The project approach is based on the philosophy that children learn best when their interest is fully engaged and centered. It is defined as an in-depth investigation of a real world topic worthy of a student's attention and effort. The project approach is a structured, complex, but flexible framework with the features that characterize the teaching-learning interaction. With the successful implementation of an approach, children can be highly motivated, feel actively involved in their own learning, and produce work of high quality.
The project approach is…
An example of a project approach would be the Colony Project that our fourth-grade students complete each year in Social Studies. Students learn how to work cooperatively by creating their own colonies. Groups invent their colony’s name, flag, laws and consequences, and a model. They are also responsible for writing Travel Logs, which provide details of their journey to the new land, and a Colony Journal, describing the first year of life in the settlement. This project provides an opportunity for students to use their creativity and imaginations, and they love sharing their ideas and working together. Students are assessed using a Rubric format.
A project on a topic of real interest to children involves the completion of a wide variety of tasks, including drawing, measuring, writing, reading, listening and discussing. By working on such a project, they learn a rich new vocabulary as their knowledge of a familiar object deepens and expands. This approach to learning empowers students to take initiative in the classroom. In doing so, they can be challenged to learn and achieve at high levels with interest and determination.
For more information, visit http://www.projectapproach.org/.
