Starter Kit: Self-Directed Project-Based Learning Tools + PBL Teacher Manual

Imagine that your students are student-led learners, developing and leading self-directed project-based learning experiences. Your self-directed learners have everything they need to design their own project-based learning lesson plans. You will never spend your nights planning lessons again!

If you are a teacher or parent looking to engage and intrinsically motivate students without losing your nights and weekends to lesson planning, then self-directed project-based learning is for you!

And if you're feeling a little unsure of your skills or experience as a self-directed project-based learning facilitator, no worries. This bundle comes with a bonus PBL teacher manual specifically created to walk you through THIS starter kit.

Self-directed learning allows learners to make their own choices about what they learn and how they learn it. It is interest-based and personalized so students are naturally invested and curious about the content and the experience as a whole.

Why have the starter kit?

• Project-based learning is an easy and effective strategy for implementing self-directed learning.
• Students design, execute and lead their own project-based learning projects based on who they are as individuals, so you do not create project-based learning lesson plans at all. Your students do.
• You guide and facilitate the project-based learning experiences. You print out or share the materials from this starter kit through Google Classroom and that is where prep ends for you. Not only is it low prep on your end, but your students will only need the resources included in this starter kit.
• This starter kit is an entire year (or lifetime) of self-directed project-based learning curricula. This is how you engage and motivate students AND get your time back!
• This student-directed project-based learning starter kit offers all of the materials for launching and maintaining self-directed PBL in your classroom or homeschool today and indefinitely.

Starting self-directed project-based learning might seem overwhelming or confusing, but having the right tools and systems in place significantly helps reduce that overwhelm and instills confidence in implementation.

That is exactly what this starter kit offers; guidance, assistance, and an easy-to-implement system.

THE SELF-DIRECTED PROJECT-BASED LEARNING STARTER KIT INCLUDES:

• Personal Learning Plan:
  • Personalize learning with this personal learning plan, a digital template that helps students identify their unique needs, interests, challenges, strengths, goals, future aspirations, and more.
  • This personal learning plan encourages and helps shape PBL projects that reflect unique needs and interests keeping learners engaged, motivated, and passionate about learning.
  • This resource is a digital, editable, Google Apps resource.

• Project-Based Learning Lesson Plan Design Workbook:
  • Students design their own project-based learning experiences around their personal learning plans and use this workbook to help guide them through that design process.
  • I am often asked how the teacher can help students design their own project-based learning projects. This workbook is the answer.
  • Students work through the brain maps included. You scaffold and encourage. Student-led project-based learning design encourages autonomy, keeping students invested in and working productively toward their end goals.
  • A printable and digital version of this resource is included in the starter kit.

• Project-Based Learning Tool Kit:
  • Includes all of the templates required for students to easily and seamlessly execute those project-based learning designs that they developed using the design workbook already mentioned.
  • Includes planning materials, proposals, checklists, project-based learning rubrics, and more, saving you time by eliminating the need to create the materials or develop a system yourself.
  • This project-based learning tool kit also tackles some of those pesky classroom management issues such as low productivity by offering students clear steps and a personalized learning experience.
  • This resource includes a printable and digital Google Slides version.

• Self-Directed Project-Based Learning Digital Planner (Teacher Version):
  • This editable digital teacher planner includes a monthly calendar (12 months), a weekly planner, a daily planner, and a variety of PBL-specific tools to help you seamlessly facilitate self-directed project-based learning.
  • It also includes step-by-step project-based learning elements that can be dragged and dropped into the planner. A common question that I get from educators is how to facilitate and coordinate self-directed PBL in the classroom. This planner lays out the steps for you.
  • This is an editable, digital Google Slides resource. Printing is an option.

• Self-Directed Project-Based Learning Digital Planner (Student Version):
  • This student planner is similar to the teacher version but it helps students plan their own project-based learning projects and stay organized throughout the process.
  • The student planner encourages essential 21st-century skill-building such as autonomy, self-direction, organization, punctuality, meeting deadlines, and more.
  • This planner also offers drag and drop elements specific to PBL that act as a step-by-step PBL execution guide for students.
  • This is an editable, digital Google Slides resource. Printing is an option.

• FREE BONUS: Self-Directed Project-Learning Teacher Facilitation Manual
  • This guide is a free addition to this project-based learning starter kit.
  • The PBL manual walks you through suggestions for seamlessly transitioning from teacher-directed to self-directed project-based learning.
  • The free PBL teacher manual includes a step-by-step process for utilizing the templates in this starter kit.
  • The manual is designed as a workbook where you can take notes on the facilitation and implementation of self-directed project-based learning using the starter kit.

• Free project-based learning tools: Click to get the following items delivered to you now!
  • Implementation Spreadsheet - This spreadsheet includes a column for all student projects with checkpoints along the top row helping to keep track of every student's progress.
  • Project-Based Learning Portfolio Template - This portfolio is a one-stop shop for showcasing project-based learning outcomes and evidence of learning. Students add all of their self-directed project-based learning outcomes to this portfolio to showcase cumulative learning.

