This week I had plans to talk about my community action projects, which are project-based learning experiences that I assign to my high school students. Students identify a problem in their community, one that is personal and meaningful to them, explore solutions, and take action. I decided to try a more guided, but equally interest-led version of this project with my own young children last week, which was a supplies drive for a nearby animal shelter. 

In the midst of this service project that my children started, George Floyd, an unarmed black man, was killed by a police officer in the city that I have lived in and loved for most of my life.  The death of George Floyd sparked city-wide protesting, which evolved into looting and rioting. Anger and frustration has since spread across the nation, and even to some of the farthest corners of the globe. The Twin Cities, however, is where my high school students, many of them black, call home.

The project that I started with my own young children began to seem trivial in comparison to George Floyd's tragic death and the broad range of other issues going on right now from police brutality, to the deeper issue of racial inequaity in my hometown of Minneapolis, to the onslaught of covid on human lives and the economy, to climate change, and the list goes on.

My high school students, young people from MPLS and St. Paul, are living this. Many of them are out there, outraged (understandably), and want to be heard. These kids have the skills and talents to impact their community in a huge way, but channeling that in a way that is productive and safe is the challenge.

My students are thinkers, problem-solvers, artists, writers, creators, builders, and speakers. They are amazing with technology, in a way that no other generation is. They have the capacity to spread information widely and rapidly. They are young and passionate and have the skills and heart to utilize their amazing talents and abilities into making grand changes in their communities. I urge anyone who is reading this to listen to the young. They have ideas. They have good ones. Look at their artwork, listen to their speeches, read their stories. They have statements to make, ones that need to be heard.

I went to the epicenter of the riots yesterday to help clean up after the aftermath. The size of the cleanup crew and number of peaceful protesters was enormous, and those effort were largely run by young people. There are ways to help that don't require burning down small businesses or violence. Students can organize cleanups, make statements through artistic expression, and organize peaceful protests. Students can get involved in changing legislation. They can call their legislators, organize meetings, and play a role in passing critical legislative reform that has been bypassed for so long. They can tell their stories and share insight about their communities with videos and writing. Students CAN DO something. They CAN make change. “Blah blah said in fact the only people that ever did”. 

Send your students off this summer with a mission to change the world in a positive way, even if it’s a small change. It doesn’t have to be about this issue. It doesn’t  have to be about climate Change. It can. But it can also be about cats, a cross walk that needs to be put in your neihhborhoood, or something specific to their block or neighborhood, etc. It does have to be personal, relevant and interesting to the student. Ask them to choose one issue, research it, explore solutions, and do something about it. Check out some example projects below, all of which have been done by my high school students. 

My Kids Project: 

A cat has been frequenting our backyard for the past two weeks. My six-year-old son has made it his personal mission to "save" this cat, but I won't let him keep it. I asked him how we could still help without the cat moving in with us. He suggested building a shelter to protect the cat from storms, cold, and predators. 

​As we were looking for a shelter design, we came upon a "wish list" of items needed for our local animal shelter. My son organized a drive, created his own fliers, made signs for his collection bins, added a post to our neighborhood Facebook group, and made his own cat toys. We dropped off several bags full of donations from community members. This is an example of a community action project. My son made a positive impact on his community based on his own interests and passions.

Since schools have been closed I have been doing weekly experiential learning activities with my own children that revolve around a theme. Last week we focused on pollinators, for example. You can head back a post or two to check those out. 

This week we focused on maker projects of all kinds, which was initiated by my kindergartener. We were on a walk and we came across what looked like a a table that once held a grill. It was in rough shape and was out on the curb to be thrown out. My son has been wanting a station for all of his science gear, so he thought we could turn this piece of trash on the curb into a science lab. So we did, and thus a new interest was born: turning trash to treasure.

One of my favorite things about maker projects is that they do not have to be expensive. They don't have to cost a dime, in fact. I have done maker projects with my high schools students forever, and usually use materials that I have sitting around. In the case with my own children, we used only what we had in our home or what others were giving away. The only thing this past week that I had to buy was straps to hang our tree swing. 

Making, particularly when on the cheap, is an awesome way to gain content knowledge AND build important skills such as problem solving. The maker project ideas listed below, and the ones that I did with my own children, can be modified to fit all ages and skill levels. I also have a variety of maker projects for high school students at my store on TPT. Check those out here. Make sure to check out my maker project tool kit, which provides the guiding materials for an unlimited number of self-directed maker projects for high school students. It includes a digital and printable version.

Have an amazing summer making! 

Check out other posts from Experiential Learning Depot for more tips, tricks, and ideas on maker education. You can also check out how to add design thinking to your curriculum. 

DIY Kids' Science Lab

Like I said, we basically went on a treasure hunt through alleys in our neighborhood and came across this awesome table. It was junk when we found it, but we easily cleaned it up, painted it, and added some science flare to spice it up. 

DIY Palette Tree Swing

All you need for this activity is an old palette, paint, cushions, and rope. I purchased additional straps to hang our swing because it the branch is uneven. The palette was on the side of the road, the rope and paint we had sitting around, and the cushions came from our patio set that hasn't been used in years. If you feel more comfortable having specific instructions, check out palette swings on Pinterest. ​

Since schools have been closed I have been working with my young children while simultaneously working on high school experiential curriculum. My child is required to sit at his computer much of the day to work on his school assignments, so to break up the monotony, I have been adding experiential learning activities to the day. Everyday we do a hands-on, subject-integrated, activity that follows a theme for the week. I have been adding those experiences and schedules here to inspire other parents and teachers in the same situation. I have also been adding modification ideas, particularly for high school students. Click on April for Part 1. 

This is an awesome time of year to study pollinators in my neck of the woods. It's spring in the northern United States. Some pollinators are in the middle of lengthy migrations or are just arriving. Spring flowers are blooming. On top of that, we're all feeling really cooped up by this point and are needing some hands-on learning activities to keep us going. My kids do, anyway, and so do I, frankly. 

The great thing about this week's schedule is that every activity can be done from home or outdoors. Even in urban areas. Hopefully you can step into a courtyard or take stroll down the block.  The only activity this week that helps to have access to some wildlife is the citizen science experience. I'll offer some modifications below. The others can be done indoors, although, I highly recommend trying to take them outside if that is an option. Good luck!

Monday: Pollinator Simulation

I chose honeybees as the pollinator for this experience with my own young children. They are three and six. I also planned the simulation. We started by observing the apple trees in our yard. They are just starting to flower so my kids were able to observe some of the reproductive parts of a plant such as the stamen and stigma. I made flower models for three separate apple trees, which is the situation on our block. My kids made bees out of cotton swabs and learned how bees cross-pollinate apple trees by carrying pollen from anther to stigma. I used the colorful sugar from Fun Dip as my pollen. 

Modifications: Older students can turn this into a PBL experience by choosing a pollinator of interest, researching that pollinator, and creating their own interactive simulation on the mechanism of pollination by the pollinator that they choose to study. They could create a stop-motion animation, make a moving model, or even design and build a physical interactive simulation like I did for my own children. Check out my project-based learning tool kit to guide learners through this process. 

Tuesday: Citizen Science

There are so many interesting citizen science projects out there that specifically focus on pollinators. Each citizen science project can be catered to work for a variety of ages and skill levels. My kids and I participated in Bumble Bee Watch. I wasn't sure if my kids would like it, thinking they may be do young to understand it. But my son loved the idea that his findings were sent to and used by real scientists. My daughter loved the process of finding bumble bees in nature and identifying them on the citizen science project page.

