Building a Projecta Model Classroom Project brainstorming guide

with multiple starting points

● Choose your own adventure! - We've designed this to accommodate different starting points. Make sure to:1. View this in Presentation Mode2. Click the "Next Step" link on the slide rather than just proceeding to the next slide, or choose from the list of options.

● Orange boxes - the orange boxes highlight the part where you should take action! Jot down your rough ideas on a piece of paper, in a google doc, or wherever you brainstorm best.

How to use this guide

Next Step

Building a Challenge

Where do you want to start?

1. I want to start with a standard or topic I need to teach.

2. I want to start with an important local or global issue/ problem.

3. I want to start with an idea, or a topic my students are interested in.

4. I want to start with a space or place in the school or community.

HELP: If you don’t already have an idea, check out this guide for creating a challenge.

I want to start with a standard or topic I need to teach.This guide will walk you through brainstorming a project by starting with content standards, connecting them to bigger ideas and themes, finding real and relevant opportunities for your students, and coming up with a way for your students to make an impact.

Need help? Here's an example of starting with a standard [LINK]

Choose a content standard to start with:(If you'd like to connect Common Core Standards now, please do. This guide will address those later.)

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Bigger Themes and Ideas● What bigger themes and ideas are related to this content area?● What are the relationships between past and present?● How might you approach this content area from a different perspective?● What is the timeless message that goes beyond the content area - what is

the bigger idea - what makes it relevant● Look for larger themes that your students can relate to more, making

connections to today, think real and relevant!

Need help? [LINK]

List all possible themes and ideas:[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

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Ask Questions● Investigate the topic more:

o What are you curious about? What unanswered questions do you have?

o What parts might your students be interested in?

● What might your students do?o Ask questions to help identify the possibilities: use open-ended

"How might we...?" questions. o Think about making each project phase active and student-driven.

Need help? [LINK]

Ask questions about your topic:[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

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What are they are going to learn? ● Think beyond the specific content. (ie names, dates, facts figures)● What bigger concepts do you want them to learn? (Example: the impact of

war on a community) ● What soft skills will be covered? (creativity, collaboration, etc)● Does the project address emotional intelligence? (empathy, affective skills,

internal motivation, ecological intelligence)

Need help? [LINK]

What are your students going to learn?:[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

Next Step

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Local & Community Resources Think about networks. School is not an isolated place. It’s connected to

home, community, and the wider world.● Local resources & spaces What might be available? (opportunities in the

community, experts, institutions in community, museums, libraries, long-time local residents, business owners, media outlets, even experts within your school!)

● Online Communities: Can you identify and locate online communities that address your challenge or topic within your own community or in other communities facing similar problems.

Library & Media Resources: books, articles, web resources, media (documentaries, podcasts, recorded interviews, etc)

Need help? [LINK]

List your local and community resources.[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

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Make it Real. Make it Relevant.

● What real world problem are your students addressing or solving?● How will multiple perspectives be involved in this project? (For example,

through a variety and combination of resources- like community organizations, museums, and experts)

Need help? [LINK]

How will your project make it real and relevant for your students?[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

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What standards will your project cover? Revisit the original content standard(s)/ topic you selected. Based on your brainstorming, are you covering additional standards? Along with content standards, what Common Core Learning Standards

does your project address?

Need help? [LINK]

What standards will your project cover?

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I want to start with an important local or global issue.This guide will walk you through brainstorming a project by starting with a local or global issue, connecting it to bigger ideas and themes, addressing standards, finding real and relevant parts for your students, and coming up with a way for your students to make an impact.

Need help? Here's an example [LINK]

Choose a local issue

Next Step

Choose a global issue(UN list of global issues)

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Local Issue: Exploring Larger Themes and Ideas:● Think about the complexity of your issue.

o What is this local issue really about? How does it connect to other issues? (Example, if the issue is hunger, it also relates to food distribution, the environment, the economy, and much more).

o These larger issues may be the topics that your students can relate to more, think real and relevant!

● What are the differing local perspectives on the issue? How might these be built-in? (Example: Think about the hunger issue from the perspective of a local farmer, a single parent, and a store owner)

Need help? Here's an example of starting with a local issue. [LINK]

Define the complexity of your issue.Identify the larger themes and local perspectives.

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Global Issue: Exploring Larger Themes and Ideas:● Describe in your own words what this global issue really represents.

o Think about the complexity of your issue. What other issues are connected?

● What specific examples of this issue come to mind? (Think about where and how people are being affected by this issue.)

