All of the projects I looked at had well crafted Driving Questions that hook the students. The best projects were those that the students had developed the Driving Question themselves!
What was clear from each example I looked at was that they were closely tied to the standards; learning objectives and assessments were clearly identified and communicated to the students. A good example of this was i-EARN's Find Solutions for Hunger.
Virtual School House: Tropical Rainforest Interactive Presentations http://www.virtualschoolhouse.net/r_o.htm
In this project the students, teachers and local experts work together to develop a tropical rain-forest in a disused greenhouse. The students had to develop a bid for the acquisition of the materials ($8000) and had to do hands on work to a deadline to construct the habitat in time for a public viewing. The rain-forest is now used by the students to teach elementary students about the importance of the rain-forest.
I am impressed by the ownership that these students take and their persistence in finishing it. The value the completed project provides to the community is inspiring.
This project makes me think about the rain-forest on my doorstep but don't ever see! Much of the rain-forest has been cut down and replaced with oil-palm plantations; it is sad, but the people need their oil! Students could replant the school grounds with the indigenous plant species to give the school more cover and protection from the Sun; this would be interesting and probably good for the younger students I teach. For the older students whose exam specification has several elements of plant biology tied to plant growth, conservation, DNA profiling, etc., I would be more inclined to have the students investigate the food production and sustainability of plants, particularly drought resistant species.
High Tech High's African Bushmeat Project: http://www.africanbushmeat.org/
The students developed a more effective way of using DNA profiling and PCR to identify the species of meat in order to help the conservation efforts in Africa. Endangered animals are illegally killed and sold as other meats; the students work actually advanced the efforts to reduce this practice.
I think it is amazing that students can have this kind of input and affect on real-world issues. I want to see my students use the techniques of PCR and DNA-Profiling to identify traits in plant species that allow them to grow well in dry and hot conditions. I am currently working on several possible university contacts that may help us develop our Driving Questions and allow us work alongside their teams in their labs.
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