​Check out iNaturalist for a variety of options. What citizen science project you do will depend on your geographical location, your access to natural areas, and time of year. For more citizen science project ideas head to my citizen science blog post. 

Modifications: Consider having older students create their own citizen science projects on a pollinator of their choice. iNaturalist makes this possible. If this is not an option, consider turning citizen science into a project-based learning experience using the tool kit mentioned above. Another option is conduct experiments on pollinator behavior using my open inquiry tool kit. 

Wednesday: Design a Pollinator Garden

My children and I have wanted to make a small butterfly garden on our boulevard. My son and I researched a variety of native plants that provide food and shelter for native butterflies. We spent a lot time on the University of Minnesota website perusing flowers. He chose plants that he liked and drew out a map/plan for flower placement in our blvd. He worked on research skills, reading, writing, science, and more. We ended up building this garden, but you do not have to for this to be a worth while experience. If you do not have access to a plot of land consider looking into urban gardening. Try pots and vertical gardens if you have acces to a porch or balcony.

Modifications: Turn this into a maker experience for older students. There are so many benefits to incorporating design thinking into high school curriculum. I am working on creating a maker PBL resource on this very idea and will post it here soon. In the meantime, have older students do the same project as my son. They can choose a pollinator to study, research plants that support the safety, survival, and reproduction of their chosen pollinator, and design a garden. Older students can/should consider plant placement, needed distance between plants, the amount of sunlight required, height potential for plants, and more. Check out my Pollinator Garden Design maker/pbl resource.

Thursday: Pollinator Shelter

This turned out to be a much more interesting activity than I anticipated. Last year, my son and I made a bat house. He enjoyed that so much that I thought he might also like to make one of these trendy bee "hotels" that I'm seeing all over Pinterest. As someone with a background in wildlife biology, however, I know the importance of building wildlife shelters that are safe for their residents.

After my son and I did a little research, we discovered that many of these bee hotels are not safe for bees. In fact, many of them kill bees if they are not made correctly and if they are not continuously maintained. We decided to modify a cheap, not very safe bee hotel that I got from a gardening center not long ago. We researched safe bee hotels and how to care for them. We modified the bee hotel that we already have and created a "how to take care of a bee house" guide sheet. We posted our bee hotel and care sheet on our blvd for passerby's to observe and learn from. 

Modifcaitons: I have a maker PBL project on this exact experience that is geared toward high school students - Build a Wildlife Shelter. Another great option is doing community action projects. These projects are a cool mix between problem-based learning and service learning. In our research on bees we came across a pretty serious problem. Our final product, in a sense, was the result of a community action project. We identified a problem and worked toward solving the problem. Check out my community action project tool kit. 

In the picture below my daughter is inserting paper straws into the tubes so that they can be removed and swapped out occassionally for cleaner straws. This reduces the chance of pathogens taking over the shelter, and causing potential harm to the bees. I've read that bamboo, which are the small tubes in this store bought bee house, are especially susceptible to problems.

Wind: Wind Pollinator STEM

This was a really fun one! I have my high school students do a cool STEM challenge on this topic to learn about adaptations. I attempted to have my own children to the same thing, but it turned into a more age appropriate activity, which was designing their own plants. My kids love to do anything that involves grabbing whatever crafting materials are around and making something out of it all. They made their own plants out of recyclables and crafting materials, each with a stamen and stigma to show the parts necessary for cross-pollination. 

Modifications: My older students do the same thing, create plant models, that cross-pollinate using wind (anemophily). They design models, make a prototype, test their prototypes, make adjustments, etc. until they have a final product that effectively cross-pollinates using wind. Check out my resource - STEM Challenge: Wind Pollinator Adaptations. This resource is alined with NGSS and focuses on the concept of beneficial hertiable traits, in this case, as they pertain to plants that pollinate with wind.

Monday: Water Transport Demonstration

You've probably seen or tried the classic celery demo, where you place the celery in food-colored water, and observe as the celery leaves slowly take on the color of the water. The purpose of this activity is to demonstrate water transport from the stem to the leaves via xylem.

I tried this activity with my own children, but we used a variety of plants - celery, kale, a tree branch, asparagus, and a branch from a bush in our yard - which we then observed and recorded the similarities and differences between them.  Try this with whatever plants you have on hand. Practice using senses to make observations. Pull out your magnifying glasses. Pair the experience by making a model of xylem and phloem using straws, toothpicks, toilet paper roles, etc. if you wish. 

Modifications: This is a great opportunity for older students to conduct open-inquiry investigations. They can develop their own questions based on their observations, and design and conduct their own experiments. Click here for a self-directed scientific inquiry tool kit (printable and Google Classroom digital version included). 

Tuesday: Green Sun Butter Cookies

Chlorophyll is an important plant feature. It's vital for photosynthesis. Chlorophyll (chlorogenic acid) uses light to convert water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and gluclose. My young children and I baked sun butter cookies, which are a beautiful golden brown color on the surface and green on the inside. What happened? Sunflower seeds contain chlorophyll, so when chlorogenic acid reacts with baking soda in the baking process, the green pigment of the chlorophyll emerges. For my own young children, this activity was mostly done in fun. But it is also a good way to introduce chlorophyll and it's function in a plant.

Click here for the recipe that we used.

Modifcations: Older students could take this a step further by experimenting with different ingredients. Chlorophyll isn't the only plant pigment. Others include carotenoids, anthocyanins, anthoxanthins, and betalins. Carrots, red beans, cauliflower, beets, sweet potatoes, and eggplants all have pigments in them. 

Self-directed inquiry experiments are always a great option when it comes to science topics. Look for my tool kit link above. But there are many directions older students could take this concept, such as project-based learning. An example is developing unique recipes that result in fun science lessons for kids. The student could then compile those recipes onto a blog or webiste and share the link with parents and teachers. This ONE example of project-based learning. The options are endless when you have the right guiding materials for self-directed PBL. Check out my self-directed project-based learning tool kit here (printable and digital options).

Wednesday: Grow and Experiment

We sprouted dry pinto beans from the grocery store using a plastic bag and a wet paper towel (instructions). But we didnt' stop there. Once the seeds sprouted, we planted the seeds, and added a couple of experiments to the mix to hammer in plant  parts and requirements for growth. One of our experiments was on different types of soil and their affect on plant growth rates. The other experiment was similar, but we changed the amount of water added to the plants vs. the types of soil. This was a good opportunity to talk about the nature of science and experimental design. 

Modifications: Because my kids are so young, I setup and directed their experiments. My kids made predictions, observations, practiced taking measurments and graphing, and more. But older students could self-direct these experiences and elaborate significantly, focusing on skill and age appropriate content. For an environmental science class, for example, they might test the growth or success rates of plants using different types of fertilizers. They could then connect their results to a larger problem-based learning or community action project on water pollution. 

My experiential water pollution bundle includes a scientific inquiry and problem-based learning activity on fertilizers, as well as a community action project. Each resource in this bundle can be purchased independently as well. 

Thursday: Phototropism Maze

This is such a cool experience to observe directional growth of a plant toward light; otherwise known as phototropism. There are so many ways to see this phenomenon first hand, but one way is to create a maze in a box and block out all light except for one small opening at the top of the maze. Check out our pictures below. The point is to see if the plant will change direction and grow toward the light. You could do this using a cardboard box. My children and I used a cardboard doll house that we made a few weeks ago. We are still waiting for the results. I'll post on the results either when the plant reaches the roof or when it dies! Cross your fingers.

