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1. Why Project Based Learning?
2. What is Gold Standard PBL?
3. What Does the Research Say About Project Based Learning?
4. Designing a Project
5. Managing a Project
6. Leading a PBL Implementation Effort
7. PBL in Informal Education and Summer Programs

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1. The What and Why of Problem-Based Learning
2. PBL and the K-1 Classroom
3. PBL and the 2-3 Classroom
4. PBL and the 4-6 Classroom
5. PBL and the 7-8 Classroom
6. Putting PBL to Work and to the Text

Appendix A: PBL Facilitator Do's and Don'ts: Suggestions for Prompting and Guiding Students
Appendix B: Additional PBL Problem Examples by Grade Level
Appendix C: Completed PBL Process Chart, Single Chart
Appendix D: Completed PBL Process Chart, Multiple Charts
Appendix E: Bibliographic Information for Referenced PBL Problem Resources

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1. Engaging Students Through Project-Based Learning
2. Project-Based Learning in the Classroom
3. Designing Project-Based Learning Projects
4. Instructional Technology in Project-Based Learning Classrooms
5. Instructional Strategies in Project-Based Learning
6. Assessment Options for Project-Based Learning

Appendix: The Relationship Between PBL and State Curricular Standards

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Project based learning (PBL) is gaining renewed attention with the current focus on college and career readiness and the performance-based emphases of Common Core State Standards, but only high-quality versions can deliver the beneficial outcomes that schools want for their students. It's not enough to just "do projects". Today's projects need to be rigorous, engaging, and in-depth, and they need to have student voice and choice built in. Such projects require careful planning and pedagogical skill. The authors-leaders at the respected Buck Institute for Education-take readers through the step-by-step process of how to create, implement, and assess PBL using a classroom-tested framework.

Also included are chapters for school leaders on implementing PBL system-wide and the use of PBL in informal spaces.

Examples from all grade levels and content areas provide evidence of the powerful effects that PBL can have including,
- Increased student motivation and preparation for college, careers, and citizenship;
- Better results on high-stakes tests;
- A more satisfying teaching experience; and
- New ways for educators to communicate with parents, communities, and the wider world.

By successfully implementing PBL, teachers can not only help students meet standards but also greatly improve their instruction and make school a more meaningful place for learning. Both practical and inspirational, this book is an essential guide to creating classrooms and schools where students-and teachers-excel.

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This student-centered approach energizes busy teachers and quiet learners!

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is the powerful, value-added teaching and learning style that hundreds of schools across the country have successfully implemented in their classrooms. By highlighting core concepts, practical applications, and sample PBL exercises in an easy-to-follow format, this comprehensive quick-reference manual empowers educators with the knowledge and strategies necessary to cultivate engaged, pro-active students.

The text vividly illustrates how PBL can enliven curriculum and lesson planning by encouraging students to play a more central role in their own learning process. It provides a straightforward framework for efficiently and effectively teaching problem-solving skills, tapping children's interests and previous knowledge, and making the curriculum relevant to students' worlds of meaning. Special features include:
- Comprehensive definition of PBL and its benefits
- PBL planning matrixes and sample lessons
- PBL instructional materials for easy integration into the classroom
- Detailed PBL problem scenarios specific to each grade level, with examples of how student groups worked together to solve them

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Increase achievement and engagement for all students in 21st century classrooms!

As school struggle to teach all students in a climate of tight budgets and evolving technologies, project-based learning (PBL) has emerged as one of today's most effective instructional practices. In PBL, students confront real-world issues and problems, collaborate to create solutions, and present their results. As students become more engaged with the subject content, their excitement for learning and achievement increase. William N. Bender describes how PBL fosters 21st century skills and innovative thinking with this collection of instructional strategies and assessment methods. He provides detailed instruction on how to
- Design projects for various content areas across all grade levels
- Integrate technology throughout the learning process
Use Khan Academy, web quests, wikis, and more to foster deeper conceptual learning
- Build social learning networks and collaboration among student teams
Differentiate instruction by scaffolding supports for the learning process
Assess understanding in a variety of formats

The text links PBL to the Common Core State Standards, and an appendix uses educational standards from Texas to show how PBL applies to states that have not adopted the CCSS. Through vignettes, case studies, and teaching tips, this practical and easy-to-implement resource provides guidance for what is likely to become the primary model of instruction for the 21st century and the basis for lifelong, anytime, anywhere learning.

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In the second chapter of this text the reader is given a fascinating account to consider involving the very early beginnings of project-based learning involving the formation of an art school in Rome in 1577. This unique look at the origins of PBL could provide educators with a new understanding of it's foundation, purpose and goals. Overall this text appears to give a strong but general overview of the process of PBL while at the same time providing specific examples of how to really use it in the classroom. The generalizability of the text allows it to be an asset in any subject/content area including reading and writing. Another unique feature of this text is that it touches more upon the issues of implementing PBL in relation to ones whole school and district not just one teachers individual classroom. This is good because teachers need to be prepared to consider the wider implications and/or consequences (good or bad) of their use of PBL in the classroom.

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The text starts off with a short introduction into what PBL is and why to use it. After this general introduction the book's content shifts to a focus on the use of PBL in specific grades. Those grades covered range from kindergarten to eighth grade. The focus on specific grades can be of benefit to educators who teach in one of them as this text will allow them the opportunity to learn more about PBL in specific ways instead of just general terms.