● Are any of these examples local? o If not, take some time to investigate and identify.o What opportunities are there for your students to get involved at the

local level?

Need help? Here's an example of starting with a global issue. [LINK]

Define the complexity of your issue.Identify the larger themes and local connections.

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Ask Questions● Investigate the topic more:

o What are you curious about? What unanswered questions do you have?

o What parts might your students be interested in?

● What might your students do?o Ask questions to help identify the possibilities: use open-ended

"How might we...?" questions. o Think about making each project phase active and student-driven.

Need help? [LINK]

Ask questions about your topic:[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

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What are students going to learn? ● What bigger concepts do you want them to learn? (Example Issue:

endangered animals; bigger concept = impact humans have on their environment)

● What soft skills will be covered? (creativity, collaboration, etc)● What about emotional intelligence? (empathy, affective skills, internal

motivation, ecological intelligence)

Need help? [LINK]

What are your students going to learn?:[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

Next Step

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What standards will your project cover? What content standards will your project will cover? (Consider multiple

subject areas.) Along with content standards, what Common Core Learning Standards will

you address?

Need help? Here's an example of common core correlation for an issue-based project.

What standards will your project cover?

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Make it Real. Make it Relevant.

● What real world problem are your students addressing or solving?● How will multiple perspectives be involved in this project? (For example,

through a variety and combination of resources- like community organizations, museums, and experts)

Need help? [LINK]

How will your project make it real and relevant for your students?[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

Next StepSLIDES LEFT:

5

Local & Community Resources Think about networks. School is not an isolated place. It’s connected to

home, community, and the wider world.● Local resources & spaces What might be available? (opportunities in

community, experts, institutions in community, museums, libraries, long-time local residents, business owners, media outlets)

● Online Communities: Can you identify and locate online communities that address your challenge or topic within your own community or in other communities facing similar problems.

Library & Media Resources: books, articles, web resources, media (documentaries, podcasts, recorded interviews, etc)

Need help? [LINK]

List your local and community resources.[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

Next StepSLIDES LEFT:

4

I want to start with an idea or topic my students are interested in.This guide will walk you through brainstorming a project by starting with an idea or topic your students are interested in, connecting it to bigger ideas and themes, addressing standards, finding real world parts for your students, and coming up with a way for your students to make an impact.

Don't know how to start? For ideas of how to find out what your students are interested in, check out these examples. [LINK]

Need help? Here's an example of starting with a student interest. [LINK]

Choose a topic your students are interested in:

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Bigger Themes and Ideas● What bigger themes and ideas are related to this topic?● What are the relationships between past and present?● How might you approach this topic from a different perspective?● Look for larger themes that your students can relate to more, making

connections to today, think real and relevant!

Need help? [LINK]

List all possible themes and ideas:[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

Next Step

SLIDES LEFT:

9

Ask Questions● Investigate the topic more:

o What are you curious about? What unanswered questions do you have?

o What parts might your students be interested in?

● What might your students do?o Ask questions to help identify the possibilities: use open-ended

"How might we...?" questions. o Think about making each project phase active and student-driven.

Need help? [LINK]

Ask questions about your topic:[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

Next StepSLIDES LEFT:

8

What are your students going to learn? ● Think beyond the specific content. (ie names, dates, facts figures)● What bigger concepts do you want them to learn? (Example: School

Cafeteria; bigger concept = impact of food on a community's health)● What soft skills will be covered? (creativity, collaborations, etc)● What about emotional intelligence? (empathy, affective skills, internal

motivation, ecological intelligence)

Need help? [LINK]

What are your students going to learn?:[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

Next Step

SLIDES LEFT:

7

Local & Community Resources Think about networks. School is not an isolated place. It’s connected to

home, community, and the wider world.● Local resources & spaces What might be available? (opportunities in the

community, experts, institutions in community, museums, libraries, long-time local residents, business owners, media outlets, even experts within your school!)

● Online Communities: Can you identify and locate online communities that address your challenge or topic within your own community or in other communities facing similar problems.

Library & Media Resources: books, articles, web resources, media (documentaries, podcasts, recorded interviews, etc)

Need help? [LINK]

List your local and community resources.[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

Next StepSLIDES LEFT:

6

Make it Real. Make it Relevant.

● What real world problem are your students addressing or solving?● How will multiple perspectives be involved in this project? (For example,

through a variety and combination of resources- like community organizations, museums, and experts)

Need help? [LINK]

How will your project make it real and relevant for your students?[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

Next StepSLIDES LEFT:

5

What standards will your project cover? What content standards will your project will cover? (Consider multiple

subject areas.) Along with content standards, what Common Core Learning Standards will

you address?