Modifications: High school students could easily turn this concept into self-directed inquiry experiments. Example investigations include how light intensity affects the rate of directional growth, the differences in phototropism rates of different plant species, the role that different parts of the plant play in phototropism, and so on. Check out my latest scientific open inquiry resource that guides students through self-directed experimentation ON the topic of phototropism. 

Friday: Habitats

Plants are such a integral part of the balance of nature. They are food for a variety of organisms, they provide essential natural services, and shelter. Plant communities provide habitat, which I wanted my children to see first hand. Not only that, I also wanted them to pay close attention to the dynamics and activities of nature taking place in a seemingly quiet and barren landscape. I took them to cattail marsh. We sat quietly and observed the habitat before us. We identified a variety organisms using this habitat for food, shelter, mating, and more. We then went home and made a moving model of the habitat that we visited. 

Modifications: This exact experience could be done by older students. They can be given a lot more independence and autonomy, but the general idea is the same. Check out my project-based learning experience on habitats.

We currently find ourselves in a very unique situation. Never before have we been required as a society to operate entirely by computer. Of course being confined to the home is not ideal for any experiential educator, but we work with what we have. One silver-lining? The opportunity to work on 21st-century skills such as adapting and problem-solving. 

As a reminder, experiential learning is doing; learning through experience. The activities are hands-on, personalized, relevant and applicable to real-life, and self-directed (click on "experiential learning" in the archives for more details). That is the key during quarantining; "student-directed". Many parents are trying to simultaneously hold down their jobs and home educate their children. What they need is for their children to be able to work independently with a little guidance here and there. 

Project-based learning, inquiry, problem-based learning,  and STEM all promote experiential thinking, and these are the resources I provide. I have been in the process of converting many of my resources to digital. I provide a printable and digital option for each resource. The digital option is the same as the printable, but it can be assigned, personalized (by students), and shared via Google Classroom. The resources listed below each include a digital option. 

To fast track to all of my digital resource, click ​here. If you are looking for something in particular, peruse the listings below. Click on the title to get to the resources. I convert more resources to digital each day, so check back often. Scroll to the bottom for free resources.

My young children basically played. They understood the basic concepts behind each activity, but it was mostly just fun, exciting, and inspired a passion for science. High school students can go about this the same way but add student-directed learning experiences to go along with their interests such as designing and conducting their own experiments around the questions that they came up with, or complete student-directed projects about their interests related to "mad science". Check out my open-inquiry and project-based learning tool kits here.

Dancing Noodles

The chemistry kit came with some science experiment ideas, and dancing noodles was one of them. You just add snippets of cooked spaghetti to a beaker. Add baking soda and vinegar. This is an interesting variation of your classic "volcano". My kids know at this point what happens when you combine baking soda with vinegar. So I asked them to make predictions about what might happen to the noodles if placed at the center of the reaction. My kindergartener could predict that the bubbles would cause movement. 

Candy Making

We make hard candy every year around the winter holidays. It's always fun and is a great way to talk about evaporation. This is a fun one to do with my students, too, to see what happens if you don't give it enough time to evaporate or give it too much time. We also tried gummy candy this time. We use this hard candy recipe.

DIY Bouncy Balls

This was a fun way to make "toys", which was one of my children's interests, and to introduce polymers to older kids. I used this recipe. 

Glow in the Dark "Potions"

This was a fun way to satisfy my kids interest in "potions" while providing a hands-on way to learn about density. I got ingredient ideas from this website, but didn't have my kids follow a recipe. They made observations and predictions and experimented with the various liquids placed in front of them. 

Natural Dyes

My daughter wondered how dress became pink. So we looked into dye's and decided to concoct our own out of plant materials. We used avocado, beets, cabbage, onion skin and coffee grinds to dye white socks. We investigated the parts of the plants that make the color and researched how to keep the color once it's been washed. 

This week, my children and I focused on climate and how it works. I do a similar "schedule" with my high school students with added scientific open-inquiry experiments, maker projects, etc. The high school content is more difficult and the expectations are higher. Head to Experiential Learning Depot on TPT to peruse high school climate science resources. I'll be adding an inquiry resource on climate drivers this week. Stay-tuned for that. I'm working on creating an experiential learning course on the science of climate change, so check back often for new climate resources. 

Update: It's here! My climate drivers inquiry-based learning activity for high school students. Printable and Google Classroom versions.

This was an interesting week to start this theme because in Minnesota we are going through a transition of seasons; winter to spring. It's still pretty chilly here right now, so some solar experiments required a little creativity, but we made it work. Check out our week and try it out with your own children or students!

Monday: DIY Weather Instruments

We made a radiometer, rain gauge, and weather vane. Watch this video for a detailed explanation. With my young kids, I used the radiometer to explain that the sun is a powerful source of energy. That's it. A weather vane is a great way to introduce the significance of wind when it comes to climate. A weather vane shows the direction that the wind is coming from, which can help make predictions about imminent weather conditions. 

We made these weather instruments the first day of the week because we wanted to record the weather each day. At the end of the week we graphed our daily records and calculated average precipitation and air temperature. This started dialogue about the difference between weather and climate. The weather will be rainy and cool tomorrow (short-term) whereas the weather this week was typical of Minnesota climate in April (long-term). 

Modifications: How climate works is a lot more complicated than what a radiometer or weather vane can tell you. I used these instruments to introduce the basic concepts of weather and climate to a 3 and 5-year-old. But high schoolers could grasp more advanced climate concepts such as how the coriolis effect, hadley cells, ferrel and polar cells, etc. influence atmospheric circulation. High school students can still make weather instruments, but should use it as an introduction or supplement to a more advanced activity on climate and the atmosphere. Check out my atmospheric circulation maker-stations on TPT.

Tuesday: Weather Vs. Climate Art Activity

Part of experiential learning is making it personal by identifying student interests and giving the experience personal meaning. My children both love to paint, so I had them use their love of art to demonstrate their understanding of the difference between weather and climate. They both painted a picture of each season and describe the difference between the weather tomorrow, for example, and Minnesota climate. 

Modifications: Another important component of experiential learning is that it is self-directed, allowing students choice in process and outcome. I do a lot of self-directed project-based learning with my high school students, and they choose how to demonstrate learning. Allow your older students to CHOOSE how they will demonstrate their understanding of weather vs. climate. Check out my PBL task cards, a collection of end product options. These can be used for any learning experience, not just this one.

Wednesday: Energy Experiments

The Earth's surface is what heats the planet, so different surface materials heat the Earth in different ways - some absorb radiant energy and some reflect it. Albedo is the amount of energy that is reflected. I set up a lab for my kids to test albedo of different surfaces. The purpose was to see which surfaces reflect solar energy and which ones absorb it. My children chose the surface materials, made predictions, did the experiment, and discussed their results. My young kids could grasp that different materials have different temperatures. They also seemed to understand that the sun is responsible for the heat. There were a lot of valuable pieces to this experience other than the science. My kids practiced writing, addition and subtraction, reading a thermometer, problem-solving, writing, graphing, and more. 

