"What's Going on in APEX?
April 2019
3rd Grade -Project Based Learning unit- "Design a Water Park"
Description: 3rd Grade APEX students will begin a new Project Based Learning unit called “Design a Water Park”.
This project integrates elements of imagination, math, technology, design, and planning as students create their own water park.
There are 17 tasks for students to complete. Each task involves an issue or topic they must solve, design, create, or research.
As students work through each page, they will make their own decisions and choose the outcomes based on information they learn. By the end, all students will have completed the project, but each version will be based on the creator’s imagination, creativity, and knowledge base.
The final product will include a water park design,keynote, and creative written reflection.
4th Grade- Project Based Learning unit- "Run a Food Truck"
The objective of this project is for students to create and run a FOOD TRUCK business, while applying decimals, area, perimeter, and apply those skills into real-world situations. This project based learning activity focuses on pushing students to create and design while using math skills, applying problem solving skills, and collaborating in the classroom. It allows for easy differentiation, so students can work at a pace they will be successful at. There are steps and procedures to assist students through this project, but the work and results will be determined by their ideas that each student adds.
Students WILL CREATE a personalized food menu and miniature 3D version of a food truck, along with a business they can call their own. By the end of this project each student will create an absolutely unique business based on their own ideas, imagination, and application of skills. No two food trucks will be the same.
Run A Food Truck pushes students to create a viable business that includes three individual sections; start-up, the menu, and the truck. These three sections, when connected, allow for students to apply multitude of skills and concepts into a project that connects with the world around us. A few of these skills (but not limited to) involve decimals, money, area, and perimeter. This project also allows students to work within their own learning levels to create a project that is entirely unique.
This PBL activity focuses on the real-world application of math concepts used in building and designing businesses, while practicing problem-solving skills (which are one of the most sought after skills in the work force today), collaboration, and using their imagination.
5th Grade: Project Based Learning- " Island Survival"
This project integrates elements of science, ELA, and social studies into a student-centered PBL that combines imagination, creativity, and problem solving skills as they try and survive on an island.
There are 16 tasks for students to complete. Each task involves a problem or idea they must solve, recreate, or answer. Tasks can vary from writing, map skills, real-world application, problem solving, and more.
As students work through each page of the project, they will make their own decisions and choose the outcomes. By the end, all students will have completed the project, but each version will be based on user imagination, creativity, and knowledge base.
The final product will include an island design,keynote, and creative written reflection.
DEPTH & COMPLEXITY ICONS
Dr. Sandra Kaplan from USC created icons to represent elements that generate a deeper, more complex thought process. Students involved in the learning process, whether it is reading text, watching a video, analyzing art, or listening to a presentation, can apply elements of depth and complexity as they begin to assimilate new information, make connections, and dig deeper into content.
The Depth and Complexity icons are used as a visual aid to strengthen thinking skills and cognitive operations.
