Begin with the End in Mind

The project meets all initial criteria for an authentic, standards-focused project.

• Content outcomes aligned with national, state, or district standards.
• Requires students to develop, apply, and demonstrate literacy or numeracy skills.
• Organized around an open ended driving question or problem that inspires higher order thinking, encourages focused problem-solving skills, and requires core knowledge to answer.
• Requires students to construct knowledge.
• Requires students to engage in disciplined inquiry, including using prior know-ledge, gaining in-depth understanding of subject, and mastering core conventions of the subject.
• Addresses issues, problems, or questions faced by people in the world outside of school.
• Requires students to develop 1-2 key life skills or workplace competencies.
• Encourages students to reflect on and develop personal strengths.
• Incorporates activities and tasks that encourage student autonomy.
• Encourages and honors student ‘voice and choice’.
• Students have contact with adults outside the classroom.
• Student work reviewed by a “real” audience.
• Students do extensive exploration and research, including field-based activities.
• Involves students and teachers in a wide range of communication patterns, roles, and activities.
• Is of sufficient duration for students to engage in a complex, problem-focused process of assimilating facts, using skills, contemplating solutions, and creating worthwhile products.

Craft the Driving Question

The project poses an authentic problem or significant question.

• The driving question or problem has meaning and relevance to students and may be generated by them.
• The driving question is neither too open-ended nor too concrete.
• The driving question is appropriate to the content outcomes for the project.
• The driving question serves as a guide to the direction of inquiry and products for the project.

Plan the Assessment

Products and criteria are aligned with standards and outcomes for the project.

• Assessments are closely aligned to standards and are rich and varied enough to make credible judgments about learning.
• Products and performances are varied and sufficient to provide the opportunity for students to be adequately assessed on all outcomes, including performance assessments for skills, and self-report or similar assessments for personal strengths.
• The project includes a culminating exhibition, presentation, or product in which students demonstrate that they can apply their knowledge.
• Artifacts or other assessments are included as ways to measure the “process” of the project.
• Formative assessments are included.
• Students are informed of all assessments at the beginning of the project.
• Students will be given regular feedback on performance as the project progresses.

Map the Project

The project includes well thought out tasks and activities.

• Appropriate scaffold activities have been built into the project timeline.
• Project includes an appropriate, engaging introduction or launch activity.
• Students will use technology as a tool for learning.
• Students will use a variety of time and task management tools during the project.
• Students have opportunities to develop workplace competencies.
• Appropriate timeline is established.
• Project plans for differentiated instruction.

Manage the Process

The project incorporates ‘pervasive’ management approaches.

• Driving question is discussed and posted.
• Solutions to the problem or approaches to the question are discussed at the beginning of the project.
• Assessments and criteria for performance are clearly explained to students at beginning of project.
• Project materials are organized and available to students.
• Students receive timely feedback on their work in progress.
• Students understand what is required of them and are given exemplars of work.
• Reflection is built into the project plan.
• Students are taught to self-assess and are required to use structured methods to review progress.