Need help? Here's an example of common core correlation for a student interest-based project.

What standards will your project cover?

Next StepSLIDES LEFT:

4

I want to start with a space or place in the school or community.This guide will walk you through brainstorming a project by starting with a space or place in your school or community, connecting it to bigger ideas and themes, addressing standards, finding real and relevant parts for your students, and coming up with a way for your students to make an impact.

Need help? Here's an example of starting with a place. [LINK]

Choose a space or place to start with:

Next Step

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Bigger Themes and Ideas● What bigger themes and ideas are related to this space?● What are the relationships between past and present?● How might you approach this space from a different perspective?● Look for larger themes that your students can relate to more, making

connections to today, think real and relevant!

Need help? [LINK]

List all possible themes and ideas:[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

Next Step

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Investigate the space:● Find out more about the space or place.

o What resources are available there?o How has the space been used in the past?o What do other people think about it?

● What opportunities does the space present? Any new possibilities?● How much direct access do you have to the space?● What makes this space unique or special?

Need help? [LINK]

What opportunities does the space offer?:[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

Next Step

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Ask questions to identify interests and opportunities● Investigate the space more:

o What are you curious about? What unanswered questions do you have?

o What parts might your students be interested in?● What might your students do?

o Ask "How might we...?" questionso Think about making each project phase active and student-driven.

Need help? [LINK]

Ask questions to identify interests and opportunities:

Next Step

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What are your students going to learn? ● Think beyond the specific content. (ie names, dates, facts figures)● What bigger concepts do you want them to learn? (Example: School

Cafeteria; bigger concept = impact of food on a community's health)● What soft skills will be covered? (creativity, collaborations, etc)● What about emotional intelligence? (empathy, affective skills, internal

motivation, ecological intelligence)

Need help? [LINK]

What are your students going to learn?:[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

Next Step

SLIDES LEFT:

7

Local & Community Resources Think about networks. School is not an isolated place. It’s connected to

home, community, and the wider world.● Local resources & spaces What might be available? (opportunities in the

community, experts, institutions in community, museums, libraries, long-time local residents, business owners, media outlets, even experts within your school!)

● Online Communities: Can you identify and locate online communities that address your challenge or topic within your own community or in other communities facing similar problems.

Library & Media Resources: books, articles, web resources, media (documentaries, podcasts, recorded interviews, etc)

Need help? [LINK]

List your local and community resources.[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

Next StepSLIDES LEFT:

6

Make it Real. Make it Relevant.

● What real world problem are your students addressing or solving?● How will multiple perspectives be involved in this project? (For example,

through a variety and combination of resources- like community organizations, museums, and experts)

Need help? [LINK]

How will your project make it real and relevant for your students?[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

Next StepSLIDES LEFT:

5

What standards will your project cover? What content standards will your project will cover? (Consider multiple

subject areas.) Along with content standards, what Common Core Learning Standards will

you address?

Need help? Here's an example of common core correlation for a place-based project.

What standards will your project cover?

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How will your students share their work? Who is the audience?

● Whether experts, public, local community, school community, the audience should be integral to the problem-solving process, not passive.

Where might the students share their work? Consider multiple places.● Think outside the box - What makes sense?● Consider process sharing as well as product.

How can this be a call to action for the students and the audience? ● On a personal, school, community or larger civic level?

Need help? Here's an example of finding and involving an active audience. [LINK]

How will your students share their work?[Remember this is a brainstorm, there are no bad ideas.]

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Technology Capacity Check● Available technology (Computers, cameras, iPads, etc)● What is in your classroom or in your school?● What access do you have? ● Can students bring their own devices?● What social tools are allowed? Blocked? ● How might you work around or with barriers of limited access, firewalls,

and school policies?

Need help? Here are some examples of how teachers have worked with limited resources

Capacity check: What resources do you have available?

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Make an Impact: What are you challenging your students to do?

● How is this project a call-to-action for your students? ● Are your students addressing a problem they can do something about,

even if on a small scale?● Write a challenge statement to your students.

Need help writing a challenge statement? Here is a help guide.[LINK]

Make an Impact: What are you challenging your students to do?

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THE END... of the Brainstorming Guide

Now it's time to lay out the details of your plan! Use our template to submit your ideas to the Model Classroom [LINK TO TEMPLATE]

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