iBlocks Project Based Learning Objective:

Geography plays an important role in how people live, beginning by influencing which communities occupy given areas. As Native American communities began to settle and adapt to their environment, they were challenged by climate and terrain conditions, such as dry land, extreme cold, or high mountain ranges, as well as natural resources. As a result, they developed patterns of behavior. Some groups resorted to behavioral patterns such as migration, while other Native American groups chose to use the land and resources around them to structure more permanent homes. In this Exploring Native American Culture PBL iBlock, students will explore how geography influenced the lives of different Native American communities. Then they will design and construct a redesigned model of a Native American home structure.

Here is a sample content standard for this iBlock:

Generate and compare multiple solutions to a problem based on how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the design problem. (NGSS: 3-5-ETS1-2)

iBlocks Project Based Learning Objective:

As a young child, you probably remember an adult asking you those famous words, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” As we continue through school, we learn about employment opportunities and aspire for a “dream job.” However, many candidates often become overwhelmed with the process of landing their dream job before they even realize if it is a good fit. In this Get Your Dream Job PBL iBlock, students will explore and identify how to determine if a career is tailored to one’s desired lifestyle goals, skills, and passions. They will create a vision board, build a portfolio, craft application materials, participate in a mock interview, and even showcase their hard work at a career fair! Students will definitely be future-ready with this experience!

Here is a sample content standard for this iBlock:

Integrate and evaluate visual and technical information (e.g., in research data, charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts. (NYS Next Gen. ELA: RH7)

Use precise language and content-specific vocabulary to express the appropriate complexity of the topic. (NYS Next Gen. ELA: 9-10W1c)

iBlocks Project Based Learning Objective:

Animals of all sorts are an exciting topic for young students, especially animals as impressive as dinosaurs in this Design a Dinosaur PBL iBlock! In this project-based learning iBlock, students will embark on a journey to discover unknown facts and features about different types of dinosaurs. They will learn about different dinosaurs and their features, and from there, design their own dinosaur and the habitat it would call home. To guide their design, students will research several dinosaur species and determine the features for their own species. Once they have decided upon the features, they will move on to the design of their dinosaur’s habitat. For both tasks, students will be challenged to add creativity through different artistic elements.

Here is a sample content standard for this iBlock:

Ask questions based on observations to find more information about the natural and/or designed world(s). Define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool. (NGSS: K-2-ETS1-1)

iBlocks Project Based Learning Objective:

The Earth-Sun-Moon system has been studied for thousands of years. The interaction of these celestial bodies impacts our tides, seasons, and perceptions of time. In this Space Systems: Create a Model of an Eclipse PBL (Project-Based Learning) iBlock, students explore the size and scale of our solar system and the phenomenon of eclipses. Then, students get to design and construct a model of our Earth-Sun-Moon system using 3D printers, and use that model to recreate a solar and lunar eclipse.

An iBlock matches skills to standards (like Common Core or NGSS).

Here is a sample content standard for this iBlock:

Develop and use a model of the Earth-Sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the Sun and moon, and seasons. (NGSS: MS-ESS1-1)

iBlocks Project Based Learning Objective:

The Earth-Sun-Moon system impacts our tides, seasons, and perceptions of time. In ancient times, engineers created some of the very first tools to measure time, including the sundial. In this Space Systems: Light and Shadows PBL (Project-Based Learning) iBlock, students will be challenged to design their own device to track time. Using CAD software, they will first design, and then 3D print, their device.

An iBlock matches skills to standards (like Common Core or NGSS).

Here is a sample content standard for this iBlock:

Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and theseasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky. (NGSS: 5-ESS1-2)