Experiential learning resources for the innovative educator
Do you need innovative ideas for projects that have creative end products to demonstrate learning? Sometimes we just need something to reference for final project ideas. This blog post is a laundry list of interesting and creative project final product ideas that students and teachers can browse for inspiration. I have seen students produce some pretty outstanding final products in my 15 years as a project-based educator. Many of those outcomes were produced by experienced project-based learners. There is a learning curve with project-based learning, and it requires breaking some pretty strong habits that have formed from prior training in more traditional learning environments. The biggest challenge for me has been getting students to think more creatively and authentically about how to demonstrate and share learning. Based on habit and ease, students naturally gravitate toward copy-and-paste poster boards and slideshow presentations. There are many avenues for student choice in project-based learning, and one of those is choice in end product. There are plenty of options to choose from, it's just a matter of getting students in the habit of thinking outside of the box. Scroll down for a list of 100+ alternatives to copy-and-paste poster boards and slideshows! This list applies to all ages, just adjust your expectations.
Interested in getting text messages from Experiential Learning Depot with exclusive deals, upcoming webinars, challenges, and more? Just text "Experiential" to (651) 390-9890 to opt in! If you're looking for a general PBL framework or direction for getting started, go back to these project-based learning blog posts: What is Project-Based Learning Anyway? and Implementing the Seven Steps in Project Based Learning. You can also find a list of digital project final products here. Project-Based Learning End Product Ideas to Demonstrate LearningPoster Board Alternatives: 1) Create a magazine 2) Write trivia (Kahoot is a great online trivia game program) 3) Make an interactive exhibit 4) Make a board game 5) Engineer a moving model (ex: demonstrating synaptic transmission) 6) Write a song on a project topic 7) Write a poetry book 8) Create a photo journal 9) Make a scrapbook 10) Write and illustrate a comic 11) Paint a mural If you are looking for a platform where you can organize personalized learning experiences, check out Spinndle! 12) Create a gallery (ex: photography, paintings, drawings, sculptures) 13) Hand-make a craft/artifact 14) Design a lesson plan 15) Make a video tutorial 16) Start a Vlog My students thrive off of anything video related. They love vlogging, making documentaries, creating video promotions and music videos. Truly anything that can get these 21st-century kiddos on video, they'll take it. 17) Write a blog 18) Make a website 19) Produce a podcast 20) Write a screenplay 21) Create a storyboard 22) Choreograph an interpretive dance 23) Organize a debate 24) Work with local legislators to write a bill 25) Make a calendar 26) Organize a mock trial 27) Make a 3D model 28) Make a documentary 29) Write a newsletter 30) Write a news article 31) Write a lab report 32) Artistically perform (dance, song, etc.) 33) Craft Showcase (Ex: handmade bags, scarves, DIY projects, woodworking) 34) Make a video promotion 35) Put together a career portfolio (resume, work experience, reference letters, evidence pages) 36) Create a piece of artwork that illustrates the project topic 37) Slideshow about an experience (works well for volunteer experiences, field trips, school travel, etc.) 38) Make a quiz 39) Write a book (biography, short story, novel, etc.) 40) Create an awareness campaign poster 41) Create a Facebook page (works well for characters in books, business page, or group) 42) Create a spreadsheet portfolio (appropriate for event planning for example) 43) Make charts and graphs (to illustrate survey results for example) 44) Design a t-shirt (school shirt, shirt that raises awareness on an issue, etc.) 45) Make a "Bloom Ball" (check out this fun example and bloom ball template) 46) Make a physical or digital map If you're looking for mapping inspiration, check out my blog post on Using Google Maps for Project Based Learning Final Products. Students can use Google Maps for a variety of angles including demographics, storytelling, timelines, and more. 47) Make a puzzle 48) Design an escape room 49) Design a travel brochure 50) Make a business card (Ex: for a character in a book, for a business, for volunteering, etc.) 51) Make a flier 52) Write a journal or diary (on a personal experience such as a health plan) 53) Write an instruction manual 54) Create a theme poster 55) Make a blueprint (floor plan for the setting in a book, one's dream school, interior design) 56) Write a petition Click here for project-based learning teacher tools and secondary resources. They make learning more engaging for students, teaching more exciting for you, and will save you a ton of time. You can also click the images below for those specific resources. Don't want to miss a thing? Text "eldfreebies" to (651) 390-9890 to get text alerts about all things experiential. And when you sign up you get access to my free resource library as a thank you! (Note: You will receive no more than 2 texts per month from me, and those texts will be worth it!) 57) Write a persuasive speech 58) Write a business plan 59) Record an interview and publish it 60) Create an online portfolio (for showcasing creative and/or professional work) 61) Create a billboard-style advertisement 62) Write and illustrate a children's book 63) Make a concept map 64) Write and perform a monologue 65) Make a simulation (digital, written, performance) 66) Make an animation 67) Create a timeline 68) Make a diorama 69) Make a diagram 70) Write an informative speech 71) Make a fortune teller (a hand-made origami game - one of my students added information about her topic to each square on the game). 