First, if you don't know what the 20% project is, you should check out The Tech Classroom's explanation. I had heard about the project at the GAFE Summit I attended back in October (the conference that prompted me to start this blog); at the time, I put it in my brain under "something cool that I should figure out and try sometime," and then, of course, I forgot about it.
About a month ago, the teacher next door to me mentioned that she is doing this project with her 11th graders, and I thought, "Hey... I forgot about that! I should try it out, too!" I knew I couldn't do it in my English 11 classes right now because I already have too many on-going projects that my students are working on, so I decided to use it in ELD 2. My friend sent me her materials, and I adapted them slightly to make them work for my class.
Week 1: Introducing the Project
Now, I must be honest... I would like to say that I planned everything out, and I knew exactly what I wanted my students to do. I would like to say that I knew exactly how I was going to teach them everything I wanted to do. However, if I were to tell you that, I would be lying. The truth is that after my friend shared her materials with me, I had developed a vague sense of what I wanted my students to do. They would do the project, and they would blog on Blogger. I decided to force them to use Blogger because they all have Blogger accounts through their school GAFE accounts AND because I would be able to help them navigate through any technical difficulties they ran into while blogging. That's about all I had decided in advance. Then, two weeks ago, Friday rolled around, and I realized I had nothing planned for the second period of my ELD 2 block. I knew that I wanted them to do this project, so I decided I would introduce it that day.
I quickly printed out the description of the project and sample project ideas. I figured it would take about a period to introduce the project, get them to choose topics, and help them set up their blogs - all of which I could handle that day even though I wasn't really prepared.
I passed out the descriptions and project ideas to my students before letting them get on the Chromebooks, because I knew that if I let them get on the Chromebooks first, some of them would be trying to surreptitiously watch videos on YouTube or check Facebook instead of paying attention to what I was telling them.
After the students choose their topics, I had them get their Chromebooks and set up their blogs. As I assumed, this took the entire period, but I was happy by the end of it all. The students were all on board with the project and had chosen topics of interest to them. The topics they chose include:
- Learning to cook (a few students chose to do this)
- Learning how to draw (a few students chose to do this)
- Painting a mural
- Improving time in running the mile
- Learning how to crochet
- Teaching someone how to swim/learning how to do the butterfly stroke
- Researching high school depression and anxiety (a few students chose to do this)
- Researching different types of music
- Creating a website about Messi's life and career
- Creating a "how to" video on making videos through a specific app
- Creating different cakes and cupcakes out of Play-Doh
Week 2: Creating a Plan
The weekend after introducing the project to my students, I came up with a plan for what I wanted my students to do. I created a calendar, laying out all of the days that I would give students to work on the project, and then I created a version of that calendar to give to my students.
On Tuesday of Week 2, I assigned the calendar to my students through Google Classroom. I told them that I wanted them to use the calendar to schedule out what they needed to do in order to complete their chosen projects. I also created and assigned a document to help them figure out what materials they would need to complete the project and where/how they would get those materials. (I chose to create these both through Google Docs, as opposed to Forms, because then my students could easily print them out if they wanted.)
I thought these assignments were straightforward enough, but, unfortunately, I overestimated my students' planning abilities. The majority of my students opened up the documents and then sat and stared at their Chromebooks. My TA and I were walking around explaining and helping individual students, but even then, it was a very tedious process because the kids wouldn't do anything if I wasn't standing right next to them. In fact, this has been my biggest issue with this class throughout the year; when I introduce something new, they sit there, reluctant to do anything, and I literally have to force them to start working. It seems to be a state of learned helplessness. Since they are English Learners, most of them think they don't know what to do, even if they actually do know what to do, so they sit and do nothing. Additionally, they function under the assumption that we don't actually have anything important to do in class because they ask if they can have free-time or if we can watch a movie on a regular basis, despite the fact that I have never given them free-time and I only let them watch a movie once (when half of my class was out for testing). Sigh...
