Group B: Applying Past

Knowledge to New
Situations
Marsha Ewald, Brianna Crabtree, Raphaela Francois, Sylvia Lam
Johns Hopkins University
ED.813.604.NA1M.SP18/Seminar In Transformational Leadership and
Teaching – Part 4
Prof. ​Amena Moiz
February 18, 2018 1
Project Based Learning: Calendar (Sylvia, 10th Grade Geometry)
How to do this:
Project-based learning is an alternative, holistic form of assessment that can be Backwards planning is the key to
presented as a “rigor” task. The calendar on the right is an example of a unit on the student achievement (Johnson, B.,
Pythagorean Theorem that has a project due on the day of the assessment. Since the Rutledge, M., Poppe, M., & Vermont
project is presented at the beginning of the unit, students have time to work through Consultants for Language and
the standards. Such projects ask students to apply what they learn to real life Learning, 2005). By meeting
situations and come with a student friendly rubric. incremental goals using district scope
and sequences and the curriculum
guide, I am able to supplement
additional materials and evaluate
student growth more holistically.
Although my curriculum comes with
scripted lesson, exit tickets, and
application problems, I have to saffold
heavily because my students have a
very basic understanding of geometry.

Fortunately, the Pythagorean Theorem

is a concept that students explored in
Middle School. By the second and third
lessons, students could successfully
solve for missing sides of right triangles
using the Pythagorean Theorem. As a
result, I spent one day on applying the
theorem to word problems, prior to their2
assessment and project.
Project Based Learning: Project (Sylvia, 10th Grade Geometry)

Applying past knowledge to new situations requires students to draw

connections between the new material and what they already know. When
I started the Pythagorean Theorem unit on Monday, January 28, I asked
questions to push student recollection and to gauge their prior
understanding of the concept (Costa & Kallick, 2000). In the first two days
of the lesson, I would model my questioning and annotations so that
students could learn how to approach the problem independently. As we
ended the unit, students became the guides of the topic as their
confidence and understanding developed. Students who struggled with the
project volunteered to help one another out, which exposed students to
multiple perspective under one question.

The project offered three scenarios (far left), all involve demonstrating knowledge of applying the Pythagorean Theorem.
Students should be able to apply their personal knowledge to this project by accurate interpreting the scenarios and using the
theorem to solve for missing sides, as well as apply their reasoning skills within their explanation. The top right image and rubric 3
belonged to a lower level student, while the lower right image belonged to a medium level student.
Project Based Learning: Reflection (Sylvia, 10th Grade Geometry)
Reflection is a major part of the learning
cycle because it asks the primary
knowledge bearer to identify past errors
and to work on finding a solution.
Fortunately, find a solution does not have
to be an independent task. After each
project, students are asked to identify what
they liked about a project and what they
disliked. In my grading process, students
are allowed to make corrections to their
projects within the quarter. This
encourages growth mindset because it
signals to students that they will eventually
grasp concepts. Growth mindset
determines students’ motivation to learn.
When students receive constructive
feedback from teachers and students alike,
they are given multiple perspectives. This
Left: This is the second version of my lower level student’s work. This student ultimately alters their mindset to embrace
chose a different problem and coherently explained his solution in paragraph continual improvement. For instance,
format. gallery walks present a perfect opportunity
to exchange ideas on students’ work. The
Right: This is an updated reflection sheet that I will be giving students as their key to success for these activities are to
reflection for our next unit project (Johnson, B., et. al, 2005). Each step seeks build and model communications skills for
4
to address multiple intelligences. students to follow.
References
Costa, A. L., & Kallick, B. (2000). Describing 16 Habits of Mind. Retrieved from
http://www.habitsofmind.org/sites/default/files/16HOM2.pdf

Costa, A. L., & Kallick, B. (Eds.). (2009a). Habits of Mind across the curriculum: Practical and creative strategies for
teachers. Alexandria, VA: ASC.

Johnson, B., Rutledge, M., Poppe, M., & Vermont Consultants for Language and Learning. (2005). Appendix C: Pre- and
post-assessments of Habits of Mind. In Habits of Mind: A curriculum for community high school of Vermont students (pp.
101–104). Retrieved from http://www.chsvt.org/wdp/Habits_of_Mind_Curriculum_VT_WDP.pdf

Namelocamme. (2010, June 14). What is a habit poem [Video file]. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwIckU-lZJo (approximate length: 1 minute)

Richard, M. G. (2007, April 15). Fixed mindset vs. growth mindset: Which one are you? [Blog post]. Retrieved from
http://michaelgr.com/2007/04/15/fixed-mindset-vs-growth-mindset-which-one-are-you/