72) Make a graphic organizer 73) Make a postcard 74) Compile a book of interviews 75) Organize and host a game show 76) Produce a news segment 77) Put together a time capsule 78) Make a collage 79) Put together learning stations 80) Design a set and give visitors a "tour" (great for a book project, ecosystems project, etc.) 81) Demonstration 82) Organize an event in the community 83) Create a professional quality infographic 84) Make a music video 85) Put together a handbook 86) Claymation 87) Learning activity 88) Child-friendly translation of a convoluted concept 89) Design and make a usable product - Ex: If the topic is on natural disasters, the student might design and build a life-saving device. Have you gotten your free PBL mini tool kit yet?! Go ahead and grab it! You'll get a planner, implementation spreadsheet, and portfolio for showcasing experiences! 90) Write a jingle 91) Make a puzzle 92) Design an art installation 93) Create a brand 94) Write a proposal 95) Host a school event 96) Organize a speaker series 97) A "_____ week/month" program/schedule (Ex: theme book club schedule) 98) Host a fundraiser event 99) Create a Pinterest profile and add boards and pins directly related to your topic. 100) Write an editorial 101) Create a memory book 102) Create a memory box (great for experiences - students build a box with visuals that highlight themes of the experience, then they fill the box with relevant information and artifacts from the experience). 103) Make a virtual museum 104) Create a learning activity 105) Design and create a greeting card 106) Write and record a kids show or movie 107) Make a moving model or diorama 108) Make a commercial 109) Host a conversation on Clubhouse 110) Create a Facebook group 111) Create an interactive "tour" using Google Maps. 112) Scavenger hunt Before you head out, consider innovative final products and widening the scope of the experience for your students. Non-poster board final products are one of many elements that make project-based learning what it is. But just because you have your students create innovative final products, doesn't make the experience project-based. I urge you to think about making the experience even more innovative and authentic by making it self-directed project-based learning. Grab the freebies above if you have not already. Then add my project-based learning tool kit to help you and your students get started on endless PBL possibilities. Check out the video below for details. Thanks for stopping by! Feel free to share your stories of project-based learning successes. I'd love to hear about some final products your students have used that weren't listed here! My eyes and ears are always open for new and exciting ideas. Thanks for reading! PBL Resources for Secondary Students: PBL Online Courses: Relevant Blog Posts:Let's be friends!
Follow Experiential Learning Depot on Pinterest & Instagram, Facebook and Youtube for more on experiential education. You can also check out my Facebook Group, Experiential Learning Community for k-12 Teachers for support and more final product ideas! Observe. Question. Explore. Share.
12 Comments
2/23/2021 09:59:08 am
What a fabulous list. It bypasses excuses for not knowing what a teacher can do to use experiential learning,
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Sara (Experiential Learning Depot)
3/4/2021 06:35:37 am
Thank you, Wayne. There are so many options!
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3/4/2021 03:01:54 am
Great post! Thanks for sharing the knowledge and keep up the good work.
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Sara (Experiential Learning Depot)
3/4/2021 06:34:08 am
Thank you, Brian!
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Sara (Experiential Learning Depot)
3/22/2021 10:27:37 pm
Thank you! I hope you find it to be helpful.
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Abdul Hameed
1/9/2023 12:06:29 pm
Thanks for informative list for students
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3/1/2023 11:02:44 pm
This is a comprehensive list of final product ideas for project-based learning, which can be useful for educators looking for new ways to engage and challenge their students. I appreciate how the author provides a diverse range of ideas, from traditional presentations to more creative and hands-on projects.
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3/8/2023 07:39:28 pm
Thanks for the ideas! If this site is any indication, you must be a fantastic teacher. Your school and students are lucky to have you. Keep up the great work!
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Sara Segar (Experiential Learning Depot)
10/31/2023 02:02:12 pm
Thank you, Michael! I'm glad you've found the ideas here inspiring!
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Blog IntentTo provide innovative educational resources for educators, parents, and students, that go beyond lecture and worksheets. AuthorSara Segar, experiential life-science educator and advisor, curriculum writer, and mother of two. Categories
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