollination?

Plant pollination strategies

A Plant Puzzle

Photosynthesis (the big picture)

General Washington -- American Revolution PBL

We will be watching several videos this week as part of our PBL unit on the American Revolution.

Biography.com -- George Washington

General Powell on General Washington

Freeschool -- George Washington

American Revolution Videos -- Mr. N

Weather Project -- PBL -- Working on the Final Presentation

How does weather affect the lives of human populations throughout the world?

As we work on completing our weather project this week, make sure you are focused on our driving question for this project.  This question should end up on the first or second slide of your presentation.

Use these related questions to guide you in creating your presentations.  Make sure you have slides that provide answers to all of these questions.  (You do not need to write these questions on your slides.)

1. What causes your weather event?
2. What are the characteristics of your weather event?
3. What kind of damage can be caused by it?
4. How does it affect people?
5. How do humans react and respond to protect themselves?

Tips for a great presentation:

• Make sure you read a lot about your subject.
• Look at multiple resources for information.
• Paraphrase. (Use your own words.)
• Providing good information is better that putting gimmicks (fancy animation, etc.) on your slides.
• Be thorough when you cover each question.
• Make sure the information you include is related to the driving question.
• Proofread.

If you finish early, try out the free poster maker at Lucidpress or use Google Draw.

What is El Nino? -- Weather PBL

The video above gives general information about El Nino.  How will El Nino have an effect on California and our drought?
Listen to this radio broadcast.
Read this news article.
Read this magazine article.
Accuweather El Nino article
How are these three presenting the same information?  What is different in the articles and their analysis of the impact on California's drought?

Weather Reading & Research -- Weather PBL 2016

How does weather affect the lives of human populations around the world?

While you are pondering this question, do a bit of research about weather.

Web Weather for Kids
Science Kids -- Weather
NASA -- Climate Kids
Weather Whiz Kids
Clouds -- Weather Whiz Kids
Cloud ID Guide by NASA
El Nino for Kids
The Water Cycle

Weather PBL -- Project Based Learning 2016

How does weather affect the lives of human populations around the world?

Over the next few weeks we will be studying weather.  The question above will be our driving question for this project.  Keep this in mind as you learn about weather.  We will end this unit by creating a slideshow about one extreme weather event. 

Please watch the video below as an introduction to this weather project.

Three Branches of Government Project

Check out a few videos on the three branches of government as a supplement to your research:

1. http://www.teachertube.com/video/the-three-branches-of-government-117875
2. http://www.teachertube.com/video/three-branches-of-government-115192
3. http://mrnussbaum.com/presidents/georgewashington
4. http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/james-madison/videos/america-gets-a-constitution

Make sure you complete your project on time.  (Follow the directions posted here.)

Three Branches of Government Project & Webquest

Watch the slideshow above as an introduction to our Webquests and PBL unit on the United States government.
Follow this link to begin your project and webquests.
Don't forget that you can use your power cards and social studies book as references during this unit.

Find your group here.

Weather Mythology -- PBL

Throughout history there have been many different types of myths and legends about the weather.  These range from stories and legends to deities.  Please pick a few to read about as a supplement to your weather project.

Gluskabi and the Wind Eagle (Native American legend)
Why We Need Wind (Native American story)
The Bird Whose Wings Made Wind (Native American legend)

Chuqui Illa, Inca Thunder God
Njord, Norse Wind God
Susanowo, Japanese Storm God
Tawhiri, Maori God of Wind and Storms
Thor, Norse Thunder God
Tlaloc, Aztec Rain God
Tonenili, Navajo God of Water
Xib Chac, Mayan Rain God

Modern Folklore about weather
Myths, legends and folklore about weather put together by an elementary school.

Eyewitness Video -- Weather

Weather Project -- PBL

How does weather affect the lives of the human populations throughout the world?

This is our driving question for this project. This week you will be creating Google Slideshows to present this to others. For this project you will need to pick one climate or weather problem that has an effect on humans.

Suggestions:
Blizzards
Climate Change
Droughts (& CA's drought)
Floods
Hurricanes
Thunderstorms
Tornadoes

In your Google Slideshow, you will need to include the following:
1.  A cover slide with your topic and the driving question.

2.  At least 10 slides which explain the following:

• What causes your weather event?
• What are the characteristics of this weather event?
• What kind of damage can be caused by it?
• How does it affect people?
• How do humans react and respond to protect themselves?

3.  A final slide with a list of links and resources that you used to gather information for this project.

Bonus work:  If your group finishes early, you can create an online poster at Lucidpress.

Weather Project -- Post #1

We will be blending language arts and science in the next few weeks of school.  As a culminating event we will create and present a project about weather.

Here is our driving question for this project:
How does weather affect the lives of human populations throughout the world?

Watch this video as an introduction to this topic: