Reading Reflection #4

1) When working on project design, some of the pitfalls to watch for are long activity, short on learning outcomes (something that's not worth the time that is put into it), technology layered over traditional practice (same old practice but with technology added), trivial thematic units (fall being all apples), and overly scripted with many, many steps (you don't want limited and predictable results).

2) A good project includes different learning paths, are generative, inquiry based, are interesting and realistic, involves others outside of school, primary sources, make students the experts, and have the students learn by being hands on and doing it themselves.


3) Project ideas can come from a tried-and-true project, project plans by others, the news, current issues, students, a classroom irritant, and a great idea mixed with a new tool.


4) When designing a project it is important to start with the big picture like was discussed in chapter 3. Next, you want to decide on what specific skill you want to focus on. You then want to figure out what learning dispositions you want build with the students. After this comes how you will know that the students have succeeded in learning what you want them to learn. Now comes thinking about what the theme will be. Finally, what is the anticipatory set going to be?


5) The designing a project part especially relates to our topic/project because this is exactly what we will be doing every day as teachers when it comes to lesson planning. Everything we do will relate back to this topic in some way or another.