Why am I writing this personal entry? Well, it is not an attempt to gain any sympathy. It attempts to show what is possible if a clear intention and goal serve the learner's needs. In May of 2022 just near the end of another fantastic school year, I do not remember what happened. But, I was unable to finish the school year and was unable to teach the following year. Why? On May 21st, 2022, I fell down a flight of 16 stairs (luckily carpeted) from the 2nd to 1st story of our home. I was found at the bottom of the stairs. I was found foaming at the mouth. This would lead to a 2-month hospital stay which included an induced coma because my seizures would not stop, several rounds of lumbar punctures, and relearning basic physical movements like something as simple as being able to roll in the hospital bed. Simply put, when I was admitted to the hospital, I was diagnosed as being “critically ill.” Please take a moment and read those words: critically ill. They are not terms...
We just had our 3rd ever Personal Project Expo night. It’s a night where students share passion projects that they have been working on throughout our physics course to parents and peers. With each round of the passion project we complete, the more I see it as a great opportunity for learners to bring their passions into the classroom.
One of the major reservations I see expressed about these projects into their classrooms is time. With all the standards that need to be addressed inside of the classroom, how is there time to do this work?
I would argue that there are many standards that a well constructed project would address.
One component of any of the project is research. This is hits many standards that I would usually never address due to “more important things” in my classroom.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:
Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.1
Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity:
Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
A main goal of the project is to give students the opportunity to learn more about something that they have a personal interest in. At the end of the term, they need to be able to communicate their learning to a public audience. That includes another set of standards.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge:
Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas:
Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
Beyond the Common Core Standards, there are specific Next Generation Science Standards that are addressed by the projects as well:
So, we covered these different standards intentionally and that’s great. But I am alwyas amazed at what students have to say about the experience.
Student thoughts on Project:
I thought it was really fun, and I got to learn more about Physics in the real world, instead of just in class.
I really enjoyed doing this project, and i am sad this term is over :(
I think it was cool to connect what I love to physics
It was a fun way for people to see physics in a new way, that pretty much everything can involve physics.
I really enjoyed this project! I wish other teachers did a project like this.
Student thoughts on Presentation Night:
It was really fun and it was cool. I never had something like this, it's cool being different.
I think it was the best experience I've ever had.
When I came, I thought I wouldn't enjoy it very much, but I ended up having a good time hanging out with my friends
I thought it was fun to be able to do a project on anything we wanted and the presentation night was super fun because I loved seeing what everyone else came up with.
At first I thought that the idea of a project that would be presented after school was dumb, but after actually participating I really enjoyed it.
So, what’s stopping you from incorporating a passion project into your classroom?
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