Project Based Learning to Enhance 21st
Century SkillsPhiladelphia Academies, Inc
NAF ConferenceJuly 13, 2010
Opening Activity
Constructivist Protocol National School Reform Faculty
OBJECTIVE: To gain a deeper understanding of what a student who is prepared for post-secondary opportunities looks like
Individual Brainstorm
Think of a student that you saw graduate and knew would be successful either in college or the workforce
Guiding Questions What about that student (what
characteristics) made him/her seem likely to be successful?
Did he/she have the support of mentors/peers/teachers? What did that look like?
Did he/she tend to work alone or with other people?
Was it hard for him/her to reach success? Easy? Risky? Safe?
What motivated him/her to do well?
Small Group Share Out Each person should share out about
their student Group members are allowed to ask
clarifying questions After everyone has shared, group
should compile list of characteristics, based on the guiding questions, that describe: High School Graduate Prepared to Go to
College or Into Workforce
Full Group Share Out
What do we see? Any surprises?Do all of our students look this
way? Why or why not?What does this mean for our work
as practitioners in a school?
21st Century SkillsBasic
Knowledge English language
(spoken) Reading
comprehension (English)
Writing in English
Mathematics & Science
Government & Economics
Humanities/Arts Foreign
Languages History/
Geography
21st Century SkillsApplied Skills
Critical thinking Oral
Communications Written
Communications Teamwork/
Collaboration Diversity
Info. Tech.
Application Leadership Creativity/
Innovation Lifelong
Learning Professionalism Ethics/Social
Responsibility
Project Based Learning
Orange Activity In your group, come up with as
many different lessons as possible that you could teach with your item.
What did you come up with? What 21st Century Skills are
developed during this lesson?
Our Solution
Project Based Learning British Math Study in 1997
Three times as many students in the PBL school received the top grade on the national math exam
Challenge 2000 Study found increased student
engagement, greater responsibility for learning, increased peer collaboration, and greater achievement gains by students labeled “low level learners.”
How Do I…
Teachers interested in the skills, but concerned about how they could be implemented within the constraints of the core curriculum.
Why Ford PAS?
“Learning Pillars” = 21st Century Skills Academically rigorous Standards-based Collaborative Project-and-inquiry based
Modules available online, free of cost
Technical assistance hubs around the country can offer PD and support with integration
About the company…
Product Distribution: Acme Soft Drinks are available in the United States, Europe, Japan, and China
Current Products: Retro Root Beer, Super Orange Fizz, Extreme Cola
Number of Employees: 1,000 worldwide Manufacturing Plants: One in Iowa, one in Georgia,
and several other plants around the world Consumer Base: Young adults between the ages of
14 and 26
Acme Soft Drink Company is a medium-sized soft-drink maker with a strong presence in both the United States
and several other countries. Acme is unusual among soft-drink manufacturers in that it makes both soft drinks and their containers (aluminum cans).The company sells three
soft drinks, of which its cola is the most popular, but it is thinking of expanding its product line.
The Problem!!
Acme wants to expand its line by developing a new brand of soft drink for the U.S. market. The company is thinking about a lemon-lime-flavored soft drink.
Competition with other brands will be stiff, so its product will have to meet customer needs and be favorably priced. This new soft drink will also need an aggressive marketing campaign.
Many different departments at Acme will be involved in the development, production, and marketing of this new product, and they all have different concerns. How can Acme develop a new soft drink that will satisfy everyone and make a profit for the company?
Your Job
Acme is planning to hold a company-wide meeting to decide on a strategy for producing the new soft drink. Acme has asked members from the following teams to come up with a Soft Drink Production Plan to share with the company.
Corporate Citizenship Finance Marketing and Sales Production Departments
The Process
Work in small groups, by department Corporate Citizenship Finance Marketing and Sales Production Departments
Select one representative from your department This person will represent your department in a
company-wide meeting to make decisions about Acme Soft Drink Company
Company Meeting
The Company Meeting
What is Acme’s soft drink release date? What is the cost of the product? What is the marketing strategy and cost? How many milligrams of caffeine per 12 Oz.? What Acme Soft Drink Company use for
packaging materials? What is the packaging design (such as 20 oz
wide mouth) At which plant will the product will be
manufactured?
It’s decision time….
Reflection Decision-making process: Did one department have more
influence over the decision making process than the others? Were there some goals that took precedence over others? If so, why do you think that happened?
Learning from Teamwork: How did teamwork aspect
deepen and/or support your learning? Challenges of Teamwork: What are the challenges of
working in a team? What are some strategies to overcome the challenges of teamwork in the classroom/with colleagues?
Making the Connection: How does this type of learning relate to how tasks are accomplished in your practice?
Resources
Philadelphia Academies, Inc.: www.academiesinc.org
Partnership for 21st Century Skills: www.p21.org
National School Reform Faculty: www.nsrfharmony.org
Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies: www.fordpas.org
Contacts for Further Information
Jennifer Cardoso, Manager of Post-Secondary and Academic Supports: [email protected]
Michael Hoch, Site Facilitator: [email protected]
Kate Balliet, Site Facilitator: [email protected]
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