HTH Design Principles

Personalization

Common Intellectual Mission

Adult World Connection

Teacher as Designer

The Six A’s of Powerful Projects• Academic Rigor • Projects address key learning standards identified by the school or district and

helps students develop habits of mind and work associated with academic and professional disciplines.

• Authenticity• Projects use a real world context (e.g., community and workplace problems) and

address issues that matter to the students.

• Applied Learning• Projects engage students in solving semi-structured problems calling for

competencies expected in high-performance work organizations (e.g., teamwork, problem-solving, communication, etc.).

• Active Exploration• Projects extend beyond the classroom and connect to work internships, field-based

investigations, and community explorations.

• Adult Connections• Projects connect students with adult mentors and coaches from the wider

community.

• Assessment Practices• Projects involve students in regular exhibitions and assessments of their work in

light of personal, school and real-world standards of performance.

Academic Rigor

Projects:

• Address key learning standards identified by the school or district

• Pose essential question(s) of relevance to student

• Span multiple disciplines and subject areas

• Develop habits of mind and work associated with academic and professional disciplines (e.g., to think like a scientist)

Applied LearningProjects:• Engage students in solving

semi-structured problems

• Call for competencies expected in high-performance work organizations (e.g., teamwork, problem-solving, communication, etc.).

• Require students to develop organizational and self-management skills

Active Exploration

Projects:• Extend beyond the

classroom

• Connect to field-based investigations, community explorations, and work internships

• Require real investigations using a variety of methods, media, and sources

Authenticity

Projects:

• Use a real world context (e.g., community and workplace problems)

• Emanate from a problem that has meaning to students

• Result in a product or performance that has personal and/or social value

Adult Connections

Projects:• Connect students with

adult mentors and coaches from the wider community

• Expose students to adults with relevant expertise

• Engage adults in the design and assessment of student projects

Assessment PracticesProjects:• Provide milestones/checkpoints

• Involve lots of reflection for students and teachers

• Result in exhibitions and performances

• Are grounded in personal, school and real-world standards of performance

Powerful Projects Foster Significant Learning

• Projects connect students to the “adult world” and authentic reasons for learning.

• Projects require students to be active learners.

• Students learn important skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and communication.

Project Photos

Share the photo

Why did you pick it?

How might it connect to the 6As

Moving Forward

Develop an initial plan for the project

On a the poster paper: Describe or list: • A Passion• Topic or Essential Question• Product students will creat• Exhibition

Project IdeaPassion Topic or

Essential Question

Product(s) Exhibition

Surfing How do we communicate and protect our city’s visitors when they are exploring dangerous waters?

Ocean guidebook that shows the dangers in the water

Community event at local beach

Gallery Walk Guiding Questions

• What strikes you?• What questions do have?• What suggestions might you

have?

Gallery Walk Norms

• Hard on Content, Soft on People• Be Kind, Helpful and Specific• Reserve Judgment

Moving ForwardWrite a Project Description and List of Benchmarks-Once you have something down on paper, you can refine it based on your experiences making the prototype and expert feedback.

Make a Prototype-Whatever you want the students to make, do it yourself first.

Contact Experts-Contact experts in the community early such as local scientists, artists, or veteran teachers. They will help you make your project more authentic. They may also have ideas on how to exhibit your project.

Share with Others-Talk about your project ideas with as many people as possible: your colleagues, your spouse, your friends.