One way to move to a Phase Three Blended Learning Environment is to implement Project Based Learning (PBL).  A PBL turns the learning over to the students and provides each student with choice, voice, and ownership on how they plan to learn the standards through the projects. One of the critical elements of moving PBL to the Blended Learning world is to continue with the mini-lessons, pacing guide, and differentiated instruction while the students are working on their Project Based Learning activity.  

Side Note:  Implementing Project Based Learning can seem to be overwhelming.  However, it is better to try to deploy a PBL and epically fail versus not trying at all.  This blog post will walk you through a sample PBL and provide you with a two-week guide for you and the students.  

Before we go any further, what is Project vs Project Based Learning? 
“Projects” can represent a range of tasks that can be done at home or in the classroom, by parents or groups of students, quickly or over time. While project-based learning (PBL) also features projects, in PBL the focus is more on the process of learning and learner-peer-content interaction that the end-product itself. (Take a moment to read this blog post to learn more about Project vs Project Based Learning) The chart below by Amy Mayer

When I am talking with teachers, my simple definition is this.  A Project is what you tell the students they have to generate.  For example, a teacher would say to the students, "we are going to redesign the classroom.  As a group, you will need to measure, design, and create a new layout".  

A Project Based Learning Activity, starts with a hook.  Here is an example of a hook or driving question to use within your classroom.  When I was teaching at Worthington City Schools, the PTA would always give the teachers money to spend on their classroom.  Below is an example of how I would turn the generosity of the PTA into a Project Based Learning Opportunity,

The PTA president kicks off the project by presenting to the class.  She explains to the students that the PTA  is giving their classroom 500 dollars to spend.   In two weeks, she would like the students to present to the PTA on how we should spend the money on their classroom.  

That is it, as a teacher you say nothing more!  The students then come up with their ideas on what they would do with the money.  Other vital elements tie into the PBL, which, I will describe later in this post.  The critical takeaway is knowing that a PBL starts with a hook or a driving question, an end date, and an authentic audience.  (View the Project Based Learning Planning packet for more ideas.)

There is so much research out there on Project Based Learning.  Please take a moment to review research based websites, follow blog post, and Twitter Feeds, before deploying a Project Based Learning Activity within your classroom.  Why? Because the more organized you are the better the project will run.  Check-ins, Progress Monitoring, timelines, and becoming a project manager are now part of your teaching role as well as teaching the standards that align with the projects.  Click on the different tabs to view more resources. 

This is where my creative brain explodes with ideas for Project Based Learning.  While working with teachers on their first Project Based Learning Activity, I always start with the learning targets or standards.  As a team we need to know what needs to be covered and the expectations from the students.  Next, we try to tie in animals or the planet for the first PBL.  Why?  Because kids love animals and most kids want to find a way to save the planet.  Again, this is for the teacher's first deployment of PBL. 

This is one of my favorite hooks to show when deploying PBL. The video is of a sea turtle caught in a helium baloon.  (There are tons of videos on turtles and plastic.  This video is one that is not so hard to watch and can start the students thinking)

I send the students to www.ocearch.org website and let them explore.  The next step the students have to come up with thoughts or projects that align to what they saw on the website.  

Provide the students with a 4Ocean trash bag.  Showcase the #trashtag  and send them to www.4Ocean.com

I live in Ohio and work with many schools in Iowa, Ohio, New York, and Nebraska.  Sometimes, talking about ocean conservation does not hit home with the students in the middle of the country.  Therefore, I talk about the Humane Society.  The hook for this project would be to have the students visit a shelter or have a member from the Humane society visit the classroom.

After you provide the students with a hook, let them brain storm.  Brainstorming with a partner, with a group, by themselves.  Let the students have time to think. 

While the students are brainstorming their ideas, have them tape the fish to the wall or dry erase board.  Let the students write as many ideas as they wish down on the fish.  (One idea per fish.  You will find out why in a minute). Once all of the fish are taped to the board, start the bracket challenge.  

Create your bracket or use the sample bracket showcased above.  I like to tape the fish to the bracket and let the students move the fish from one winning idea to the next.  Note:  Some teachers will stop after the first couple of rounds and let the students pick one of the project ideas.  Other teachers will have the students complete the whole bracket, and the top four ideas become the focus of the class.  It's your classroom; you can set up the parameters.  

While I am working with educators, I notice that some of them think that they can "only" do Project Based Learning for two weeks, rather than thinking about how to BLEND project-based learning into the current learning targets.  Let me explain.  Instead of thinking of PBL as a separate part of the lesson, think of it as part of the checklist.   Please take a look a look at the sample checklist that I made for a 6th-grade science class.  If you would like the link to the Google Doc, click here and download a copy of the checklist.  The students have time each day to work on their project.  Once all of the items are checked off of the checklist, then the students can spend the rest of the time working on their project. 

I have created a 14 day planning guide for deploying and showcasing a Project Based Learning activity.  This guide is a starting point for both the teacher and the students.  The planning guide comes with: 

One of my favorite parts of my job is being able to go into the classroom to watch blended learning in action.  The classroom coaching model brings the blended learning workshops to life when I can provide just in time suggestions. This one-on-one coaching lends itself to generating sustainability as well as designing a plan that best works with the students within each classroom environment.  No two classrooms are the same; therefore the coaching strategies have to differ from one teacher to the next.  

