PBL
K-7 Project Based Learning
How to use this resource
This is a hub for K-7 Project Based Learning. It is centred around the New BC Curriculum, with units designed to meet learning outcomes in the various grades. Find units for each grade in the "Unit Plans" Tab. This section will be updated over time.
Additional tools and resources for PBLing can be found in the "Resource & Toolkit" tab. These items can be applied within or outside of your PBL classes.
If you are a teacher that would like to add a unit, lesson plan, tool or other resource to this hub you can submit files to the "Contribute" tab. I will review each file and add it to the hub if it corresponds to the philosophy behind Project Based Learning. Thank you for your contributions!
How do we create the conditions for students to grow a life-long love of learning?
How should we go about
inspiring our students?
When I was an elementary school student the internet was becoming a popular tool for seeking the answers to the questions we were asked. As I reached high school it was an overwhelming ocean of content that was stored within the palm of our hands. I often wondered, why learn and memorize content when I will be able to ask my phone for answers throughout life? Now, with cutting edge AI technologies that will write books, compose music, create original artworks, and so much more, the question of why we must learn curricular content in school has never seemed more relevant to our young students. Of course, we as teachers know how important it is for students to develop their own wealth of knowledge. It helps draw connections between many thoughts and disciplines and achieve creative and critical thinking. Unfortunately, if you say this to a student you will witness a hastened glazing of the eyes. They likely will have tuned out before the end of your response.
Instead of explaining why we need to learn content, it will benefit us as educators to show our students how learning is engaging, exciting, and a worthwhile way to spend our time. Our youngest students understand this most as they spontaneously challenge themselves and absorb new information throughout their days. They still have an eagerness towards learning. We should harness that passion while we can. However, it is no secret that as students reach the upper intermediate years of their schooling they grow increasingly apathetic towards their school work. How can we keep our aging primary students on track and redirect those older students who have lost their way? Project Based Learning is student centred teaching that is topically current, inventive, reflexive, and related to our place and community. It asks deep questions that can’t be answered by google or even an Ai generator. It engages us in talking with our peers and seeking experts in our chosen topic areas to share ideas with and learn more from. When done well Project Based Learning is not just a classroom pedagogy, it is an orientation of the self that says “I care about what I am learning and I am intrinsically motivated to see it through.”
How do we help students see the value in somewhat mundane tasks like information processing?
Rationale for PBL
Meet the teacher
Davis Steele
K-7 Project Based Learning & Music Teacher
I am a k-7 Project Based Learning and Music teacher from Powell River, British Columbia. I became passionate about PBL when I started to notice how motivated students became by their self-directed learning tasks. I wanted to discover more about how I could harness their passions and use it to motivate them in their schoolwork. My inquiry led me to writing a thesis on the topic. This website is the culmination of my research. I have created it in hopes of providing resources for those who want to try PBL in their classrooms. I also hope it serves to connect an online community of PBL teachers around the province and enhance the great work they are already doing.