Ch. 2 - A Core Problem For Students To Solve

I started reading Chapter 2 late last night.  As I read how to create a core problem, my mind started working on what we had started last week.  I now could see that I had jumped the gun a little bit.  Even though I was having students make sense, be “minds-on” of their learning, I had forgotten the critical first step of a PBL…allowing students to feel the need to learn.  They knew why they had to learn it…but didn’t have the push behind them that they felt they needed to learn it.

In Chapter 2, it talked about a paradigm shift.  Instead of teaching skills to get to application, we need to start with the application piece in order to cover the skills.  When we teach the skills with the application piece at the end, students may not learn the skills needed for the project…they didn’t feel the need of learning it at the time.  If the project is addressed first, students suddenly realize they have a need for the knowledge if they are to move ahead.

Even though I started out on the wrong foot by introducing skills first, I thought there is no time like the present to make the change.  After all, this is a learning process for me as well.  I started brainstorming authentic open-ended problems that I could introduce into my lesson. We had talked about slopes and staircases last week.  How could I tie into that?  I read about how basic ideas in various disciplines were developed in authentic learning experiences.  I dove in.

I first modeled a strategy they had incorporated by asking “Why?” and “So What?”  Here’s how the conversation with myself looked.

Students need to learn slope to understand linear equations.  Why?  Because linear equations describe lines.  So what?  In various careers, students will have to use slope/lines when working with staircases, pitches of roofs, skateboard ramps, etc.  Why is slope important?  Because there are specific regulations and codes that must be followed.  Aahhhh…students will create one staircase to the top of the school building according to code, analyze how this will work/look and then create another staircase that is steeper but possibly more functional for the space provided.  Complete blueprints/scale drawings to proportion will demonstrate understanding. 

To begin the lesson, I brought up the idea of an outdoor classroom…on the roof.  We discussed the idea of an outdoor staircase built to code to get everyone up there.  We then took a little field trip outside to get an actual look of the situation.  I was impressed with how students came up with alternate ideas of where to place the staircase.  In all cases, they identified that they would need to use proportions to find the height of the building, slope to find the angle of the staircase, and Pythagorean’s Theorem to figure out how far the staircase would stick out. 

I was amazed at the level of engagement when students gathered their materials and set out to get the measurements they needed to start.  Now…I understand that all or most skills had already been taught before this problem was introduced.  I still did not have the true paradigm shift going, but I feel like I’m one step closer with creating that authentic learning experience where students take the lead.