In any case, we got through the calendars and the materials, and, as a result, each student had a general idea of what they needed to do and when they needed to do it in order to finish the project by the end of the year.
In addition, I explained some changes to their on-going Current Event and Watching Television assignments. Throughout the year, they have done Current Event and Watching Television assignments and turned them in every Tuesday and Thursday. They were allowed to read any article they wanted and watch any show they wanted, as long as they were in English. Now that we are doing the 20% Projects, I told my students that I wanted them to use the Current Event and Watching Television assignments to help them do their research; they should be reading information and watching videos to help them complete their projects, and they should write about what they read and saw for their Current Event and Watching Television assignments. As I mentioned above, my students are not what you would call "go-getters;" there's nothing wrong with that, but this can be a problem when you have a long-term assignment you are expecting students to work on on a regular basis. Therefore, I tweaked a couple of our weekly routines to guarantee that my students are at least thinking about their projects on a regular basis.
On Tuesday of Week 2, I assigned the calendar to my students through Google Classroom. I told them that I wanted them to use the calendar to schedule out what they needed to do in order to complete their chosen projects. I also created and assigned a document to help them figure out what materials they would need to complete the project and where/how they would get those materials. (I chose to create these both through Google Docs, as opposed to Forms, because then my students could easily print them out if they wanted.)
I thought these assignments were straightforward enough, but, unfortunately, I overestimated my students' planning abilities. The majority of my students opened up the documents and then sat and stared at their Chromebooks. My TA and I were walking around explaining and helping individual students, but even then, it was a very tedious process because the kids wouldn't do anything if I wasn't standing right next to them. In fact, this has been my biggest issue with this class throughout the year; when I introduce something new, they sit there, reluctant to do anything, and I literally have to force them to start working. It seems to be a state of learned helplessness. Since they are English Learners, most of them think they don't know what to do, even if they actually do know what to do, so they sit and do nothing. Additionally, they function under the assumption that we don't actually have anything important to do in class because they ask if they can have free-time or if we can watch a movie on a regular basis, despite the fact that I have never given them free-time and I only let them watch a movie once (when half of my class was out for testing). Sigh...
In any case, we got through the calendars and the materials, and, as a result, each student had a general idea of what they needed to do and when they needed to do it in order to finish the project by the end of the year.
In addition, I explained some changes to their on-going Current Event and Watching Television assignments. Throughout the year, they have done Current Event and Watching Television assignments and turned them in every Tuesday and Thursday. They were allowed to read any article they wanted and watch any show they wanted, as long as they were in English. Now that we are doing the 20% Projects, I told my students that I wanted them to use the Current Event and Watching Television assignments to help them do their research; they should be reading information and watching videos to help them complete their projects, and they should write about what they read and saw for their Current Event and Watching Television assignments. As I mentioned above, my students are not what you would call "go-getters;" there's nothing wrong with that, but this can be a problem when you have a long-term assignment you are expecting students to work on on a regular basis. Therefore, I tweaked a couple of our weekly routines to guarantee that my students are at least thinking about their projects on a regular basis.
On Friday of the week, I had my students create a "Sources" post (I titled this "Sources" instead of "PLN" or "Personal Learning Network" just to simplify the language and the idea of what the post was supposed to include) and write their first blog post. We titled the posts "Week 1 Reflection." In order to support them in this, I put together a list of sample student blogs taken from Linda Yollis' classroom blog. I also created my own sample blog, based on what I want them to do on their blogs. It was a little difficult keeping them all on the same page as I was trying to walk them through creating a post, but, by the end of the period, they had all successfully posted their first blog post! I also managed to show them how to include links, pictures, and videos in their posts, and, most importantly, I had them add me as a reader to their blogs, so I can easily keep track of their progress.
Week 3: Working, Working, Working
This past week was Week 3 of the 20% Project. My kids seem to have fallen into the routine of working on their projects outside of school and doing research for them at least on Mondays and Wednesdays (to turn in on Tuesdays and Thursdays).
