One of the hardest things about Project Based Learning for teachers is authenticity.  This topic was discussed at our most recent faculty meeting. Teachers struggle over the idea of handing students a contrived problem as the premise for a project because they know that if the idea comes from the students, there is much more buy-in. However, teachers also know that they are expected to make sure that students are reaching performance expectations through their academic subjects, so, often, contrived projects are the best way to ensure they can.

Typically, Project Based Learning requires careful planning.  By starting at the end goal, teachers backward plan integrating as many subjects as they can.  But sometimes, time does not allow for that when opportunities for “spontaneous projects” arise.

Such was the case with the recent Utensil Drive by 8th graders.

The unexpected “entry event” was the Back to School BBQ.  Wait, that might not be right. The unexpected “entry event” may have actually been the Spring Trip to Costa Rica where this group of students patrolled beaches in the middle of the night to help leatherback turtles by safely collecting turtle eggs as they were laid so that poachers would not take them.  At this Turtle Station, students learned all about the different sea turtles and how poachers and plastic contribute to sea turtles’ dwindling numbers. Students were left with a very purposeful take away about how they could personally contribute to improving the health of the environment.

Back to the BBQ. When students saw the plastic utensils being disposed in the garbage, their thoughts went back to what they had learned in Costa Rica and they wondered if there was a way for PNA to change this practice.

Make way for Spontaneous Project Based Learning!

So, students

• Wrote a letter to the Parent Association asking for assistance in carrying out their idea;
• Met with Mrs. Hoefer and PA president, Ms. Bartow;
• Spoke with students at lunch time;
• Asked teachers and Tabitha to include a request to parents to donate metal utensils;
• Handed out fliers to remind parents of the utensil drive;
• Counted, recorded, and washed all utensils as they came in;
• Collected more than 1000 utensils to be used at the school for any event;
• Created a utensil washing/sterilizing kit that everyone can use;
• Made educational signs for the Fall Festival;
• Washed all the utensils and other dishes used at the Fall Festival; and
• Created a plan for utensils that are used during school lunches!

Aside from the original written letter, everything happened within four school days.

This is an example of a truly authentic project – one that students were able to find a tangible purpose for.  They had to use their academic knowledge of writing, speaking, language, and science to pull this off as well as the 21st Century Skills of critical thinking, collaboration, communication, information literacy, flexibility, leadership, initiative, and productivity.

Teachers cannot expect to always have truly authentic projects fall in their laps like this one.  But when they do, at PNA we are grateful to have the ability to drop everything and honor our students’ desires.  One more reason PBL works at PNA.