Because self-directed project-based learning is interest-led and student-designed, and the starter kit offers templates that work across disciplines, the contents of this bundle can be used over and over again, project after project, saving you money in the long run. It is a comprehensive kit with everything you will ever need for self-directed project-based learning.

THE CONTENTS IN THIS BUNDLE INCLUDE:

• Personal Learning Plan
  • Instructions for developing a personal learning plan
  • Personal learning plan cover page
  • About me
  • My interests
  • Learning and character surveys
  • I want you to know
  • Project topic brainstorming
  • Future aspirations
  • Session goals
  • Quarterly (editable) personal learning plan
  • End of session reflection questions
  • Session outcomes

• Self-Directed Project-Based Learning Design Workbook:
  • A table of contents for easy navigation (the digital version has clickable links to each slide)
  • Mind maps/brainstorming templates that lead to a final project design plan
    • Strengths & challenges
    • Skills
    • Goals
    • Interests
    • Project-topics
    • Questions
    • Community experts
    • Authentic audience
    • Final product
    • Driving question
    • Project plan summary

• Self-Directed Project-Based Learning Tool Kit:
  • Instructions for implementing and facilitating self-directed project-based learning activities
  • Project final product and authentic presentation options - blank template for instructor use
  • Community expert form
  • Personal project plan (includes a template for project goals, deadlines, and tasks)
  • General project-based learning reflection questions
  • Blank project proposal - generic proposal for any student-directed project topic
  • Project plan checklist
  • Generic project-based learning rubric
  • Student-generated rubric template (blank template for student-created rubrics)
  • Category and levels of mastery word banks for student-generated rubrics

• Self-Directed Project-Based Learning Facilitation (Teacher) Planner:
  • An index with definitions of all elements of project-based learning
  • Implementation guide for steps in project-based learning
  • A community expert catalog (a place to brainstorm and save PBL community experts, partners, and collaborators
  • Clickable links to each section for seamless navigation
  • Interactive monthly calendar (12 months)
  • Interactive weekly scheduler (with each month)
  • Interactive daily scheduler (with each month)
  • Project design approval meeting sign up
  • Project progress circle meeting sign up
  • In-class presentation sign up
  • Evaluation meeting sign up
  • Drag and drop elements for ALL relevant elements of the project-based learning process. These drag and drop elements are placed deliberately to guide you through the planning process.
  • Text boxes for easy add-ons such as deadlines for tasks specific to PBL projects
  • THE DATES WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY UPDATED EACH CALENDAR YEAR - This is not something that you will have to do.

• Self-Directed Project-Based Learning Execution (Student) Planner:
  • An index with definitions of all components of self-directed project-based learning
  • A step-by-step project-based learning implementation guide
  • A community expert log sheet (a place to save cooperative community experts and their contact info)
  • A final product and authentic presentation log sheet
  • A log for project topic ideas
  • Clickable links to each section for easy navigation
  • A project plan overview/summary slide for each month
  • Interactive monthly calendar (12 months)
  • Interactive weekly scheduler (with each month)
  • Interactive daily scheduler (with each month)
  • A slide to add important meeting dates
  • Drag and drop elements for ALL relevant components of the self-directed project-based learning process. These drag and drop elements are placed deliberately to guide students through the planning process.
  • Text boxes for easy add-ons such as deadlines for tasks specific to PBL experiences
  • THE DATES WILL BE UPDATED EACH CALENDAR YEAR - This is not something that you will have to do.

If you love self-directed learning, check out these other self-directed learning resources from Experiential Learning Depot:

• Project-Based Learning Mini-Bundle for Self-Directed Learners - If you're not quite ready to purchase an entire starter kit, or do not need all of the pieces, check out my mini-bundle that includes only the project-based learning tool kit and design workbook.
• Experiential Learning Activities Starter Kit - Includes other learning activities that are experiential in nature (this resource includes the project-based learning tool kit, in addition to a tool kit for design thinking projects, service-learning, problem-based learning, and more.)
• Project-Based Learning Theme Mega Bundle - This bundle is well-suited for those that are more interested in teacher-guided project-based learning. It is filled with ready-made project-based learning activities that follow a theme.

Check out these freebies to get a glimpse of self-directed project-based learning and to get started today:

• Free Video Training: Getting Started with Self-Directed Project-Based Learning
• Guide for Writing a Great Project-Based Learning Driving Question

Helpful Blog Posts:

• What is Self Directed Project-Based Learning?
• How to Use and Implement a Project-Based Learning Assessment Portfolio
• How to Write a Great Project-Based Learning Driving Question that Leads to Deeper Learning

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Template Design for Free PBL Teacher Manual: Creative Jam Co.