We then made our own solar ovens using Pringles jars (so many tutorials online), one wrapped in black paper, and the other in red. My son predicted that the marshmallow in the black container would cook faster because of the albedo experiment. My daughter said the red would cook faster "because the marshmallows will taste good". She's three ;)

Modifications: Solar energy is the foundation of climate science. It drives the whole system. The energy budget is a balance between the amount of incoming solar energy to Earth and outgoing energy out into space. If that budget is off, climate shifts. Older students can 1) ask their own questions and design their own experiments in relation to the energy budget, and 2) understand the implications that surface materials have on climate in real-life. Pavement, for example, would absorb more solar energy than would a marsh. How we manipulate the Earth's surface will impact the global climate. 

Check out my energy budget unit bundle, which includes an open-inquiry experiment. 

Thursday: Ocean Circulation Demo

This was by far my children's' favorite activity this week because they love anything that involves water. A LEGO water park was the byproduct of my thermohaline circulation demo. The ocean plays a large role in the global climate. Salinity and water temperature influence ocean circulation because salty, cold water is denser than fresh, warm water. This demo shows how the density differences put water into motion. This circulating water moves heat around the globe, moderating coastal temperatures. My kids understood that the blue water had salt in it. They also understood that it sank because it was "heavier" than the water that did not have salt in it. They loved to watch the demonstration and it inspired a lot of questions, which is always my end goal!

Modifications: My own children did not understand the bigger picture or how this concept applies to the ocean and climate, and I wouldn't expect them to. They are 3 and 5. But I would expect that high schoolers could grasp these concepts. Have students watch this demo play out in full and then move on to my ocean and climate inquiry stations resource. 

Friday: Data Analysis

We did several activities this week that required recording data and figuring out what it all means. We analyzed our weather data that we recorded each day, putting the numbers into graphs and learning how to read them. We also put the results of our albedo and solar oven experiments into graphs. I set the graphs up for them, and had my kindergartener put his numbers into it, with my guidance. They were both able to read the graphs to a certain degree to draw conclusions. For example, they could see from the graph that we had the most precipitation on Monday, or that the dark surface materials were the warmest. 

Modifications: As I said above, your students could do climate experiments as well, but should make their own observations, ask their own questions, and design their own experiments. For unlimited self-directed experimentation, check out my scientific inquiry tool kit (includes a printable and Google Classroom Distance Learning Option). Your older students should also design their own method of collecting data and create their own graphs entirely. 

I have been a high school project-based educator for 12 years. Trip planning projects (hypothetical) are always a favorite. It is a student-directed, interest-based, multi-disciplinary learning experience, that applies to real-life and offers opportunities to gain important life skills, such as budgeting. I have several free high school trip planning activities in my TpT store and a "Plan a Trip Around the World" student-directed PBL resource in my store for purchase (printable and Google Classroom option). 

My family and I were supposed to head to the Great Smoky Mountains, Asheville, Savannah, and Charleston in June. We have to postpone it due to coronavirus, but fully intend on visiting at some point. So I decided that this week's experiential learning theme would be "planning" that trip. We ended up focusing most of our attention on Charleston. If you have young kids, help them choose a destination and do the activities highlighted here. If you have older children, give them the self-directed learning resources and let them go for it. Check out what we did!

Monday: Travel Distance and Cost

The original plan for this trip to the southeast was to fly into Nashville and fly out of Charleston. Turns out that it is a lot of extra driving to fly into Nashville, and my kids struggle with driving. So, their task was to weigh the costs and benefits of different travel scenarios; to choose a fly-in and fly-out scenario that's cost-effective BUT requires the LEAST amount of total driving time. For this activity to be successful for such young kids, I had to have the scenarios ready. Before we started the activity I figured out the total number of hours on the road per scenario as well estimated flight costs. My children, then, determined which was the best case scenario by comparing prices and driving hours. This was a good way for my kindergartener to practice <=>, adding and subtracting, and decision-making.

Modifications: High school students can do the same activity. A high schooler, however, would research their own flight costs, determine possible routes on their own, and consider other variables. For example, if their goal is budget travel, they may suggest not flying at all, and take a road trip instead (in order to save money on flight and on site transportation costs). Then they would look at the cost of gas to see if that route is cost-effective and time efficient. The resources in my store (free and paid) guide this experience.

Wednesday: Plan Itinerary

My kids loved this. We referenced a variety of resources from friends that have visited or lived in Charleston, to Tripadvisor, to travel blogs, and travel guides. They researched what to do in Charleston (looked at pictures and listened to me read background info about each activity) , chose their favorites, and put together an itinerary by drawing photos and writing descriptions of each thing they wanted to do while in Charleston. 

Modifications: My young children chose a few places to visit in order to learn a little history and practice drawing and writing. This isn't a real plan. High school students should approach this activity as if they will actually be taking this trip. They should have a solid itinerary scheduled out. They will have to look at activity costs, location, transportation options, etc. 

Friday: Demonstrate Learning

At this point I had my kids compile everything they learned from the week into a "trip planner". I I put together a blank book with blank construction. They compiled their plans into the book, glued in photos, wrote captions, etc. 

Modifications: There are so many interesting ways for kids to demonstrate learning that go beyond poster boards. My students create trip proposals and present their idea to the school board for approval. Hypothetical trip plans have been compiled into brochures, blog posts, websites, and more. Check my post on final product ideas: 100 End Product Ideas to Demonstrate Learning.

We focused on simple machines our first week. We did this because my oldest child loves building, particularly with LEGOS. This week of activities on engineering included math, science, reading, writing, technology, art, and more. Look below for details and photos of our experiences. 

Tuesday: Maker Project

Maker projects start by identifying everyday problems, frustrations, or obstacles and designing a solution to that problem. My children wanted LEGO cleanup to be faster, so we each designed our own product that would solve that problem. Kids their age require a significant degree of structure and guidance. This kind of project promotes problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and more. 

Modifications: This exact project could be done by high school students, they just require less hand-holding. They identify problems, design solutions, build their products, test their products, make changes, try again, and so on until they have a functional solution to their defined problem. I have a Maker Project Tool Kit geared toward high school students in my TPT store, and recently added a digital version to be used with Google Apps. 

Wednesday: LEGO Math

I love this one. It has little to do with machines, but but children's love for LEGOS and building is really what inspired this week's theme. I set out a white board and had my children do numbers-related activities using LEGOS. My daughter did some color matching and categorizing by size, shape, etc. My kindergartener did adding, subtracting, less than/more than, etc.

Modifications: Older students could do fractions, algebra, angles, etc. 

Thursday: Stop-Motion Animation Using Simple Machines

I love this one because it combines so many concepts and skills in one activity. The idea is to make a moving stop-motion set using LEGOS and simple machines. My child created a storyboard, wrote the story, drew the illustrations, created the set using his LEGO pieces, and created a stop-motion animation. I was by his side to answer and ask questions throughout the process. 

Modifications: My child's final product was what you would expect of a five-year-old and where they are at developmentally. I could easily assign the same project to a high school student, but the expectations would obviously be different. I would expect narration and sound in their final product. I would ask that their stories be more elaborate with all of the essential parts of a story, plot twists, character development, etc. They can also be given more independence than a 5-year-old. As for younger students, my toddler enjoyed observing and assisting. 

Friday: Marshmallow STEM Challenge

The challenge was to get a marshmallow from the floor into a bucket using only simple machines to get it there. STEM challenges encourage mistakes, which helps kids build so many skills. You can see in the video that it didn't work the first time...or the second, third, or fourth time. When their efforts aren't successful, I ask them what they believe to be the problem and how they might fix it. They'd try something new or make an adjustment, and try it again. We went on like this until they accomplished their goal; getting the marshmallow into the bucket using simple machines. 

