Reading Reflection #4

Reading Reflection #4

1. There are main ideas to focus on when discussing the potential pitfalls in project design. The focuses include:
-making sure that projects are not too long or include too much detail and activity. Simple can be better and those can be the best lessons.
-using research when creating a project can be the best way to learn and create a successful project.
-make sure to have trivial thematic units that will be worth while for the students learning.
-once again, simple is better and making projects complicated and overloaded can be stressful and confusing.

2. There are many features of a good project that are on page 65 in the book.
These features include:
-flexibly designed with the opportunity of different learning paths for students
-usually generative, causing students to construct meaning
-they create a driving question or are otherwise structured for inquiry
-they capture students interested by compelling real-life situations
-they're realistic, they use multiple disciplines
-they reach beyond school to involve others
-tap rich data or primary sources
-collaboration among students in their groups
-students working as inquiring experts
-21st century skills and literacies
-important learning dispositions
-students are hands-on, learn by doing


3. There are many different places that project ideas can come from. The text gives us places where we can find ideas in the book, but we don’t need a book to get ideas. Project ideas can come from teachers, students, news stories, experiences, contemporary issues, project ideas from other classes, and many more.


4. Pages 67-68 in the book give a great outline to design a project. These steps include:
-Revisit the framework 

-make a final list of learning objectives, decide on specifics you want to address, and identify learning dispositions you want to foster.
-Establish evidence of understanding - what would your students know after completing the project, how would they be different as learners and individuals.
-Plan the theme - what would students inquire about, do, create?
-Plan entree into the project experience - what will you do to captivate your students attention, what will keep them interested in the project at hand?

5. Designing a project can be the most fun part of starting a project. This relates to our subject because this is so realistic to our everyday lives as future teachers. We will be creating lesson plans and designing our own projects and we will try to relate back to this subject and many other subjects in some way.