iBlocks Project Based Learning Objective:

Despite the natural fast-paced read element to short stories, this type of literature typically contains the same components of a standard novel including characters, conflict, plot, and a theme. In this Building Literacy: Create a Short Story PBL (Project-Based Learning) iBlock, students will develop a short story using their knowledge of literary elements and work through the process of writing a story: character development, narrative arc, developing visuals, reviewing one another’s work, and presenting their final product.

Here is a sample content standard for this iBlock:

In literary texts, analyze how elements of plot are related, affect one another, and contribute to meaning. (6-8R3; RL)

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)