Modifications: My toddler loved this activity. She isn't old enough to truly wrap her mind around simple machines, but her tagging along, and even observing, allowed her to work on gross motor-skills, problem-solving, teamwork, and more. Older kids could do the exact same challenge, but work more independently. You could add to the challenge by asking that they combine at least three simple machines, and make the goal more challenging, such as getting the marshmallow from the floor to the table or up a staircase. 

I have a STEM challenge rubric in my store that is included in a self-directed learning rubric bundle for high school students. Check that out for unlimited STEM Challenge assessments.

Monday: Animal Inquiry and Mini-Photography Project

My kids learned about types of animals such as amphibians, mammals, birds, etc. by doing an inquiry project. They learned the basics from National Geographic Kids. Then I set them up with photos of different types of animals. Their challenge was to place each photo under the animal category that they believe fits the animal's description. Inquiry requires questions, questions, and more questions - from the students AND the instructor. You don't tell students the answer. You ask them questions that lead them toward making their own discoveries. For example, my child placed dolphins under the "fish" category for obvious reasons. Rather than tell him that a dolphin is a mammal, I asked him why he believes it's a fish, I asked him what might be different about the dolphin than a clown fish, and so on. He was able to identify that the dolphin didn't have gills, that they don't lay eggs, etc. 

The second part of this activity was to head outside and take photos of the different animals types in their natural habitats and create a gallery.

Modifications: I do the same activity with my high school students, but rather than categorize animal types, they group organisms photos by relationships. They create cladograms with the photos provided. As for the photography project, I have a high school version of this, where students do a photography scavenger hunt outdoors of higher level ecology concepts such as sexual dimorphism, symbiotic relationships, k-species, etc. Check out this FREE resource.

Tuesday: Storytelling

My son's teacher asked parents specifically to focus on storytelling. This is a great way to work on reading comprehension and writing while allowing kids to get creative and learn in an interesting and fun way. All I did was have my children piggyback off the inquiry activity from the day before. They each wrote a storyboard/comic that included at least one character from each animal type. My 5-yr-old did the illustrations and the writing,  and my 3-year-old helped him write the plotline. 

Modifications: Older students could do the exact same project, but their expectations would be modified. You could ask that they write a poetry book, a children's book, a magazine, etc. The options are limitless. They could make physical books, but I really like FlipSnack because they can share their final product link with friends and family and/or an authentic audience. They could also create animations using a variety of free online programs. 

Wednesday: Numbers in Nature

There are a lot of really cool ways to incorporate numbers in nature. We did a few activities that were age and skill level appropriate, one of which was to head outside for a nature walk and fill a bucket with nature items such as pine cones, leaves, etc. Then my kids counted the points on the leaves, measured the length of sticks, identified different geometrical shapes, etc. 

I also had my children read a book called "Lifetime" by Lola M. Schaefer. I had my five-year-old create his own version by numbering pages 1-10 and drawing that number of ONE animal type on each page. For example, page 2 had two dolphin drawings, page 3 had three spider drawings, etc. 

Modifications: I used to do a similar numbers in nature scavenger hunt activity with my older students, but they were out to test the validity of Fibonacci's numbers. The claim is that Fibonacci's numbers (0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13....etc.) are found in nature, so they would count the number of petals on flowers, points on leaves, rings on tree stumps, etc. Another option is measure the angles of nature items. 

Thursday: Citizen Science

I'm a huge fan of citizen science. It's an awesome way to learn science concepts while giving learners a sense of accomplishment and importance. Citizen science projects use data that citizens collect and report, such as loon sightings. We went for a walk around a local lake and tried to spot loons through sight and sound. We were able to spot one. We can then head to the Common Loon Citizen Science Project to report our location. We also created a backyard bird life list, filled our bird feeders, and count birds as we see them. 

Modifications: Some great citizen science projects can be found on iNaturalist, for all ages. That is my favorite citizen science site. Older students can add their own inquiry science experiments to their citizen science projects. Click here for an open-inquiry science tool kit. Older students can also create their own citizen science projects through several sites. iNaturalist is one of those. You can also head to my archives, click on "outdoor learning" and head to my post of favorite citizen science projects. 

Friday: Make Your Own Compass and Get Lost!

We made our own compass by cutting a small disc from a wine cork, drawing N/S/E/W on the the cork, rubbing a sewing needle against a magnet, sliding the needle through cork parallel with N/S, dropping the contraption in a bowl of water, and letting it guide us! I literally walked 8-10 blocks directly south and my children followed their homemade compass north to get home. I kept it simple to start. 

Modifications: Older students could really get creative with this. They could create a backyard or local park scavenger hunt for younger siblings. They would hide "treasures" around the yard or park, create a treasure map of the area, and have younger students use the compass to find the hidden treasures.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, educators and parents are scrambling to find distance learning resources that are easy-to-implement, free, and are more or less student-directed, especially when it comes to teens. Of course there are the obvious online tools such as Khan Academy, but that can get a bit dull really quickly. If you want to mix things up, check out my collection of go-to websites for secondary students. 

My background is in 9-12 life science, particularly ecology, wildlife, and conservation. I will start by adding my favorite teen life-science websites. Many of these organizations have really stepped up and are offering free memberships as long as schools are closed. 

I will continue to add more online learning resources daily or as they come up. If you know of distance learning websites for middle and high school students that you'd like to share, please do so in the comments. I'd love to get a lengthy catalog going.  Note: This is not a place to sell or promote your products. If you comment with a personal product it will be deleted. FREE online learning websites for teens only. Thank you!

About ten years ago I picked up a book called "Half the Sky". Within the first chapter I read this quote: "More than 100 million women are missing..." at any given time. This is because of trafficking, gendercide, domestic violence, etc. This quote, and this book, really struck me. I mentioned it, and the PBS documentary that goes along with it, to a few of my high school advisory students. They were interested, largely because many of the issues resonated with them personally. These students led project-based learning experiences on some of the issues and shared their final products with the school community. 

One of my coworkers was particularly inspired by their projects and suggested that we start a school-wide book club on women's issues. The interest, participation, and engagement was astounding, from students of all genders and backgrounds. Over the past ten years, since this book club got its start, we have read dozens of books centering around women - women's history, women's oppression, stories of achievement, books with powerful and inspiring female characters, and more.

Girls around the world are faced with extraordinary challenges on a daily basis simply because of their gender. Have your students read these books because they are relevant, real, relatable, teach empathy, and they're interesting. We also all suddenly have a lot of time on our hands with school closures. I connect these books with self-directed project-based and problem-based learning experiences, which is perfect for distance learning when we need our teens to be able to work independently.

Head to TPT to get your hands on these TpT resources - Women's Issues Community Action Project and Women's Studies PBL Project. You can also check out my free Start a PBL Project Cheat to help students design and lead projects on women's studies.

There so many great young adult books, and many books that celebrate and study women. I chose these specific books to add to this list because they are student favorites. Read all books yourself before reading them with kids. Consider your student population, their age and maturity level, backgrounds, etc. Not all books are appropriate for all students. Use discretion.

1. Sold, by Patricia McCormick
I love to read this book with my students because one of the themes it explores is the power of "education". This book is about a young Nepali girl who is sold to a brothel in India. It is an amazing story of perseverance. This book is not a true story but is based on the very real issue of human trafficking.

2. I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, by Erik L. Sanchez
Many adolescents can relate to this book. Although the storyline - a young teenage girl tracking down secrets about the life of her sister who abruptly passes away - is a little out there, but the themes throughout the book are relatable, the focus being on the unreachable expectations of and pressures on girls.

