Children and adult children alike love an adventure. I remember well the stories I loved reading as a child, The Hardy Boys, Biggles, Swallows and Amazons, and of course the classics, Treasure Island, Kidnapped, The Jungle Book and Robinson Crusoe. It was with these fond memories in mind that I decided to create stage 2’s very first iBook for a project I’ve called, Survival.
If you’ve been following our links, you will know that in project based learning we begin with a drive question. The question I put to the students was, What would I need to know to survive if I were marooned on a desert island? I felt that this project would be a great opportunity to integrate the core subjects of Geography, Science, Mathematics, History and English. The students need to learn about the foods found on an island, how to build a shelter, identifying dangers, how to make a fire, how to tell the time by the sun, how to measure distances, how to live and work together with others and, finally, ways by which they could be rescued. I’ve even thrown in a treasure hunt and a visit by some tribes-people from a neighbouring island.
The end product for this project is a journal each of the students is creating of their adventure. The journal includes day entries, maps and drawings. As I expected, the students have connected well and are enjoying making up their own stories. We’re about halfway through the adventure. Each afternoon I’m reading for a short time from the book, Kensuke’s Kingdom, perhaps you’ve read it? Great story.
Every project in PBL has a launching pad – an entry event. I’ve attached the short clip I attached to the iBook for you to hopefully enjoy. It’s a lighthearted view of the serious situation.
chontelle says
Thank you Rodney, it sounds fantastic and engaging. At breakfast this morning Xavier commented on the sun being in his eyes and in the afternoon the suns position changes he went on…and on….sharing all he had learnt at college about Never Eating Soggy Weetbix and the sunrise and sunset. Thankyou…. a few years ago Xavier told me the EASTer bunny was was responsible for sun positioning!!