ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the important factors teachers must consider when planning a project. It focuses on the various ways teachers can plan instruction to help students develop meaningful understandings in a project-based learning environment. Planning and developing projects and associated lessons are among the most creative and challenging aspects of the work a teacher can do. Planning is critical to successful teaching. Think of the development of a project plan as a road map. Integration helps builds understanding of science. When science topics involve people, as they usually do, social studies concepts such as economics, politics, culture, and history come into play. Teachers can use children's literature of all types to teach about science topics. The chapter presents a rubric that can be used to determine the quality of a project-based unit. It discusses how project-based learning supports curriculum integration with the Common Core Mathematics and Common Core English Language Arts Standards.