3. Renting Lacy, by Cindy Coloma and Linda Tuhiwai Smith
This was a breakthrough book for my students. This book is based on a true story (true stories), and takes place in the United States. Sex trafficking is a global issue.

4. Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls, by T Kira Madden
This is another student favorite. Many of students understand the writer's situation and feelings precisely because they have experienced them first hand. They are part of the "tribe". The book is so well written, however, that even those that do not belong to the "fatherless tribe" take something profound away from this reading experience. 

5. Girls Like Us, by Rachel Lloyd
This book is a memoir, a true account of the author's escape from the commercial sex industry as a child. She later founded GEMS - Girls Education and Mentoring Service - to help other young survivors in New York City. More student-directed PBL projects have come out of this book than any of the other books we have read as a group. 

6. The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas
This is such a powerful book about race, police brutality, self-concept, voice confidence, loyalty to family and friendship, and justice, all challenges teens face everyday. All teens should read this book, but I have it on a women's studies reading list because the main character is female. Her gender identity plays an important role in the story. 

7. Uglies, by Scott Westerfeld
Uglies is a book series that takes place in a dystopian future. The book chronicles Shay's required surgical transformation from "ugly" child to "stunning" adult. This book evokes dialogue about self-confidence and body image, among other things. 

8. Go Ask Alice, by Anonymous
Go Ask Alice was written in 1971 and is still relevant today. I first learned of this book from a student and it continues to be a favorite book club read. That is why I included it on this list. The story centers around a girl who develops a drug addiction at age 15 and runs away from home.  Although it is classified as a young adult book, there is strong language as well as graphic details of abuse. Read it before reading with students. 

9. Refugee, by Alan Gratz
Refugee is not even remotely centered around women's studies. The book focuses on three separate refugee stories that ultimately interconnect in some way. The three main characters are teenagers, one of which is female. Her story, although fictional, blew me away. So, this book is included on this list simply because of this character and her strength, determination, and grit.

10. A Walk Across the Sun, by Corban Addison
Another book about trafficking! I realize there are many of these on this list, but of all of the women's topics that we read about, my students are the most interested in trafficking. 

11. Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson
Speak is a powerful book about an unfortunately relatable issue; sexual abuse and rape. The main character, Melinda, is raped at a party. Throughout the course of the book she gradually comes to grips with what happened to her. She speaks out and finds her voice. This is an especially important book for young people to read, of all gender identities, in the thick of the "me to" movement. 

12. I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced,
​by Delphine Minoui and Nujood Ali
Nujood is married off by her father at age ten to a man in his 30's. This book is her TRUE story of child marriage, abuse, and her escape to freedom. 

The following books are not young adult books and may be too much for your student population. Each of these books was added to this list because they highlight the bravery, determination, and resiliency of female characters. And my students love them.

"Half the Sky" is what started this journey for me and my students. This book is not really one that students want to read through from front to back. It's not a story; it's journalism. While I read the other books with my students I pull quotes, statistics, and personal stories from Half the Sky. 

1. I Am Malala, by Malala Yousafzai
This memoir is the inspiring story of a young girl from Pakistan who strongly and vocally advocates for girls' education. In doing so she and her family become targets of the Taliban.

2. Little Fires Everywhere, by Celeste Ng
This book is not specifically about women's issues, but the book focuses on several female characters, all faced with a variety of female-centric conundrums from friendship loyalties to motherhood to female reproductive health. READ this book before reading it with students. You may not find it appropriate for your audience. 

3. Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens
This is the story of a girl who is abandoned by her family and is left to fend for and educate herself. It's interesting for students to follow along through the various stages of her life. 

4. Educated, by Tara Westover
This is an incredible true story of a girl's struggle in a violent home and the choices and sacrifices she makes to escape the abuse. 

5. The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood
This novel takes place in a dystopian future. In this patriarchal society, women are forced into a variety of roles. The book focuses on the perspectives of these different women and the choices they make to either accept their fate or gain their independence, and at what stakes. 

6. The Great Alone, by Kristin Hannah
I LOVE this book. I read this book with a few of my students, and the sentiment is shared. The story about a small family that move to Alaska to start over. The father, who suffers from PTSD, is violent toward his teen daughter and wife. This is a powerful story about love, parenthood, loyalty, friendship, survival and so much more. 

7. Everything Here is Beautiful, by Mira T. Lee
This is one of my favorite books right now. Everything Here is Beautiful is interesting book about mental health, several stories written from different perspectives. The main characters are sisters, one with bipolar. This topic highly resonates with my student population, but I believe it resonates with most. We have all been impacted by mental illness either directly or indirectly. Mental health is an important topic in and of itself, but I added this book to a list of books on women's studies because of its focus on sisterhood, motherhood, and women's health. 

8. 1000 White Women, 
I was floored when I learned that this book was based on actual historical events. 1000 white women is a really interesting book about volunteers for the "Brides for Indians" program started by the U.S. government in the 1870's. Aside from that mind-blowing foundation of the story, the side stories and pictures painted of a woman's worth and their role in 1800's America is fascinating. 

I'm several posts into my student-directed learning series now, and I'm finding that I may never reach an end. There is so much to say about it. Generally speaking, when learning activities are truly student-directed, classrooms are transformed as are students. Student-directed learning, in short, gives students choice, voice, and autonomy. This approach to learning provides students with opportunities to develop important 21st-century skills, grow in knowledge, and develop the tools for lifelong learning. These learning experiences can also be done just about anywhere: trapped at home on a rainy day, out in the backyard or school yard, on the road, or traveling around the world. The options are limitless because the experiences are designed and led by the students themselves.

The three learning tools of focus on this post do not necessarily have to be student-directed. They can all fall under teacher-directed if the teacher is making most of the decisions and directing the experiences. Guiding is much different than directing (check out my post to see what teachers do in a student-directed learning environment.) I chose the three learning activities that I did, not because they have to be student-directed in order to work, but because they have the framework in place to make student-directed learning possible and easy to implement. The following activities are great ways to start if you are looking to transform your classroom (and students) by way of student-directed learning. 

I have tool kits for all of my go-to self-directed learning experiences including project-based learning, problem-based learning, inquiry-based learning, maker projects, and community action projects (PBL + service learning). I have compiled several of these into a bundle, or they can be found independently at my TPT store. Each tool kit provides all of the materials to help guide students through student-led learning experiences, and helps parents and educators facilitate them. Click on the photo below to get to the resource.

1. Project-Based Learning (PBL): 

I have written a lot of posts about project-based learning because it has been my dominant teaching tool for the past 11 years. Project-based learning is when students investigate a topic or driving question, create an end product to demonstrate learning, and present the final product. What distinguishes project-based learning from other pedagogies or projects in general is that the community plays a large role in the research process, end products must be innovative, and presentations must be authentic, meaning the information gathered or the product itself should meet and impact a relevant audience. Self and peer-assessment is also important. For details on how to start student-directed project-based learning and for PBL examples, refer back to some of my other posts on PBL.

So then how do you make PBL student-directed? Give students choice in as many ways as you can. Students can choose their own topic and learning objectives if you have the flexibility to allow that. If you are restricted to teaching specific topics, then choose the topic and allow student choice in other aspects of the project process. Students can choose how they will gather information, which community experts they will use and how they will utilize their expertise. Students can choose how they will demonstrate learning such as creating a comic or building a website.  Students can and should choose their authentic audience. Students can even choose their own grading criteria by writing their own rubric or designing their own formative assessment. 

