ownership. It helps to put into context a practical use for the above concepts. Students grid their landform using string, and then decide how to divide it into par- cels such that there is one for each student. After they have decided what they think is the


best way to divide and distribute these parcels, a whole slew of math lessons can take place based on the shape of the students’ parcels: determining area, properties of each shape, applying the Pythagorean theorem, etc. During the feedback portion of the pro- cess the most common comments include fairness, access to water, and other natural resources that can lead to incredible discussions about current global issues in the same vein.


A Year’s Worth of Learning


By the end of the year the students have designed a civilization that far exceeds not only their expectations, but mine too. When they look at the landform they have designed, they are proud of what they have created and can recite the purpose and function of each object. When I look at it, I see the context for a year’s worth of learning that shows growth, originality, and who my students are. Needless to say, this cross-curricular approach to teaching science and math (as well as language arts and social studies) has yielded credible results not only in over- all student satisfaction and positive self-image, but also in California Standards Test Results. The students in my class who are exposed to this type of approach tend to score better on the math portion of the CST’s than their grade-level peers. Although this fact does not drive my instruction it certainly helps to validate it. !


Margaret Strand teaches Design-Based Learning at Chaparral Middle School in Walnut, California. If you would like more information, please feel free to email her at mstrand@walnutvalley.k12.ca.us.


Design-Based Learning


Design-Based Learning (DBL) began in the late 1960s under the name City Building. Doreen Nelson, a member of the American Institute of Architecture and named by the New York Times as one of the thirty most innovative educators in the United States, worked with colleagues to develop a method of employing critical thinking skills and hands-on learning to fully engage chil- dren in the learning process. This project approach can be used in classrooms K–12, and it has proven especially useful for


students learning English as well as challenging students who do not learn well in a typical class- room setting. According to the website, students who participate in Design-Based Learning in general experience higher scores on standardized testing. Classes employing DBL are focusing on multiple standards simultaneously. Design-Based Learning can now be found


across the globe, with participating classrooms in China, Finland, and Japan. The website offers an introduction to the methodology, more infor- mation on Doreen Nelson, a library of published articles about DBL, examples of DBL in classrooms, and results of a three-year study looking at stu- dent achievement in DBL and non-DBL classrooms.


©SYNERGY LEARNING • 800-769-6199 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 Connect • PAGE 15


Margaret Strand


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28