About USA TODAY’s Project-Based Learning Modules:

 

Purpose – The projects below provide an in-depth exploration of news stories and issues and help students hone their creative and critical thinking skills.

Week 1 consists of research and preparation. The following three weeks focus on the high-level skills associated with the last three stages of Bloom’s Taxonomy: analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

 

 

Project Archives:

 

Content, Design and Format

Each project will:

  • Concentrate on a story or issue
  • Produce tangible results
  • Contain non-traditional ideas for research and project development
  • Extend beyond the classroom
  • Encourage creativity

Each project also follows a consistent format:

 

Week 1 – research;
Week 2 – create I (analysis);
Week 3 – create II (synthesis);
Week 4 – rehearsal and presentation (evaluation)

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Q. What if I miss the first week of a project?

 

 A. That’s all right. Projects can begin and end at the teacher’s discretion. The instructions for each week of the project will be archived online, so a teacher can access pass projects to use when appropriate for integration into his or her curriculum.

 

 Q. What grade level do the projects target?

 

A. The projects are best suited for middle and high school students. However, a teacher may easily tailor the details and difficulty level of the project by adding or omitting stages and instructions.

 

Q. Will the projects help me meet state standards?

 

A. Yes. Each project will require students to utilize higher-order thinking skills and ask them to apply their own knowledge and abilities to practical and problem-solving situations. Teachers can easily match and tailor the projects to meet specific, individual standards for their state.

 

Q. Will I need the newspaper in order to complete the project?

 

A. Yes. Students will be asked to analyze articles, graphics and pictures in USA TODAY throughout the course of the project. They may even be asked to cut out information found in the paper to use during the creation phases of the project!