Teacher-directed project-based learning would mean you would be doing all of that work for your students. Not only is that a lot on you, but learners are then robbed of the opportunity to develop those important skills themselves such as networking, communication, and collaboration. 

Most of my TpT store is filled with various project-based learning resources. Many of my PBL resources start with a specific topic but give students choice in every other way. I also have a project-based learning toolkit that provides all of the guiding materials necessary for student-directed PBL that can be personalized to any topic. ​

The photo on the left is one part of the end product of a large and ongoing student business project. The picture is of skate decks for his skateboard company, all designs done by students. The photo on the right is of a student taking photos as a way of demonstrating learning. Photography was a passion of his, so taking photos to document his project was his choice.

2. Problem-Based Learning (PrBL): 

I love problem-based learning for so many reasons, but one is the creative solutions that students come up with. Kids come into this activity with a fresh lens! Problem-based learning is when students examine real-world problems. They investigate the problem, research existing solutions, develop novel solutions, and propose a comprehensive plan to mitigate or eliminate the problem completely. 

Again, problem-based learning has the bones to be student-directed as long as students direct the experience through a series of choices. I often introduce a problem and then have students choose how they will examine the issue, who they will talk to, resources they will utilize, collaborators, etc. They can also choose how they propose their plan.

True student-directed problem-based learning would be allowing students to choose the real-world problem they want to investigate and solve. This route is so interesting because even the act of choosing their own problem to investigate requires certain skills such as making observations about the world around them or recognizing when there is a problem at all. Students will get better at these skills the more opportunities they have to build on them. 

I just started a problem-based learning product line on my TpT site. I have a problem-based learning toolkit that provides the framework and guiding materials to do student-directed problem-based learning from start to finish. ​

I do a lot of problem-based learning activities on environmental science because I am a science teacher. I give them a water pollution problem about fertilizers (available in my store), and organized a field trip to a nearby organic farm to talk with the farmer about how she grows crops sustainably. 

3. Inquiry-Based Learning:

I use student-directed inquiry-based learning quite often because I am a science teacher. It's very fitting for science concepts, as one method of investigation is experimentation. Inquiry-based learning, however, is multidisciplinary. It can be used in any learning environment, for any subject, and any unit (if that's what you're looking for.) Inquiry is simply asking a question and investigating it through whatever means available and effective.

Again, inquiry-based learning is not defined by giving students choice. It falls on a spectrum, as I said in my last post. Feel free to go back one week to see my post on student-directed inquiry-based learning for details on how to guide inquiry activities. If the teacher asks the question, designs the investigation, and directs everything in between, then it is teacher-directed inquiry. Open inquiry is the opposite end of the spectrum where students observe the world around them, ask their own questions, and direct their own investigations. Guided inquiry lies somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. 

I have a few scientific open inquiry activities in my TpT store. I also have an inquiry-based learning toolkit with the guiding materials needed for student-directed open inquiry. 

Of course there are other activities that can be student-directed, but these specific approaches to learning have worked well for me. Project-based learning, in my opinion, is the best place to start. 

I would love to hear about any student-directed learning activities that you do with your students, or how your PBL, PrBL, and inquiry-based learning activities are working out for your students. 

Follow Experiential Learning Depot on Pinterest and Instagram for more on experiential education, and check out my TpT store for experiential learning resources.

There is a lot of talk about home learning right now (coronavirus school closures), and not the fun homeschooling where you get to hit up all of the museums when the rest of the kids are in school. We currently find ourselves in the situation where schools are closing around the country - around the world - because of COVID-19. Parents aren't sure how to keep busy or support their kids during this time. Classroom teachers are being asked to switch their curriculum to an online format overnight. It's not ideal, but as far as learning goes, you still have options. 

If you're going stir-crazy, cooped up in your home with one or more wiley kids staring at their computers all day, this is a great post to reference. Below I've listed all of the blog posts I've written that are relevant or offer ideas for hands-on learning activities that can be done indoors, at home, on a cold/rainy day or when a pandemic hits, without fancy equipment or tech programs or the need to sit at a computer ALL DAY. You can also scroll to the bottom of the page for links experiential learning resources that can be done from home.

If you're unsure of how to facilitate experiential learning, check out some of my posts on student-directed learning for tips and tricks. Once you get comfortable letting go and giving your child voice and choice in their learning, it's a cinch for you. Good luck! Please reach out if you have any questions. 

Learning from Podcasts:

This post is all about great podcasts for teens that are educational in themselves or could lead to some really cool learning experiences These DO NOT need to be done in a classroom. They do not depend on the cooperation of a group. Simply have your teens listen any number of the podcasts recommended here and have them turn it into a PBL project. You can find a lot of posts on project-based learning here, and check out my PBL resources at Experiential Learning Depot on TpT.

Student-Planned Hypothetical Trip: 

My students plan travel experiences for personal PBL projects all of the time. Although my school has a travel program, few of the planned trips rarely came to fruition. But my students love to plan them anyway, even if they are hypothetical. Almost all of trip planning happens online. On top of that, there is so much to be learned from planning a trip such as geography, budgeting, inquiry skills, collaboration, global awareness, and more. I have many free travel resources in my TpT store, all of which require no more than a computer and internet.

Ways to Use Google Maps in Project-Based Learning:

Google Maps has so much to offer as far as it's capacity for learning experiences. At first sight it seems that it can only be used to direct someone from point A to point B. But it can also be used to tell a story, to tell history, to map out a hypothetical travel experience, to put together a hometown tour, and more. And all of this can be done from a computer from home. Head to this blog post for more ideas on how to use Google Maps as an online learning tool. 

100 Final Product Ideas to Demonstrate Learning:

This large list of ways to demonstrate learning comes in handy for project-based learning. If a student is researching COVID-19, for example, a final product is what they would create to demonstrate what they have learned about that topic, such as creating an animation on virus transmission. Poster boards can get a bit tired. Most of the final products ideas listed on this post require little but the internet or basic office/school supplies. Print out this list and prop it up in a place where your child can see it. As they design projects, they can refer to this list, and add some new final product ideas to it as it as they come up!

Kitchen Science:

So much learning happens in the kitchen! Math, science, social/emotional learning, inquiry skills, and more! Cooking is a great way for kids to use their hands, connect with you and/or their siblings, learn a lot, build skills, and have a good time. It's also integrative and is a great way to differentiate learning based on skill level, age, interests and more. Check out these awesome kitchen inquiry ideas. 

Snow Day/ Rainy Day STEM Activities:

All of the STEM ideas in this post can be done inside with very few resources. It's amazing what you can do with some cardboard. Start collecting all of those Amazon boxes and toilet paper rolls that you've been stocking up on! 

Experiential Learning on the Cheap:

One concern about taking learning home is the lack of resources. You may think your home is not set up for "schooling". It doesn't need to be. This post provides a few ways to implement experiential learning activities without spending a dime. Some of the suggestions will not apply here, but many of them will.  Pick through what will work for you and your current situation. At the end of the day, all you need is the internet. You don't need a smart board, cutsie posters with educational quotes, a 3D printer, or even a regular printer! Experiential learning involves using the community as a resource. Students can do this through email, facetime, conference calling, and phone calls. Experiential learning calls for innovation, authenticity, self-direction, and reflection. All of that can be accomplished without leaving home.