Last week, I was able to make one last visit to the elementary and middle schools at Cypress Fairbanks ISD.  Let's say that I was blown away by the blended learning progress both the teachers and the students made within one school year.  The photos and videos below are showcasing a small snippet of what was happening within the individual classrooms.  

On April 29th, I made my first visit to Rennell Elementary School.   Mrs. Merideth Akers, the school principal, invited me to present to the whole staff a quick overview of the Three Phases of Blended Learning before school started.  The 50-minute workshop showcased the starting points for Phase One as well as level up aspects of Phase Two. The staff was highly engaged as they were able to see sample blended learning classroom videos as well as the step by step guide to how to plan for blended learning lessons.  

After the kickoff workshop, Mrs. Akers and I traveled around the building visit each classroom.  The classroom visits provided me with the background information that I needed to design a Blended Learning Action plan for next year.  The action plan is designed around generating weekly, monthly, and yearly blended learning goals.  Learn more about the Action Plan by clicking on this link.    

The essential part of Blended Learning is the Mini-Lesson. The mini-lesson is where the teacher can teach, reteach, and build connections with the students.  In the photo below you will see the teacher in a highly effective mini-lesson.  

Providing choice to the students allows them the opportunity to pick a learning style that best works for their individual needs.  Even during review sessions, students still enjoy choice. 
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Student Ownership can start with studio experts.  Let the studio experts answer questions and help guide each other students through the checklist while the teachers are in the middle of a mini-lesson. Visit this link to learn more about studio experts. 

The more organized the teacher, the more efficient the blended learning process becomes during class.  It works the extra minutes to laminate, cut, and combine the necessary items for the different learning studios.  

Sign up for a FREE 30-minute blended learning session with Marcia Kish.  This 30-minute virtual call can kickstart your blended learning program.  Click here to find a time that best works for you and your team.  

I had the privilege to work with Danish Elementary teachers eight different times this past school year.  The visits were structured in a way that we were able to visit the classrooms as well as a plan with the teachers during their common planning time.  The majority of the teachers at Danish ended the school year in Phase Three learning environment.  Below are a few photos from the onsite visit, student projects, and culture of Danish Elementary School.

Progression board in a Kindergarten classroom.  This classroom has moved to a Phase Three learning environment for 90% of day.  Hats off the Kindergarten!

Sign up for a FREE 30-minute blended learning session with Marcia Kish.  This 30-minute virtual call can kickstart your blended learning program.  Click here to find a time that best works for you and your team.  

What a fantastic year at Millsap Elementary School with the deployment of the Three Phases of Blended Learning.  I have seen so many teachers progress from Phase One to Phase Three within the school year.  One of my highlights from the year, was when Millsap hosted a Blended Learning Shareout session with all of the blended learning schools in CyFair.  The teachers were able to share with the different grade levels and subject areas about their progress with checklist, the planning process, student engagement and so much more.  The shareout session was such a big hit that we are planning to conduct more share sessions next school year.  

There is so much to share about the Blended Learning progression that Kirk Elementary school has made over the years.  This was my first time working with Kirk but over the educators have been implementing blended learning as a building for some time.  The teachers and administrators are very passionate about student voice, choice, and ownership.  The Three Phases of Blended Learning complemented and intertwined with their deployment plan.  

The second-grade students travel from digital content to independent studios, to future-ready skills, and mini-lessons at their pace.  The checklist provides them with a different task to complete at each studio.   The teacher will call the students to the mini-lesson when she is ready to work with the differentiated groups. 

The second grade team provides the students with a weekly checklist for math, science, ELAR, and Social Studies.  The student put their checklist inot their own binder that they carry with them from one learning studio to the next.   

Students are working on micro labs during science as part of their future-ready skills listed on the differentiated checklist.  

Watch a fourth grade math classroom in action.  Look for the mini lesson, digital content, future ready skills, and independent learning studio.  

Sign up for a FREE 30-minute blended learning session with Marcia Kish.  This 30-minute virtual call can kickstart your blended learning program.  Click here to find a time that best works for you and your team.  

My last day at CyFair for the 2018/19 school year was spent at Dean Middle School.  I truly enjoyed working with this team of educators, administrators, and coaches.  Dean won my heart over.  I can not express how much this team has grown since the first day I started working with them.  The student engagement within each of the 7th-grade math classrooms is off the chart as well as the student scores on district assessments have increased dramatically from last year.  The team started the year in a solid Phase One Learning environment.  By the middle of November, the team moved to Phase Two and has stayed either in Phase Two or Phase Three the rest of the school year.  That means that they deployed student choice, voice, and ownership every single day since November.  Unbelievable! 

Watch the short video as a student explains what a Studio Expert is in her GT math classroom. 

Sign up for a FREE 30-minute blended learning session with Marcia Kish.  This 30-minute virtual call can kickstart your blended learning program.  Click here to find a time that best works for you and your team.