Early in the week, one of my students (the one who is teaching somebody to swim) told me he needed to show me a video for his project. During the break between classes, I watched his video, which was essentially just a photo collage of pictures of him and his friends hanging out at the pool. I had to explain to him that, while it was a well put-together video, it did not show him doing what he said he was going to do for his project. I said that if he really wanted to teach somebody to swim, then his video and/or pictures should document him doing that and not just hanging out at the pool...
On Friday, I had my students do their second reflection post on their progress with their projects. I also showed them how to add information into their "Sources" post, and I walked them through creating an "About Me" section on their blogs.
My student who is making cakes and cupcakes out of Play-Doh showed me a picture of her progress, which surprised me because she is the student that I have the most trouble getting to do her homework. I guess that just testifies to the whole idea and value behind the 20% Project... If you give them time to work on what they want to work on and what they are interested in, then you will begin to see a change in their work habits.
What We've Done, In A Nutshell:
- Week 1:
- Introduction to the project
- Chose topics
- Created blogs on Blogger
- Week 2:
- Created calendars
- Created materials lists
- Researched on Wednesday
- Set-up "Sources" post on blogs
- Wrote "Week 1 Reflection"
- Week 3:
- Researched on Monday and Wednesday
- Wrote "Week 2 Reflection"
- Added sites to "Sources" post
- Set-up "About Me" on blogs
My Thoughts on The Project So Far...
Right now, I am really glad that I implemented this project with my ELD 2 students. I still have some components of the project that I need to figure out (like what, exactly, I want their final presentations to entail), but everything is going smoothly right now.
As I said at the beginning of this post, when I first heard about the project, I was intrigued, but I didn't know how to incorporate it into my classroom. I honestly don't think I would have taken the leap if I hadn't gotten the materials from my friend, so kudos to her.
I love the freedom this project gives to students. Also, I love that it incorporates research skills and writing in a way that doesn't feel forced or contrived because the students are doing research that they want to do. The project also allows us to discuss topics like protecting one's identity online and presenting oneself in a professional manner.
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Ease of use: Well, since I just jumped into this project without much pre-planning, I would say it is pretty easy to implement because, once you get going, it is completely student-driven. You do need regular access to computers, laptops, or Chromebooks in order to keep students on track on a weekly basis.
Would I use this again: Yes. If I teach ELD 2 again next year, I will definitely start this from 1st semester. If I am teaching English 11, I will need to figure out a way to fit it in, but I do want to try to do so. I think I need to just say, "I'm going to do it!" and then figure out a way to make it work.
Downsides: You need to dedicate 20% of your class time to letting kids work on the project. If you aren't willing to commit to that, then you shouldn't start the project. Also, as I mentioned, you need regular access to technology.
Applications: Based on the origins of this project in companies like Google and 3M, I think this project could be incorporated in any subject area, at any grade level, and the results will be dependent upon the level of the students.
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I love the freedom this project gives to students. Also, I love that it incorporates research skills and writing in a way that doesn't feel forced or contrived because the students are doing research that they want to do. The project also allows us to discuss topics like protecting one's identity online and presenting oneself in a professional manner.
-------
Ease of use: Well, since I just jumped into this project without much pre-planning, I would say it is pretty easy to implement because, once you get going, it is completely student-driven. You do need regular access to computers, laptops, or Chromebooks in order to keep students on track on a weekly basis.
Would I use this again: Yes. If I teach ELD 2 again next year, I will definitely start this from 1st semester. If I am teaching English 11, I will need to figure out a way to fit it in, but I do want to try to do so. I think I need to just say, "I'm going to do it!" and then figure out a way to make it work.
Downsides: You need to dedicate 20% of your class time to letting kids work on the project. If you aren't willing to commit to that, then you shouldn't start the project. Also, as I mentioned, you need regular access to technology.
Applications: Based on the origins of this project in companies like Google and 3M, I think this project could be incorporated in any subject area, at any grade level, and the results will be dependent upon the level of the students.
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