Take Learning Outdoors:

These are trying times for everyone, especially when it comes to mental health. We are social people, so to "social distance" is tough for many. It is for my son, anyway.  Hopefully we can get through it soon rather than later! In the meantime, it's important to help our children get through the emotional and mental challenge of social isolation. I would love nothing more than to take learning out into the community. And although you don't want to be taking your kids to the community pool or the zoo where they could lick the hand rails right now, do take them outside! Go for walks in the woods, take in the sunshine and fresh air, get lost, be wild. Check out this post to learn how your kids can not only get outdoors, but learn in the process.

Good luck to you all, and stay safe! 

High School Experiential Learning Resources for Distance Learning:

Free Resources - Most of these resources can be used at home.
Inquiry Bingo - This is a game that helps learners develop inquiry skills using only a computer.
Current Events - Check out my worksheets to go along with the Vice News series. Each episode can be found on Youtube and the resource includes worksheets to go with those episodes and extension activity ideas.
Project-Based Learning - You'll find a variety of PBL projects, tool kits, and free guiding resources at Experiential Learning Depot. Students may have to get creative with their authentic presentations by sharing online. 
How Does Climate Work? *Bundle* - This climate science resource includes maker projects, inquiry stations, an inquiry lab and project-based learning that only requires a few basic household items.
Problem-Based Learning - PrBL is my absolute favorite learning experience to assign to students. It involves so many great skills such as problem-solving, inquiry and critical thinking. Students identify local or global issues and put together a comprehensive solution plan that tackles the issue from all angles. 
Student-Directed Tool Kits - This bundle includes all of the guiding materials that you would need to implement student-led maker projects, inquiry-based learning, project-based learning, and problem-based learning experiences. Students identify driving questions, research topics, or problems that need to be solved and design and lead a learning activity. 

I have been an experiential educator for almost twelve years. My philosophy of education revolves around authentic learning experiences that are personalized, interest-based, student-designed, and self-directed. I am an advocate for travel and collaborative community learning experiences. This means that learning often takes place beyond the walls of the classroom.

Turns out that student-led project-based learning is an awesome way to hit all of these points within the walls of a traditional learning environment, AND beyond them. When my students travel with school or personally, I assign self-directed PBL projects to them while they're away. When I pull my own children from school to travel, they also do some project-based learning. Students may have personal obstacles that keep them home for an extended period. My son, for example, recently broke his leg and was unable to go to school for almost a week. My students and children even do PBL projects over summer break to catch up on credits or simply because the process itselves inspires them to learn. 

Now we find ourselves neck deep in a pandemic. Amidst concerns about COVID-19, there is talk of schools closing down. Yours may have already closed, and now you are unexpectedly scrambling to prepare distance learning options for your high school students. Self-directed project-based learning is a great way to go because you can literally cover any subject. It integrates subjects by nature. PBL is what we assign to students to do at home if our school is forced to close in response to coronavirus. PBL promotes independent, productive learning, especially when students have access to the right guiding materials. If you've ever questioned or wondered about PBL, or considered implementing it, now is a good time. Give students the tools to successfully work through content in a fun, exciting, interesting, interest-led and independent way, while they are with you and when they cannot be. 

What Students Will Need: 

• Computer and internet - Google Suite is ideal (Classroom, email, Drive, Calendar, Spreadsheets, Slides, Documents, etc. - this is a great way of sharing work and having class discussions from a distance)
• Class website - In addition to Google Classroom, I recommend setting up a class website. Students can share or view project work here, visit the site for updates, get recommendations, and more. 
• Some basic household materials for final products.
• Experiential Learning Depot resources (optional) - students can do project-based learning without my resources. The benefit of my PBL resources is that they reduce prep on your part and provide all of the guiding templates needed for student-led projects. This is especially helpful for beginner PBL students and educators. If you are to purchase one resource, I recommend my Project-Based Learning Tool Kit. It would work for any topic. You could also check out all of my free resources for PBL guidance. Click here for ready-made project-based learning resources from Experiential Learning Depot.

Distance PBL Implementation: 

• Determine Content and Gather Materials: If you have something specific that you need to cover, consider the PBL tool kit mentioned above. You can write in standards or general themes that you would like students to focus on. You can peruse the ready-made PBL options in my store as well. There is opportunity in those resources to write in specific content benchmarks that you would like students to hit. 

 

• Off-Site Communication and Assessment: I highly recommend Google, particularly Google Classroom. Students can create final products that demonstrate learning using a variety of Google options such as documents, slides, spreadsheets, drawings, etc. and share them with you. You can add assessments (PBL rubric) and reflections, all included in my TPT resources. You can also set up forums for student presentations, questions, and group discussion. 

 

• PBL Process: 
  • Project Design: Students can design projects around specific parameters that you set or you can let students design and direct their own projects based on their personal interests, skills, etc., similar to passion projects, if you have the flexibility.
  • Connect with Community Experts: For a typical project-based learning experience students would be encouraged to have face-to-face interviews and meetings with experts in the community. They would be asked to organize authentic learning experiences with their community experts such as going out in the field with an ecologist for a habitats project. In this case, if students are working from home and that is their only option, they can still communicate with experts on their topic through facetime, email, or phone calls. 
  • Final Products: Students demonstrate new skills and knowledge by putting together innovative final products such as blogs, comic books, art pieces, etc. As I said earlier, G-Suite offers a variety of options. Students can make campaign fliers, advertisements, brochures, infographics, and more, using Google Drawings alone. Students can use any software that results in a final product that can be shared such as a website, timeline creator, concept map builder, blog link, a Canva graphic, a folder with original photographs, etc. The final product can be anything as long as it is innovative and can be shared.
  • Authentic Presentations: With project-based learning, students share their new skills and knowledge with a relevant, often public, audience. Bringing an interactive exhibit on tigers to display at a local zoo, however, would be out of the question in the case of coronavirus school closings. If this is the situation your students are currently in, they can still share their final products publicly. Pinterest and Instagram are great outlets to share graphics. Share written or video-documented information with vlogs, blogs, and websites. Students can participate in online art and writing contests, share work with local businesses to post on their websites, write editorials for online newspapers, submit lab reports to high school science publications, and more. I would also have students share their final products with you and the rest of the class using Google Classroom. Start a class discussion or evaluation form for students to complete on others' projects.
  • Reflection and Assessment: Reflection is an important piece of a project-based learning experience. All of my PBL resources include a reflection. Students can write their reflection answers using Google Documents and share it with you that way. I also have a generic project-based rubric that is included with all PBL resources and a student-generated rubric template. Students should self-assess using their rubric upon completion of their project. Once they have presented their projects, completed a reflection and self-assessment, you can assess their work yourself using the rubric and assign a grade.

I understand that this is a little doomsday-ish of a post. More often than not we do not find ourselves in this pandemic situation, thankfully. In my 37 years on this earth, this is the first time schools have closed, conferences have cancelled, professional sports leagues have ended seasons early, because of a virus. I would venture to guess that it won't be the last time, but that it will be just as rare in the second half of my life as it was in the first. Hopefully we all learn something from this experience. 

There are many reasons aside from home-quarantining that you would use project-based distance learning, and the biggest is traveling. Project-based learning is such an amazing tool to enhance learning on any travel experience, educational in purpose and personal. However, distance learning as it relates to travel is a little different than home/remote PBL. Travelers should absolutely organize authentic learning experiences, work face-to-face with community experts, and share their final product with a relevant, authentic audience either while traveling or upon their return.

Good luck to everyone, and stay safe out there!