Activity Description: This activity is actually three different discussion-based activities to be used in a station rotation discussion day format.  It does require some prework with the double journal note-taking graphic organizer included in the resources.  This station rotation discussion format could be used with each chapter, a grouping of chapters, or at the end of the book.  If you are encompassing the entire book, this activity will most likely take several days.Time needed for activity: 30-45 (10ish minutes per station)Resources needed for activity: student notes using the double journal note-taking graphic organizer (linked here and as a PDF in the resources) paper for timelines or internet access to https://time.graphics/ or another online timeline maker, internet access to an online discussion tool like https://pinup.com/ or a discussion forum on your LMS.Assessment strategies:  See the attached rubrics for possible assessment methods.

During this problem-based learning unit, students will explore dystopian societies of past and in short stories in order to identify dystopian elements in today’s society.  In turn, students will have a choice between multiple product outputs in which they will apply what they have learned to modern day life and provide ideas of how to improve our society by combating these dystopian elements.*Students will need some prior knowledge of Nazi Germany, Civil Rights America in 1930’s, Present Day China, and Sierra Leone in order to make connections to why these societies have dystopian elements.

In this problem-based, blended learning mondule, students will investigate what is the single - most defining trait that makes  us human? Is it our highly developed speech, our imagination, creativity, or our upright walking posture?  Humans have mastered fire, developed tools, art, music, recorded our history, and accomplished a countless number of other things. In this module, students will explore genetics concepts regarding inheritance, natural selection, biology of the human brain, and our hominid evolution over the last two hundred thousand years. Students will utilize guided research, and independent work to formulate an argumentative essay, and substantiating their claim with evidence from their research. When the argumentative essay is completed, students will create a project from a choice board that demonstrates their understanding of one of the concepts of our humanity.

     This problem-based learning module is designed to link a student’s real-life problem to learning targets in the subjects of math, social studies and language arts.  The problem being, what route is best for me to buy a vehicle?  The students will prepare, research and present findings about their own personal finances relating to buying a vehicle.  The students will create two equations based on two purchasing plans they will be comparing.  At the conclusion, students will be able to decide which plan is best for them based on research and mathematical practices.  Students will present to their peers, teachers, administrators, and most importantly their parents in an attempt to convince them of their chosen plan.    This blended module includes teacher led instruction, student led rotations, community stakeholder collaboration and technology integration.

This problem-based learning module is students will be collecting their personal health numbers in a station rotation format.  After choosing their health numbers to compare, the students will create a scatter plot and line of best fit using class data. Students will do a gallery walk to compare their health numbers with their peers. The students will then create a presentation for a health fair to bring awareness to health numbers based on their personal findings and facts.

The growing number of electronics that are becoming obsolete is staggering. The responsible disposal of these materials remains to be a highly debated topic and is one that does not have an easy answer. In this problem-based learning module, students will research this growing issue and provide them opportunities to determine what actions to take. Students will then take their findings and use their research data as evidence to support their position. Groups will create a finished product in the form of a speech, radio broadcast, presentation or persuasive essay to help solve this problem.

In this problem-based learning module students will connect these standards to their personal life by completing a random sample from their environment in the area of careers to investigate to see if their own career is environmentally challenged.  Students will work independently as well as with a partner. Students will also complete a reflection in the form of a final product to make an inference and draw a conclusion about the population of their area in relation to careers.  The final product will be presented to their peers and teachers, but also can be exhibited to their families.    This blended module includes teacher-led instruction, student-led stations, partner comparisons and technology integrated investigations.

Do you need to teach -dge? I, personally, could never find any good resources on teaching this tricky, yet necessary, phonics trigraph. This lesson should take approximately 2-3 sessions. The design is compatible with small group, Station Rotation, or whole class instruction. I've tried to provide enough options to make this lesson adaptable to a blended learning setting, so you can do it F2F or digitally.

This problem-based learning module is designed to bring “Awareness” to students about being judgemental and pre-judging people.  Students will become aware of their own judgmental issues and develop a presentation that will bring awareness to their audience on the topic.    This module is developed with instruction based on whole group discussions, station rotations, partner research as well as final presentation. This module is created with the ELA standards of W.7.6, W.7.2 , SL.7.1 and the history standard of 7.16 as the focus.

In this problem-based learning module, students will investigate the following question: Does the state of Ohio suffer from “Brain Drain?”If so why is this, where are people going, & what can be done to stop it?If not, what is keeping/bringing people here?After researching and learning about some of the push-pull factors that drove 19th century European immigration to the United States, student groups will be formed in order research, create, and share their findings to determine whether or not Ohio is a “push” or “pull” state.After the launch activity, students will spend the first two days gaining background knowledge on the historical components and content related to the topic.  Beginning on Day 4, students will be grouped into teams to begin research and development of the “BIG IDEA” question of: Does the state of Ohio suffer from “Brain Drain?”If so why is this, where are people going, & what can be done to stop it?If not, what is keeping/bringing people here?Once the groups have determined their position on the problem, they will begin researching information to be able to share out their findings.The final products will be presented to an authentic audience consisting of District Administration (i.e., media relations), Local Administration (elected officials), and possibly, local Chamber of Commerce members

In this problem-based learning module, students will raise awareness about the amount of excess food wasted each day in America’s schools highlights the consumptive mindset that our county has.  Each day in third world countries, as well as our own, children go without the proper nutrition needed to focus on other activities. This module will raise student awareness about the amount of food taken from the service line and then placed in waste receptacles.  Students will gather and analyze data regarding wasted food in an attempt to design a solution to reduce food waste. Sation rotation will allow to conduct research into the global problems associated with the lack of food and malnutrition. Mathematical skills will be required to calculate rates and percentages of consumption which will be used for analysis.  

After researching and learning about the possible devastation that would ensue if the Supervolcano at Yellowstone National Park were to erupt, students will work together in this problem-based learning module to use the information to create a news report to inform American citizens of the effects that would ensure in the event of an eruption. When creating the news report, students will be asked to think of a way to capture their audience attention about the topic while still explaining the science behind what is happening at this site. Students will also take the role of a number of different characters (i.e. experts in the field, scientists, concerned citizens, news caster etc.), and show at least one powerful image to aid in telling the story. After the Launch of the activity, students will take time to explore a variety of resources about this topic that will aid them in answering the “need to know” questions needed to create their News. These items should be shared with the students electronically in a collective folder,  and students will be asked to gather the information at their own pace.Once students have completed their news story, students will present their final products to an authentic audience consisting of district Administration, and building staff members.