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In looking over this text it appears to provide a much deeper and wider array of content than the other resources I selected to be a part of this project. The table of contents shows that the author went to great lengths to make clear what PBL was, to provide research for it, to walk readers through almost anything connected to PBL (challenges of it, how to perform assessments when using it, etc.) and to give examples of it's use and the different aspects of it. Technology and PBL are also discussed, which is important as technology use in the classroom is only going to continue to grow. The book is broken down into clear sections which can help educators locate and focus on specific areas they want or need to learn more about. Sometimes informational texts can have multiple points of information all in one section and this can make it hard to identify information useful to your specific situation, I don't see that as being as much of a problem with this text. The information provided could help teachers plan and implement a PBL reading and writing curriculum or unit.

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Pros of his Resource for Pre-Service and In-Service Educators 

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Pros of his Resource for Pre-Service and In-Service Educators 

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1. Detailed - It covers a wide range of issues related to PBL not just one specific issue such as assessment or lesson planning.
2. Examples - The text provides examples of how the information presented can be used/understood. This can be especially helpful for pre-service teachers, new teachers or teachers with little to no experience with PBL.

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Cons of This Resource for Pre-Service and In-Service Educators

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Cons of This Resource for Pre-Service and In-Service Educators

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1. Lack of a specific focus - While the wide array of topics in the book can be a benefit, the fact that the text does not focus heavily on one specific area of PBL or a specific content focus could also be seen as a downfall of the text if the educator reading it is in search of help in how to use PBL in a very specific way. What PBL looks like in math is very different from what it looks like in reading and sometimes texts that provide information with this understanding in mind are needed.

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Pros of This Resource for Pre-Service and In-Service Educators 

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Pros of This Resource for Pre-Service and In-Service Educators 

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1. Grade Specific - While many PBL books present information in a general, all-encompassing format this book speaks directly and specifically to certain grade levels providing information and examples fitting to each. This can be of great benefit to teachers who are seeking more guidance on how to start or better their implementation of PBL in their grade level. It could also be of benefit to teachers who have experience using PBL but are moving to a new grade level and thus are seeking to learn how to adapt their knowledge to the new grade they will be teaching.
2. This book provides more than one example of project-based learning projects that incorporate reading and writing skills. And the examples given could be used to help teachers come up with other similar activities which could help to strengthen students in those specific content areas.

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Cons of This Resource for Pre-Service and In-Service Educators

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Cons of This Resource for Pre-Service and In-Service Educators

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1. Lacking Background/Fundamental Information about PBL - While heavy on real life examples of how to implement PBL this book may not have as much content devoted to the basics/fundamentals of PBL as other more general texts.
2. It only goes up to 8th grade eliminating a large audience of educators who work with students in the high school and college setting

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Pros of This Resource for Pre-Service and In-Service Educators 

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Pros of This Resource for Pre-Service and In-Service Educators 

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1. Wide Yet Specific - The content provided seems to provide a good general, overarching frame of information regarding what PBL is and how to successfully implement it but at the same time it provides specific examples useful to new users of PBL
2. Provides an appendix of specific PBL project examples
3. Talks about what PBL is not which can help teachers (pre-service or in-service) new or experienced,  look at how they are using PBL (or how they plan to begin using it) and weed out incorrect or ineffective methods.

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Cons of This Resource for Pre-Service and In-Service Educators 

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Cons of This Resource for Pre-Service and In-Service Educators 

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1. Grading is touched upon at various points throughout the text but one specific section of the text discussing  it may be more helpful especially to new teachers or those very new to PBL.

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This chart can be a very useful tool to help teachers develop a better understanding of how to structure and asses students learning when using PBL. It is specific enough that teachers are not left wondering how they could organize content but not too specific that they can't generalize the work to their teaching. One possible drawback is that teachers may not be familiar with or strong at using some of the suggested assessments. For example, if it is a new teacher who has never used reflective journal writing that is going to be another skill to master before he or she can use that as a part of their PBL instruction.

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This chart provides a wealth of guidance for what both the teacher and student should look at before, during and after beginning a PBL project. It is again a generalized source that can be adapted/used in any grade and/or content area. It's possible that new teachers (or those new to PBL) could struggle on how to guide their students along the project path. Students don't just automatically know how to critically look at and answer the question, "What does the project want me to do?" or "Can I trust the information I am finding?" (Larmer, Mergendoller & Boss, 2015, p. 104). This is not a completely self-sufficient source. Prior instruction will be needed over the content/skills it addresses before students can successfully use it as a guide on their own.

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Appendix A provides a short and simple but helpful list of ways to help guide students when using PBL. As teachers who are used to the more traditional lecture style method of teaching it can be hard to give our students the freedom to struggle. It can be difficult to go from questions that typically have one straightforward answer to open-ended, discussion like questions. This Do section of the appendix gives examples of such questions that can help a teacher get started and provide a guide to create more open-ended questions of their own.

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This chart is a great, simple guide on how one could evaluate all or part of a project-based learning project. Each section could easily be adapted to fit any grade and/or content area. It helps give educators an idea of what they could assess in regards to their students work. A downside could be that it's effectiveness may be lessened depending on your schools grading/assessment policy. If you have a strict way in which you are required to evaluate and grade student work that conflicts with this than it will not be an effective tool.

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Technology changes so quickly that while the inclusion of these online resources in the text is thoughtful on the part of the author it really is lacking in terms of long-term applicability. Online resources come and go so quickly, far more quickly than a book is able to stay up to date with. Instead of providing specific websites a better idea may have been to provide more permanent online resources that a teacher could use to then find specific content related websites.  For example instead of posting a specific educational gaming website (which could be gone quickly or soon become outdated) you could provide a website/resource  that follows and keeps users updated on the most recent educational gaming websites.

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The "Don't" section of this chart seems to be lacking in that is feels like a repeat of some points from the "Do" section just stated in the negative tense. Perhaps if the author had provided specific examples of what not to do along with the general statement it would be a more helpful resource. In fact both the "Do" and "Don't" section could be stronger if specific, real-life classroom examples of how to follow each point were given.